Randy Travis will be honored with the ASCAP Founders Award during the upcoming 57th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards. The exclusive, invitation-only gala, which celebrates the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most-performed country songs of 2018, takes place on Monday, Nov. 11 and will include special guest performances to honor Travis.

“Randy Travis is the seminal country artist of a generation,” said ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams. “His meteoric rise to the top of the country charts was fueled by that unmistakable baritone and a talent for traditional country music that spoke to everyone. As a new artist, Randy garnered international attention at a time when such exposure for country artists was reserved for an iconic few. His music and devotion to classic country sounds are a cornerstone in the genre and it is an honor to present him with this year’s Founders Award.”

The Founders Award is one of ASCAP’s highest honors and is presented to songwriters and composers who have made pioneering contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Each recipient is a musical innovator who possesses a unique style of creative genius, which will enrich generations to come. Previous recipients include Rodney Crowell, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Ricky Skaggs, Jackson Browne, Garth Brooks, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty and Neil Young, among others.

Travis has been an ASCAP member for nearly four decades. He’s sold more than 25 million albums, earned seven Grammys, 11 ACMs, 10 American Music Awards, eight Dove Awards, five CMA Awards and two People’s Choice Awards. He’s also collected 22 No. 1 singles such as “On the Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen,” “Diggin’ Up Bones” and “I Told You So,” “Look Heart, No Hands,” “Whisper My Name,” and “Three Wooden Crosses,” which hit No. 1 on both the Christian and country charts. Travis also earned roles in movies and television shows including Touched By An Angel.

The Music of Randy Travis Tour begins on October 16 in Indianapolis, with guest vocalist James Dupré and Travis’s longtime touring band Steve Hinson, Dave Johnson, Lance Dary, Bill Cook, Joe Van Dyke and Herb Shucher, rejoining “Hoss,” as they affectionately call Travis, on the road for the first time since his stroke in 2013.

BMI has announced record-breaking revenues of $1.283 billion for its fiscal year, ending June 30, marking a 7% increase over the previous year. BMI distributed and administered $1.196 billion to its songwriters, composers and publishers, the company’s highest distributions ever. That number includes domestic and international royalties, as well as royalties from direct deals BMI administers on behalf of its publishers.

Distributions from direct deals grew $9 million during fiscal year 2019, for a total of $62 million, bringing in 5% of BMI’s total distributions.

BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill, said, “BMI values the trust our affiliates place in us, and we are gratified to once again generate record revenues on their behalf. Our achievements are a direct result of the unrivaled creativity of the songwriters and composers we represent and the worldwide popularity of their music. We always strive to do better, and we will continue to work hard to champion the rights of our creators and protect the value of their copyrights.”

BMI’s total domestic revenue, encompassing digital, media and general licensing, topped out at $943 million, a $63 million, or 7%, increase. That growth was driven by a $47 million increase in digital revenue, up 22% year-to-year for a total of $262 million. New deals with the growing video-on-demand streaming market, including Twitch and Amazon Channels, as well as new licensees in the eFitness market, such as Peloton and Flywheel, helped drive that success.

General licensing, which is generated from businesses like bars and restaurants, hotels and fitness centers, along with other income, also posted record results of $169 million, an 8% gain year-to-year, representing 18% of BMI’s domestic revenue pie. The company added approximately 16,500 new businesses to its growing portfolio in this sector.

Revenue from cable and satellite sources once again generated the largest portion of BMI’s domestic revenue at 30%, while traditional radio and television accounted for 24% of the overall domestic total. Notably, BMI’s digital revenue has now grown to encompass 28% of the company’s total domestic revenue portfolio and is now the second biggest contributor to that total.

BMI’s international revenue also reached an all-time high of $340 million, an increase of $21 million, or 7% over the previous year. The strength of BMI’s repertoire of film, television and songs helped the company achieve these record results in spite of a negative foreign exchange hit of $23 million caused by the strengthening dollar overseas.

In addition, BMI saw its affiliate membership surpass one million for the first time ever, with over 90,000 new songwriters, composers and publishers joining the organization this year. Notable new signings included Lil Nas X, Kendrick Lamar, Brandi Carlile, Willie Colón, and Sarah Schachner, among others, while agreements were extended with Imagine Dragons, Eminem, Shakira, John Legend, Harry Gregson-Williams, Eric Church, P!nk, Rihanna, Ben Decter, J Balvin, Hozier, Halsey, Horacio Palencia, and many more.

Jason Aldean will release his upcoming ninth album, aptly titled 9, on Nov. 22, via Broken Bow Records.

“Early on I always thought if we ever got to make nine albums, I’m going to call it ‘9.’ It was my baseball number growing up, and it’s just kind of always been my lucky number,” says Aldean, the reigning ACM Artist of the Decade. “I remember cutting the first album and thinking ‘that’s forever away,’ and now here we are. I don’t know, it’s really special we made it this far – so, it’s more for me than anybody else – but, it means a lot.”

Along the way, this three-time ACM Entertainer of the Year has earned 23 No. 1 singles. He’s earned more than15 billion streams and sold more than 18 million albums. His 2019 Ride All Night Tour will conclude on Oct. 11, before he returns to Las Vegas Dec. 6-8 for Jason Aldean: Ride All Night Vegas at Park Theater at Park MGM.

Aldean has previewed the album today (Sept. 9) via four tracks, including “Blame It On You,” “I Don’t Drink Anymore,” “Keep It Small Town,” and the album’s lead single “We Back,” which was released to both digital platforms and radio today.

“When I came into country music and made my mark, it was with a banger,” Aldean adds. “But we haven’t put out a lot of that stuff over the last couple years. So we got this song and to me it just says what it says: ‘Thought we were gone, but you’re wrong – now it’s on.’”