Star-Studded Lineup Announced For 6th Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards: Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, And More To Perform
The event will take place on September 26, 2023 at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium.
Blake Shelton; Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images, Cole Swindell; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Trannie Anderson, Renee Blair, Ben Johnson, Tracy Lawrence, Megan Moroney, Hunter Phelps, Emily Shackelton, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, Dallas Wilson, and more are confirmed to take the stage at the upcoming 6th Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards.
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) along with presenting partner City National Bank recently unveiled the news and confirmed that the celebratory evening will take place at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Tuesday, September 26, 2023.
The upcoming two-hour ceremony will revolve around a night honoring the innovative creators of beloved hit songs, along with individuals who play a pivotal role in the achievement of the songwriting craft. The event will unveil recipients of the ‘Songwriter’ and ‘Songwriter-Artist of the Year’ distinctions, while also highlighting the winners of the peer-voted ‘Song of the Year’ and ’10 Songs I Wish I’d Written’ awards – a highly esteemed accolade within the songwriting community.
Additionally, the event will honor Bobby Braddock (recipient of the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award), Tim McGraw (honored with the NSAI President’s Keystone Award), and Davis Israelite (recognized with the NSAI Advocacy Award).
Presenting partner City National Bank returns for the fifth year in a row, continuing their unwavering support of NSAI and the songwriting community.
“City National Bank has a long history of supporting the music industry, especially songwriters,” said Lori Badgett and Diane Pearson, heads of Entertainment Banking for City National in Nashville, in a joint statement. “We are proud to support the Nashville Songwriter Awards again this year and to celebrate the talent and contributions of these amazing songwriters who mean so much to our industry.”
The Nashville Songwriter Awards hold high esteem as some of the most sought-after accolades within the industry. The ’10 Songs I Wish I’d Written’ and ‘Song of the Year’ awards are exclusively determined by the honorees’ peers, while the Songwriter and Songwriter-Artist of the Year awards recognize the Nashville-based songwriter and songwriter-artist with the most significant chart performance during the eligible timeframe.
Every year, the Nashville Songwriters Association International, the world’s largest nonprofit trade organization for songwriters, takes charge of producing the event. This association is committed to safeguarding the rights of and assisting both budding and established songwriters across all music genres.
Tickets for the Nashville Songwriter Awards are available to purchase now.
Last Year’s Honorees
In 2022, special honorees included Garth Brooks, who was on hand to accept the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award, Ashley Gorley, who was named Songwriter of the Decade and Songwriter of the Year, Taylor Swift, who was crowned Songwriter-Artist of the Decade, and Matthew West, who earned the title of Songwriter-Artist of the Year.
Another high honor, Song of the Year, was awarded to Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins, and Matt Jenkins for “Buy Dirt,” a chart-topping hit recorded by Jordan Davis featuring Luke Bryan.
The 2022 event featured special guests Sam Hunt, Kelsea Ballerini, Parmalee, GAYLE, HARDY, Alana Springsteen, Walker Hayes, Tigirlily, Thomas Rhett and Babyface.
The ‘10 Songs I Wish I’d Written’ actually included 11 songs. Those songs were:
“23” – Written by: Sam Hunt, Chris LaCorte, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
“7500 OBO” – Written by: Matt McGinn, Jenn Schott, Nathan Spicer
“abcdefu” – Written by: Sara Davis, GAYLE, Dave Pittenger
“Fancy Like” – Written by: Cameron “Cambo” Bartolini, Walker Hayes, Josh Jenkins, Shane Stevens
“Half Of My Hometown” – Written by: Kelsea Ballerini, Ross Copperman, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, Jimmy Robbins
“Knowing You” – Written by: Kat Higgins, Adam James, Brett James
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Written by: Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce
“Sand In My Boots” – Written by: Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy, Josh Osborne
“Things A Man Oughta Know” – Written by: Jason Nix, Jonathan Singleton, Lainey Wilson
“’Til You Can’t” – Written by: Matthew J. Rogers, Ben Stennis
“You Should Probably Leave” – Written by: Chris Dubois, Ashley Gorley, Chris Stapleton
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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