Ross Copperman, “Whiskey Glasses,” Warner Chappell Lead BMI Country Awards Winners

/by

Ross Copperman. Photo: Kelly Taylor

BMI has honored many of country music’s top songwriters and publishers as part of its 68th annual BMI Country Awards.

“The BMI Country Awards are always the pinnacle of our year, and we look forward to this time when we are able to applaud our creators,” says Clay Bradley, VP, Creative Nashville. “To celebrate the most successful songs in our genre, our songwriters, publishers, and our community is a huge honor. This year has been a challenge for all of Music City, but this community has adapted beautifully and supported one another so unfailingly. Though this ceremony may look different, BMI is as proud as ever to once again honor the most performed songs of the year.”

Ross Copperman was named Songwriter of the Year for the fourth time. He co-penned six of the year’s top songs, including Brett Young’s “Catch,” Dierks Bentley’s “Living,” Eli Young Band’s “Love Ain’t,” and more.

YouTube video

 

“Songwriter of the Year is the pinnacle for me,” Copperman told MusicRow. “I’ve been with BMI since I was 13. I signed up on their website back then. I was fascinated by the music business as a kid. Now, to get this four times, is such an honor. The first thing I always tell young artists is to sign up with a PRO. And the very first place I went when I got to Nashville was BMI’s office to meet with everyone. They sent me to Key West Songwriters Festival and I met Heather Morgan there [who co-wrote Brett Eldredge’s signature hits “Beat of the Music” and “Lose My Mind” with Copperman. “BMI got me going in this whole business,” he said.

Sony/ATV Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston added, “Ross’s talent and intuition are only outmatched by his work ethic and determination – he not only sets the bar, but continually raises it. We congratulate him on this magnificent Songwriter of the Year achievement at BMI’s 2020 Country awards and are proud to call him part of our Sony/ATV family.”

Morgan Wallen’s “Whiskey Glasses,” co-written by BMI writer Ben Burgess, was named Song of the Year, marking Burgess’ very first BMI Country Award. “Whiskey Glasses” was certified 3x multi-Platinum by the RIAA and was a multi-week No. 1 on country radio.

“I’m blown away at what has transpired in my career so far,” Burgess told MusicRow. He was surprised with the news on a Zoom call with BMI’s Clay Bradley, Warner Chappell’s Ben Vaughn, and more. “They told me I had won Song of the Year, and it was incredible. I feel so blessed and heard and seen. The dream is to be able to communicate with the world and help make it a better place.

“I was trying to think of ideas and I just remember thinking of the play on words with Whiskey Glasses, and I knew I had to write with Kevin Kadish. I was in L.A., and we’ve been writing together for years and he’s so talented. He got the idea right away and just started singing it back to me and it felt right. It might have been a two-day write, I remember we took our time to get it just right.”

 

YouTube video

 

Warner Chappell was named Publisher of the Year for the third consecutive year, representing 21 of the previous year’s Top 50 songs, including “Whiskey Glasses,” “The Bones,” “God’s Country,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “10,000 Hours” and more.

BMI also celebrated the songwriters and publishers of the 50 most-performed  country songs of the previous year. This year’s group of honorees includes 20 first-time BMI Country award recipients, who have amassed over 19 million song performances collectively. Among the songs honored are “Heartache Medication,” ”Look What God Gave Her,” ”More Hearts Than Mine,” “Old Town Road (Remix),” and “Tip of My Tongue.” Additional award winners include Ed Sheeran, Ingrid Andress, Randy Montana, Kane Brown, and more.

A full list of winners is available at bmi.com.

Jessica Nicholson
Latest posts by Jessica Nicholson (see all)