ASCAP Country Award Winners

Publisher of the Year: Sony/ATV/EMI Music Publishing. (L-R): Ed Williams, Ben Strain, Abbey Adams, Josh Van Valkenberg, Troy Tomlinson, ASCAP Board member Barry Coburn, Terry Wakefield, and ASCAP’s Randy Grimmett

Ben Hayslip accepts ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year

ASCAP’s Country Awards were presented Monday night (10/29) in the Presidential Ballroom of the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Here’s a brief recap. See Bobby Karl’s in-depth coverage for MusicRow members here.

Songwriter of the Year: Ben Hayslip, who penned four of the most performed songs of the past year: “Honey Bee” (Blake Shelton), “I Don’t Want This Night To End” (Luke Bryan), “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” (Martina McBride) and “This Ole Boy” (Craig Morgan)

Country Music Song of the Year: “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” written by Eric Paslay and Terry Sawchuk; published by Cal IV Entertainment

Country Music Song of the Year: “Honey Bee,” written by Ben Hayslip; published by Warner/Chappell and This Music

Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year: Brad Paisley. It was his third win thanks to hits including “Camouflage,” “Old Alabama” and “Remind Me.”

Country Publisher of the Year: Sony/ATV/EMI, who had nine award-winning songs: “Bait A Hook,” “Camouflage, “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” “I Got You,” “I Won’t Let Go,” “Remind Me,” “Tomorrow,” “You” and “You Gonna Fly”

Golden Note Award: Bob McDill. ASCAP President and Chairman of the Board Paul Williams, and ASCAP Publisher Board member Dean Kay presented the award, and a special musical tribute included performances by Ronnie Dunn; Chris and Morgane Stapleton (“Amanda”); Josh Kelley (“Good Ole Boys Like Me”); and Jessi Alexander and Jon Randall, backed by their band 18 South (“Don’t Close Your Eyes”).

Creative Voice Award: Lyle Lovett. ASCAP Executive Vice President of Membership Randy Grimmett presented the award, and a musical tribute to Lovett featured Guy Clark (“The Waltzing Fool”); Robert Earl Keen (“The Front Porch Song”); and Sam Bush and Jon Randall (“If I Had A Boat”).

The event celebrated ASCAP’s most performed country songs between April 2011 and March 2012. A total of 35 song honors were handed out, interspersed with performances by the writers of the top five most performed songs:
• “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” written by Andy Gibson, Paul Jenkins and Jason Sellers
• “I Don’t Want This Night to End,” written by Ben Hayslip, Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Luke Bryan
• “God Gave Me You,” written by Dave Barnes
• “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” written by Eric Paslay, Terry Sawchuk, and Dylan Altman
• “Honey Bee,” written by Ben Hayslip and Rhett Akins

(L-R): ASCAP EVP of Membership Randy Grimmett, Song of the Year honorees Cal IV Entertainment's Daniel Hill, Terry Sawchuck, Eric Paslay, Cal IV's Natalie Harker, Billy Lynn, and ASCAP's Michael Martin

(L-R): ASCAP’s Randy Grimmett, Jon Randall, Sam Bush, Creative Voice Award honoree Lyle Lovett, Guy Clark, Robert Earl Keen, Tony Brown