ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, Vince Gill, Founders Award honoree Rodney Crowell and Keith Urban
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews, Songwriter of the Year Ashley Gorley, ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams and ASCAP EVP of Membership John Titta
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews and Vanguard Award honoree Kelsea Ballerini
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
ASCAP Vice President of Nashville Membership Michael Martin, Songwriter-Artist of the Year Matthew Ramsey (of Old Dominion) and Phil Vassar
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
ASCAP Board member Jimmy Webb performs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" in tribute to his longtime collaborator and friend, Glen Campbell, and the members of the music community who passed in 2017.
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
Publisher of the Year Warner/Chappell's Ben Vaughn, Songwriter of the Year Ashley Gorley, Song of the Year songwriters Dave Kuncio and Josh Mirenda, Publisher of the Year Warner/Chappell's Jon Platt
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
Big Machine artist Brett Young opens the show with his hit "Sleep Without You"
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
Songwriter Jamie Moore performs his Top Five song "May We All" (recorded by Florida Georgia Line)
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
Song of the Year songwriters Dave Kuncio and Josh Mirenda
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
Songwriter-Artist of the Year Matthew Ramsey and Brad Tursi of Old Dominion perform their Top Five song "Snapback"
Photo Credit: Ed Rode
2017 ASCAP Country Music Awards
On November 6, country’s brightest lights lit up the Ryman Auditorium at our 55th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards in Nashville. The event brought out a who’s who of country hitmakers and luminaries. Americana and country pioneer Rodney Crowell was honored with performances of three of his classic country songs before receiving the ASCAP Founders Award. Keith Urban performed “You Won,” followed by Vince Gill, who played "’Til I Gain Control Again" and "Oklahoma Borderline."
Ashley Gorley was crowned ASCAP Country Music Songwriter of the Year for an unprecedented fifth time for his nine award-winning songs. Kelsea Ballerini earned the ASCAP Vanguard Award and treated the crowd to "In Between" from her brand new album, Unapologetically. We gave Songwriter-Artist of the Year to Matthew Ramsey, for the two songs he recorded with his band Old Dominion (“Snapback” and “Song for Another Time”) and his hit for Sam Hunt, “Make You Miss Me.”
Dierks Bentley performed Song of the Year “Somewhere on a Beach,” along with its songwriters Dave Kuncio and Josh Mirenda. The star-studded audience also enjoyed performances of the rest of ASCAP’s top 5 country music songs of the year: “Lights Come On” by songwriters Jimmy Robbins and Jordan Schmidt; “May We All” by songwriter Jamie Moore; “Snapback” by Old Dominion; and “Wanna Be That Song” by songwriter Scooter Carusoe.
We honored Warner/Chappell Music Publishing with the ASCAP Publisher of the Year Award, for publishing a record-setting 24 of the most-performed ASCAP country songs of the year. ASCAP Board member Jimmy Webb performed "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" in tribute to his longtime collaborator and friend, Glen Campbell, and the members of the music community who passed in 2017. Rising country star Brett Young kicked off the evening with a performance of his first hit song, “Sleep Without You,” and concert promoter Varnell Enterprises was honored with the ASCAP Partners in Music Award.
Publishers: Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, BMG Gold Songs, Atlas Music Publishing, Rezonate Music, Tape Room Music
Artist: Carrie Underwood
“Fix”
Writer: Abe Stoklasa
Publisher: Big Yellow Dog Music
Artist: Chris Lane
“From the Ground Up”
Writers: Chris DeStefano, Daniel Smyers
Publishers: Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, CDs Words & Music, Beats and Banjos
Artist: Dan + Shay
“A Guy with a Girl”
Writer: Ashley Gorley
Publishers: Combustion Music, Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Tape Room Music
Artist: Blake Shelton
“Heartbeat”
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Zach Crowell
Publishers: Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Atlas Music Publishing, Combustion Music, Tape Room Music
Artist: Carrie Underwood
“H.O.L.Y.”
Writer: William Larsen
Publishers: IDAP Music, BMG Gold Songs
Artist: Florida Georgia Line
“Hometown Girl”
Writer: Marc Beeson
Publishers: Downtown Music Publishing, Son of Ron Songs
Artist: Josh Turner
“How I'll Always Be”
Writer: Jeremy Stover
Publishers: ole Red Cape Songs, Real Big Red Tunes
Artist: Tim McGraw
“How Not To”
Writers: Kevin Bard, Adam Hambrick, Paul DiGiovanni
Publishers: Red Like The Sunset Music, ole Red Cape Songs, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Universal Music Corporation, Kevin Bard Music, Paulywood Music
Artist: Dan + Shay
“Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day”
Writer: Ben Hayslip
Publishers: Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, This Music, Tar-Cam-Knox Music
Artist: Luke Bryan
“If I Told You”
Writer: Jon Nite
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Artist: Darius Rucker
“If the Boot Fits”
Writers: Andy Albert, Jordan Schmidt
Publishers: Major Bob Music, Downtown Music Publishing, We-Volve Music, Freshy Music (A Division Of Tree Vibez Music)
Artist: Granger Smith
“I Know Somebody”
Writer: Jeremy Stover
Publishers: ole Songs of Countrywood, Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Artist: Locash
“I Met a Girl”
Writers: Sam Hunt, Trevor Rosen
Publishers: Smacksongs, Universal Music Corporation, Old Gringo Music, Rehits Music
Artist: William Michael Morgan
“It Don't Hurt Like It Used To”
Writer: Billy Currington
Publishers: Coconut Hut Publishing
Artist: Billy Currington
*** “Lights Come On”
Writers: Jordan Schmidt, Jimmy Robbins
Publishers: Major Bob Music, Round Hill Songs, We-Volve Music, Freshy Music (A Division Of Tree Vibez Music), Extraordinary Alien, Jammy Rabbins Music
Artist: Jason Aldean
“A Little More Summertime”
Writer: Jerry Flowers
Publishers: Atlas Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Tape Room Music
Artist: Jason Aldean
“Make You Miss Me”
Writers: Sam Hunt, Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey
Publishers: Music of RPM, Songs of Black River, Sonic Geo Music, Spirit Music Nashville, Old Gringo Music, Universal Music Corporation, Sam Hunt Publishing
Artist: Sam Hunt
*** “May We All”
Writer: Jamie Moore
Publishers: BMG Gold Songs, Team Destiny, JMZL Music
Artist: Florida Georgia Line
“Middle of a Memory”
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Zach Crowell
Publisher: Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Atlas Music Publishing, Combustion Music, Tape Room Music
Artist: Cole Swindell
“Mind Reader”
Writer: Ben Hayslip
Publishers: This Music, Warner/Chappell Music Publishing
Artist: Dustin Lynch
“Move”
Writers: Michael Carter, Jay Clementi
Publishers: Sony/ATV Music Publishing, 243 Music
Artist: Luke Bryan
“Peter Pan”
Writers: Kelsea Ballerini, Forest Glen Whitehead
Publishers: Songs of Black River, KNB Music
Artist: Kelsea Ballerini
“Road Less Traveled”
Writer: Meghan Trainor
Publishers: Big Yellow Dog Music, MTrain Music
Artist: Lauren Alaina
“Rock On”
Writer: Marla Cannon-Goodman
Publishers: My My My Music, Scrambler Music
Artist: Tucker Beathard
“Seein' Red”
Writers: Jason Sever, Kurt Allison
Publishers: BMG/This Is Magic Mustang Music, Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Little Champion Music, Leighalu, Makena Cove Music
Artist: Dustin Lynch
“Setting the World on Fire”
Writers: Matt Jenkins, Josh Osborne
Publishers: Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Tape Room Music, Atlas Music Publishing, Combustion Music, Smacksongs, Jenkalenk Tunes, Anderson Fork in the Road Music
Artist: Keith Urban ft. P!Nk
“Sleep Without You”
Writer: Brett Young
Publishers: Big Machine Music, Caliville Publishing
Artist: Brett Young
*** “Snapback”
Writers: Brad Tursi, Trevor Rosen, Matthew Ramsey
Publishers: Smacksongs, Songs of Big Deal, Rehits Music, Wooden Ships, Unfair Entertainment, Carrot Seed Songs
Artist: Old Dominion
“Song For Another Time”
Writers: Brad Tursi, Matt Jenkins, Trevor Rosen, Matthew Ramsey
Publishers: Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Atlas Music Publishing, Combustion Music, Rehits Music, Smacksongs, Songs of Big Deal, Tape Room Music, Wooden Ships, Jenkalenk Tunes, Unfair Entertainment, Carrot Seed Songs
Artist: Old Dominion
“Star of the Show”
Writer: Ben Hayslip
Publishers: This Music, Warner/Chappell Music Publishing
Artist: Thomas Rhett
“T-Shirt”
Writer: Ashley Gorley
Publishers: Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Atlas Music Publishing
Artist: Thomas Rhett
“Think a Little Less”
Writers: Jon Nite, Jimmy Robbins
Publishers: Extraordinary Alien, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Round Hill Songs
Artist: Michael Ray
“Think of You”
Writer: Corey Crowder
Publisher: Liz Rose Music, Warner/Chappell Music Publishing
Artist: Chris Young (Duet w/ Cassadee Pope)
“Today”
Writers: Brad Paisley, Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley
Publishers: Sea Gayle Music, Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Spirit Music Nashville, BMG Gold Songs, Tape Room Music
Artist: Brad Paisley
*** “Wanna Be That Song”
Writer: Scooter Carusoe
Publishers: Scrambler Music, Abbotts Creek Music
Artist: Brett Eldredge
“Wasted Time”
Writer: Greg Wells
Publishers: Firehouse Cat Music, BMG Gold Songs
Artist: Keith Urban
“The Weekend”
Writer: Andrew DeRoberts
Publishers: BMG Gold Songs, Lanercost Publishing
Artist: Brantley Gilbert
“Yeah Boy”
Writers: Kelsea Ballerini, Forest Glen Whitehead
Publishers: Songs of Black River, KNB Music
Artist: Kelsea Ballerini
“You Look Like I Need a Drink”
Writer: Matt Dragstrem
Publishers: Round Hill Songs, Big Loud Songs
Artist: Justin Moore
“You Should Be Here”
Writer: Ashley Gorley
Publishers: Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, Combustion Music, Tape Room Music
