Clint Black Honors Riley Green With Hitmaker Award at Billboard Country Power Players in Nashville
The honor serves as a boost of encouragement for Green, pushing him to keep writing more songs and hitting the road for more live shows.
Riley Green and Clint Black at the Billboard Country Power Players 2026; Photo Courtesy of Billboard
Clint Black presented Riley Green with the Hitmaker Award at the Billboard Country Power Players event, held Wednesday (June 3) at The Eye Rooftop at Category 10 in Nashville.
Green, who served as the Billboard Country Power Players cover artist, was on hand to accept the honor from Black, who he’s looked up to for years
“His music is pure country,” Black praised at the event, later adding, “I’m impressed with his songwriting.”
When accepting the award, Green shared that the recognition serves as motivation to keep building on his career.
“For me, this kind of recognition is a pat on the back that gives me the confidence to go out and write more songs and play more shows,” Green said, according to Billboard.
The Alabama native also dedicated the award to his late “granddaddy Buford,” who “loved country music.” Green has previously honored both of his grandfathers in his hit song “I Wish Grandpas Never Died.”
“I had a lot of great role models growing up,” Green shared, recalling a recent moment when his grandmother, Lola Jean, was in the crowd for one of his sold-out Atlanta shows. “She said, ‘Man, I just wish Buford could see this.’ It’s moments like this that make me very certain he’s sittin’ in a recliner somewhere watching down on this.”
Riley Green had a busy CMA Fest week packed with major moments.
Following the Billboard Country Power Players event, the multi-PLATINUM, ACM and CMA Award-winning singer-songwriter hosted CMA Fest and helped close out the festival with a standout performance on Sunday.
On the music front, Green also scored his seventh No. 1 at country radio with “Change My Mind.” Written by Green alongside Erik Dylan and Randy Montana, the track leans into the push-and-pull of trying to walk away from someone who still has a strong pull.
The milestone comes on the heels of the announcement of his upcoming album, That’s Just Me, set for release on September 18. The project will feature new music, including the just-released track “Think As You Drink.”
Green’s Cowboy As It Gets Tour continues this month with dates planned across the north east.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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