The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) will award Toby Keith and U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch with NMPA’s 2013 Songwriter Icon Award and The President’s Award, respectively. The honors will be given during NMPA’s Annual Meeting in New York City on June 12, 2013.
“The NMPA is pleased to recognize Toby Keith and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch for their contributions to songwriting, music publishing and creator’s rights,” said NMPA President and CEO David Israelite. “Toby Keith’s talent as a singer/songwriter is remarkable, but his dedication to fans, his work with the USO, and his commitment to music and songwriting as a craft has greatly influenced the industry.”
“Congressman Deutch’s ability to tackle complex issues with an open mind has made him a powerful advocate for the rights of artists,” continued Israelite. “I look forward to honoring them both in front of our full membership.”
 The Songwriter Icon Award recognizes outstanding songwriters for personal achievement and embodiment of the vision of NMPA. Keith’s albums have sold more than 37 million copies.
A key factor in his success is that Keith has remained the principle songwriter behind most of his hits. With more than 80 million BMI airplay performances on commercial radio stations worldwide, Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) recently honored Keith with several BMI “Million-Air” Awards representing songwriting and publishing credits for some of Keith’s biggest hits. Keith was also named Songwriter/Artist of the Decade by the Nashville Songwriters Association International, three-time BMI Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year.
The President’s Award recognizes a policymaker who has been a leader on issues of importance to music publishers and songwriters. Deutch is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and sits on the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, which is responsible for examining copyright-related matters.

SOLID will host its annual SOLID Crawfish Boil on Wednesday (May 15) from 5:30 p.m.—8:30 p.m. in the SESAC parking lot (66 Music Square West). The event will include free food, along with free cold Miller Lite, Batch 19, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy and Blue Moon Belgian White beer from Miller-Coors.

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The CMA Songwriters Series returned to Joe’s Pub in New York City for a two-night event on May 7 and May 8. The second showcase of the year at Joe’s featured ASCAP’s Brandy Clark (“Better Dig Two,” “Mama’s Broken Heart”), Shane McAnally (“Downtown,” “Better Dig Two,” “Mama’s Broken Heart”) and Phil Vassar (“My Next Thirty Years,” “Bye, Bye,” “Just Another Day in Paradise”). The event was hosted by Bob DiPiero.

Pictured (L-R): Brandy Clark, ASCAP’s Robert Filhart, Shane McAnally and Phil Vassar

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Nashville has been voted the number two city in the country for best jobs in 2013 by Forbes magazine. Nashville trails just behind San Fransisco. According to Forbes, “You don’t have to be a huge tech hub or energy capital to generate new jobs. The No. 2-ranked place…reflects the power of economic diversity coupled with ample cultural amenities, pro-business policies and a mild climate.”

Sunday is Mother’s Day. Like opinions, well you know, everyone has one. Or at least had one.
The subject of mothers has a long history in Country Music. I was not raised on Country music at home in Detroit. Is that redundant?  When I was growing up Tim Roberts had not moved to Detroit yet to make WYCD one of the city’s most popular stations.
It wasn’t until I got into radio and heard “No Charge” by Melba Montgomery that I understood how the lyrics of country music could move listeners so powerfully. I knew nothing about songwriter Harlan Howard but would come to learn that very few could make words come to life as forcefully as he did. The combination of Harlan’s words and Melba’s performance ended in her strongest chart position and opened my eyes. The song was released in 1974 so most of you are not familiar with the song. Look it up in Spotify. I did. It’s there.
Oh by the way, as coincidence would have it, Harlan was also born in Detroit. I am not going to do a list of songs about mothers but if I mention a few titles maybe you’ll take a moment and think fondly of your mother. Some of the older titles are the most impactful. “Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton is a special song that tells two stories (which is Dolly’s genius), but the mother’s love for her daughter and her love for her mother is the message that shines through to me.
Talk about sad songs. Country music’s most irreverent songster recorded one of the most powerful mother-son songs. “The Baby” by Blake Shelton gets me every time. In 1968, Merle Haggard did the semi-autobiographical “Mama Tried.” Yeah there was some truth to the song, which made it real for both Merle and the listener, and fortunately he was not sentenced to life without parole. It was an important lesson in how mamas can lead a kid to church but cannot make them dip into the holy water.
The circle of life is best presented by Jamie O’Neal in “Somebody’s Hero.” As we age and become the responsible parties in this mother/daughter/son relationship, the lessons learned by our mother’s hand come to life in death. We need to provide guidance and love as examples to our children so they know how important their mother is before it gets too late to show appreciation. Brad Paisley, our reigning poet laureate, sings “She’s Everything.”
Those of you are fortunate enough to be able to call your mom today and wish them a great day, please do so. If you’re like me, who lost my mother when I was in my teens, remember what Brad sings, as everyday passes, I only love her more.
To all of you celebrating today, Happy Mother’s Day.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)