SESAC Salutes Hillary Scott, EMI Foray Music

SESAC executives and top winners (L-R): SESAC’s John Mullins and Shannan Hatch, EMI Foray Music’s Ben Vaughn, SESAC’s Pat Collins, Hillary Scott, and SESAC’s Tim Fink. Photo: Ed Rode

Songwriter of the Year: Hillary Scott
Song of the Year: “Need You Now,” 
Recorded by Lady Antebellum
, Written by: SESAC’s Hillary Scott, with Charles Kelley, Josh Kear, and Dave Haywood. Publisher: Hillary Dawn Songs / EMI Foray Music
SESAC Publisher of the Year: EMI Foray Music
Inspiration Award: Jim Lauderdale

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Hillary Scott was named Songwriter of the Year at last night’s (11/8) SESAC Nashville Music Awards. The Lady Antebellum songstress also took home the Song Of The Year trophy for the crossover smash, “Need You Now.” Publisher of the Year honors went to EMI Foray Music.

Among the hits Scott has co-written for Lady Antebellum are “Need You Now,” “Our Kind Of Love” and “Run To You.” SESAC Vice President Tim Fink also awarded Scott with a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted J-145 acoustic Gibson guitar. She and Lady A bandmates Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood performed “Need You Now” for the black-tie crowd assembled at SESAC’s Nashville offices.

SESAC recognized the growing Americana format during the evening’s festivities, handing out awards to such luminaries as Bob Dylan, Jim Lauderdale, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Allison Moorer and The Avett Brothers.

Lauderdale was presented with SESAC’s “Inspiration Award” recognizing his genre-crossing music which has resulted in collaborations with artists as diverse as Elvis Costello, Ralph Stanley and Willie Nelson. Among those who have recorded Lauderdale’s songs are George Strait, Patty Loveless, George Jones, Dixie Chicks and Solomon Burke. Costello and Stanley sent video congratulations to the event, and Buddy Miller paid tribute by singing Lauderdale’s “The King Of Broken Hearts.”