SESAC Inc., celebrated its songwriters and music publishers behind the year’s most-performed country and Americana songs at the company’s annual Nashville Music Awards, on Sunday, Nov. 11, at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Matt McGinn, who has topped the charts with “Heaven,” performed by Kane Brown, was named SESAC’s Songwriter of the Year. The multi-week, No. 1 multi-Platinum-selling “Heaven,” published by SMACKWORKS MUSIC and Kobalt Group Publishing, was named SESAC Song of the Year. Winning its first-ever Publisher of the Year accolade was SMACKWORKS MUSIC during the event.
McGinn’s co-writer and Lindsay Rimes, along with friends Aaron Eshuis and Joey Hyde, performed the No. 1 song “Heaven” in his honor. RCA Nashville recording artist Ryan Hurd was also on hand to present McGinn with his Songwriter of the Year Award.
In addition to celebrating songwriters and publishers, the Veteran’s Day event recognized America’s bravest men and women of the armed forces during the awards show. SESAC honored the Folds of Honor Foundation and its mission for providing educational scholarships to families of the fallen and disabled service members, and recognized Lee Brice, a SESAC affiliate, with an award for his involvement in the establishment of the Folds of Honor Nashville Chapter.
The awards ceremony kicked off with Jamey Johnson and John Carter Cash performing “Spirit Rider” from the recent project Johnny Cash: Forever Words, which assembled an A-list of talent and garnered chart accolades from around the world. Lee Brice also performed a moving tribute of his 2013 CMA Song of the Year “I Drive Your Truck” in honor of Veteran’s Day. Culminating the evening, SESAC affiliates DJ KO, Runaway June, Tyler Rich, Seaforth and Michael Tyler provided musical entertainment with their latest hits.
The festive event, hosted by Shannan Hatch, SESAC’s Vice President of Creative Services, honored top songwriters and publishers behind the year’s biggest hits in the genres of country and Americana. More than 500 songwriters, publishers and industry professionals attended the awards celebration, sponsored in part by W.H. Grant & Sons and Sound Royalties.
Country Awards:
“YOURS”
Written by:
Casey Brown
published by:
Not Just Another Song Publishing, So Essential Tunes
recorded by:
Russell Dickerson
“HEART BREAK”
written by:
Hillary Scott
published by W.B.M. Music Corp, EKT Publishing
recorded by:
Lady Antebellum
“HEAVEN”
written by:
Matt McGinn
published SMACKWORKS MUSIC, Kobalt Group Publishing
recorded by:
Kane Brown
“SINGLES YOU UP”
written by:
Justin Ebach
published by: Wordspring Music, WBM Music, Memory Days
recorded by:
Jordan Davis
“LOSING SLEEP”
written by:
Josh Hoge
published by: EMI Foray Music, Write to Be Free
recorded by:
Chris Young
“SHE’S WITH ME”
written by:
Seth Mosley
published by:
CentricSongs, Capitol CMG Amplifier
recorded by:
High Valley
“ONE NUMBER AWAY”
written by:
Sammy Mitchell
published by Concord Music, Self Shrevident Music
recorded by:
Luke Combs
Americana Awards:
ALL AMERICAN MADE
contributions by:
Margo Price, Jeremy Ivey
published by:
BMG, Peach Pit, Fisheye
recorded by:
Margo Price
FROM A ROOM VOL. 2
contributions by:
Kevin Welch, Brice Long, Jaron Boyer
published by:
Send ME the Checks Music, Spur 66 Music, Universal Tunes, EMI Foray Music, BMG
recorded by:
Chris Stapleton
JOHNNY CASH: FOREVER WORDS
contributions by:
Jamey Johnson, Rosanne Cash, Robert Glasper
published by:
Polishit, Chelcait Music, Notable Music, Words of Cash Music, BMG, Big Deal Music
recorded by:
Various Artists
ACCOMPLICE ONE
contributions by:
Anthony Snape
published by:
Anthony Snape Music Publishing
recorded by:
Tommy Emmanuel
THE LONELY, THE LONESOME & THE GONE
contributions by:
Andrew Combs
published by:
Concord Music, Chunk of Coal Publishing
recorded by:
Lee Ann Womack
TIME FLIES
contributions by:
Jim Lauderdale
published by:
BMG Cicada, Jim Lauderdale Music
Performed by:
Jim Lauderdale
FREE YOURSELF UP
contributions by:
Rachael Price, Michael Olson
published by:
W.B.M. Music, 17 Lake Street Music
recorded by:
Lake Street Music
Featured image - Pictured (l-r): SESAC VP of creative services Shannan Hatch, chairman and CEO of SESAC John Josephson, Matt McGinn and SESAC President and COO Kelli Turner. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for SESAC)
