Alabama & Brenda Lee To Be Honored At Eighth Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards
Brenda Lee, Alabama
Alabama and Brenda Lee have been revealed as the first announced honorees at the eighth annual Nashville Songwriter Awards set for Sept. 23 at the Ryman Auditorium.
Both Alabama and Lee have earned two of the organization’s highest honors and will be celebrated with special segments during the night’s festivities. With the return of presenting partner City National Bank, the evening will be a celebration filled with stories and performances honoring the faces behind the industry and the music made in Music City.
Alabama will receive NSAI’s pinnacle honor, the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of the band’s contributions to the American songbook. Charting 43 No. 1s and selling over 80 million records, Alabama is undisputedly one of country’s most influential bands, whose work continues to inspire the careers of songwriters and artists to this day. Previous Kris Kristofferson award recipients include Alan Jackson (2024), Bobby Braddock (2023), Garth Brooks (2022), Bill Anderson (2018), and Willie Nelson (2013).
Brenda Lee will be awarded with the NSAI President’s Keystone Award, a recognition bestowed to an individual that has given significant contributions to the industry for the betterment of all songwriters. Lee was personally selected by NSAI Board President Lee Thomas Miller in honor of her incredible achievements, record-breaking career, and undeniable place she has earned in music history. Lee signed her first record deal at the age of 11, has sold over 100 million albums, was the first woman inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Country Music Hall of Fames, and also holds the record for longest gap between No. 1 charting hits, with her first in 1960 (“I’m Sorry”) and the most recent in November 2023 (“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”).
“At City National Bank, we recognize the incredible talent and creativity that fuels the songwriters of Nashville and across the nation,” says Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, Co-Managers of City National Entertainment in Nashville. “That’s why we’re proud to return as the presenting sponsor of the Nashville Songwriter Awards, which recognize individuals for their artistry, storytelling and impact in music.”
