Shane McAnally To Receive Spirit Of Music Award From T.J. Martell Foundation

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Shane McAnally. Photo: Robby Klein

Grammy-winning and Tony-nominated songwriter/producer Shane McAnally will receive the Spirit of Music Award at the T.J. Martell Foundation’s 45th Annual New York Honors Gala. The celebration is returning to New York City for the first time since 2019, and will be held at Cipriani 42nd Street on June 13, 2023.

McAnally has written and/or produced over 50 No. 1 songs, garnered three Grammys, has been nominated for multiple CMA Awards and has been named ACM’s Songwriter of the Year twice. He has written and produced songs for Sam Hunt, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Kacey Musgraves and many more, and received Billboard’s Trailblazer Award for his work both in country music and in championing voices in the LGBTQ community.

In 2012 McAnally founded SMACKSongs, which includes publishing, digital and management branches, and whose writers are credited with nearly 70 No. 1 songs, with seven No. 1s in 2022 alone. In addition to SMACK, McAnally co-starred on NBC’s Songland and is the co-president of record label Monument Records in partnership with Sony Music. McAnally is currently in New York City, bringing the musical Shucked to Broadway—a production he wrote the music and lyrics for with collaborator Brandy Clark. Shucked was nominated for nine Tony awards this season.

In addition to McAnally, two other esteemed music industry leaders will be honored at this year’s New York Honors Gala. Warner Records Co-Chairman and COO Tom Corson will receive the Lifetime Music Industry Award, while Chief Creative Officer and EVP at Def Jam Recordings Archie Davis will receive the Rising Music Superstar Award. The elegant evening is the Foundation’s primary fundraiser of the year, supporting its mission of funding innovative medical research and treatments focused on finding a cure for cancer.

The gala will be hosted by Gala Co-Chairs and Board Chairman John Esposito, Tunji Balogun, Aaron Bay-Schuck, Robert Carlton, Steve Gawley, Laura Swanson and Julie Swidler, and will include guest presenters and special musical performances to celebrate the honorees, along with a fundraising auction.

The evening’s program will include Oscar and Golden Globe nominee and NAACP Image Award-winning filmmaker Ryan Coogler as featured presenter, and performances by actress/singer-songwriter and R&B star Coco Jones and singer-songwriter and 11x Grammy nominee, Brandy Clark.

“We are thrilled to be bringing the annual T.J. Martell Foundation New York Honors gala back to New York City for the first time since 2019, celebrating nearly 50 years of the music industry’s dedicated support for breakthrough cancer research,” says Esposito. “Our music friends and supporters are excited that this iconic gala is returning, and we are so proud to be honoring three of the industry’s dynamic leaders, Tom Corson, Archie Davis and Shane McAnally, and their outstanding contributions to the music world at what will be an unforgettable night!”

Lorie Hollabaugh
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