BMI Awards
KEITH URBAN, BOB DIPIERO, and ROSS COPPERMAN were the big winners last night (11/7), as BROADCAST MUSIC INC (BMI) presented its 2017 BMI COUNTRY AWARDS, the organization’s 65th annual event.
URBAN was honored with the BMI CHAMPION Award, for his commitment to numerous education programs that include the CMA FOUNDATION, COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM (CMHOF), and the GRAMMY FOUNDATION, among others. URBAN’s annual “ALL FOR THE HALL” benefit shows in NASHVILLE have raised more than $2.6 million for the CMHOF. Helping to honor URBAN was MAREN MORRIS, who performed URBAN’s first-ever #1 single, “But For The Grace Of GOD.”
DIPIERO was named the BMI ICON recipient, joining a prestigious list of past winners that includes VINCE GILL, MERLE HAGGARD, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, DOLLY PARTON, and others. BROOKS & DUNN, REBA MCENTIRE and JON PARDI each paid musical tribute to DIPIERO, performing “You Can’t take The Honky Tonk Out Of The Girl,” “Till You Love Me,” and, “Daddy’s Money,” respectively.
COPPERMAN picked up his second consecutive Songwriter of the Year award, based on a body of work for the past year that includes LOCASH’s “I Know Somebody,” KENNY CHESNEY’s “Settin’ The World On Fire,” and KEITH URBAN’s “Break On Me,” to name a few. Song of the Year accolades award went to FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE’s #1 single, “H.O.L.Y.,” written by BUSBEE and NAYE CYPHERT. SONY/ATV PUBLISHING kept its decade-long winning streak alive for Publisher of the Year, as 26 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year came out of the organization. Also recognized: The Top 50 songs of 2017; for a full list, click here.
This Article Was Originally Posted at www.allaccess.com