Music News (10/25/17)

The 2017 Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony

The 2017 Medallion Ceremony inducted new Country Music Hall of Fame members Don Schlitz, Alan Jackson and the late Jerry Reed at the CMA Theater in the museum on Sunday evening (Oct. 22). Schlitz was the songwriter inductee and has, to date, written 50 top-10 hit singles and 24 No. 1’s. In 1985, Don created the now-standard “in the round” songwriter performance format when he and Medallion Ceremony attendees Paul Overstreet, Thom Schuyler and Fred Knobloch joined forces at The Bluebird Café.

Mary Chapin Carpenter, with whom Schlitz wrote such hits as “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” and “I Feel Lucky,” presented a reverent alto reading of “When You Say Nothing at All.” Charlie Worsham, joined by Schuyler, Knobloch and Jelly Roll Johnson gave a moving “Oscar the Angel.” International pop star Aloe Blacc (Egbert Nathanial Dawkins III) was a revelation on “The Gambler” in a duet with Vince Gill, who inducted his longtime friend.

“I’ve lived for 40 years within parentheses,” he added, referring to the way songwriter credits are written on records. “This is an honor beyond my comprehension.”

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The Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

This year’s Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony filled the ballroom in the Music City Center on Monday evening (Oct. 23). The evening saluted a whopping five inductees – Jim McBride, Dewayne Blackwell, Walt Aldridge, Tim Nichols and the late Vern Gosdin.

Mac McAnally inducted Walt Aldridge, saluted in song by James LeBlanc doing Walt’s 2002 Travis Tritt hit “Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde.” Earl Thomas Conley sang Walt’s “Holding Her and Loving You,” which in 1983 became Earl’s biggest hit.

Buddy Cannon inducted his friend, neighbor and songwriting collaborator, the late Vern Gosdin (1934-2009). Luke Bryan ran through 1988’s toe-tapping honky tonker “Set ‘Em Up Joe.”

Jerry Salley inducted Jim McBride. The Lonesome River Band turned in a bluegrass arrangement of Jim’s 1987 Waylon Jennings hit “Rose in Paradise.” Alan Jackson and some of his Strayhorns band members then sang a medley of “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” “Someday,” “Chattahoochie” and the 1994 stone-country ballad “Hole in the Wall.”

Rusty Gaston inducted Tim Nichols. Lee Ann Womack serenaded the honoree with “I’m Over You,” which was originally popularized by Keith Whitley in 1990. Dustin Lynch did a mash-up of his 2012 hit “Cowboys and Angels” with 2004’s Tim McGraw smash “Live Like You Were Dying.”

Ken Paulson inducted Dewayne Blackwell. The harmonizing trio The Bundys performed a version of “Mr. Blue,” originated by The Fleetwoods in 1959 Dewayne’s first recorded tune. Then Craig Campbell led the audience in a sing-along of Dewayne’s giant 1990 Garth Brooks hit “Friends in Low Places.” Son Gentry Blackwell accepted on Dewayne’s behalf.

The evening began with The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) awards “10 songs I wish I’d written,” as voted on by the membership. Those were 1. “Better Man” by non-attending Taylor Swift; 2.“Body Like a Back Road” by Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally, Zach Crowell and an absent Sam Hunt; 3. “Different for Girls” by Shane with J.T. Harding; 4. “Dirt on My Boots” by Ashley Gorley, Jesse Frasure and an absent Rhett Akins and 5. “Drinkin’ Problem” by Shane and Josh with the non-attending members of Midland. Also 6. “H.O.L.Y.” by busbee, Nate Cyphert and William Larsen; 7. “Kill a Word” by Jeff Hyde, Luke Dick and non-attending Eric Church; 8. “Peter Pan” by Kelsea Ballerini, Jesse Lee and an absent Forest Glen Whitehead; 9. “Vice” by Josh, Shane and non-attendee Miranda Lambert and 10. “80s Mercedes” by busbee and Maren Morris.

Luke Bryan was named the NSAI’s Artist-Songwriter of the Year. 

Ashley Gorley picked up his third NSAI Songwriter of the Year prize. 

“Blue Ain’t Your Color” became yet another organization’s Song of the Year for cowriters Steven Lee Olsen, Clint Lagerberg and Hillary Lindsey. 

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NMPA Celebrates Nashville Songwriters With Gold & Platinum Gala

Thursday (Oct. 19), Nashville’s top songwriters and publishers gathered to receive their Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum honors from NMPA at the inagural NMPA Gold & Platinum Gala. 

In addition to awarding the 17 Gold, 18 Platinum and 9 Multi-Platinum songwriters, NMPA announced three top annual honors: Top Song, Top Songwriter and Top Publisher. The Top Song award was a tie between “Body Like a Back Road” written by Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, and “H.O.L.Y” written by busbee, Nate Cyphert and William Larsen, both certified 3x multi-Platinum and with 3 million certified units.

The top two songwriters of the year were McAnally with 4 multi-platinum, 3 platinum, and 2 Gold certifications and Ashley Gorley with 1 multi-Platinum, 4 Platinum, and 9 Gold certifications.

The Top Publisher was awarded to Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Nashville’s President and CEO Troy Tomlinson accepted the award.

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MercyMe, Zach Williams Top Winners at 48th Annual GMA Dove Awards