BABYFACE, GAYLE, HARDY, WALKER HAYES, THOMAS RHETT, AND MATTHEW WEST AMONG FIRST PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 5TH ANNUAL NASHVILLE SONGWRITER AWARDS PRESENTED BY CITY NATIONAL BANK

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The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has revealed the first round of performers joining NSAI on September 20, 2022 at the Ryman Auditorium to take part in the 5th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards presented by City National Bank.

Announced performers include: PAT ALGER, TONY ARATA, BABYFACE, KENT BLAZY, JACOB DAVIS, GAYLE, HARDY, WALKER HAYES, JOSH JENKINS, MATT JENKINS, MATT MCGINN, THOMAS RHETT, MATT ROGERS, JENN SCHOTT, NATHAN SPICER, AND MATTHEW WEST, with additional appearances to be revealed soon. A night dedicated to those that create the music we all cherish, the spotlight will be shining bright on the beloved songwriter!

Tickets for the 5th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards presented by City National Bank, go on sale Friday, July 15, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. CT and can be purchased at ryman.com.

“City National Bank has long supported the music industry and we are honored to help present the 5th annual Nashville Songwriters Awards,” said Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, Co-Heads of City National Bank Entertainment Division, Nashville.  “We look forward to this fantastic lineup of performers and offer a special congratulations to Garth Brooks and Jon Platt for their invaluable contributions to the music industry.”

“You don’t want to miss NSAI’s upcoming 5th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards,” NSAI Board President Steve Bogard declared.  “We’ll be celebrating the ’10 Songs I Wish I’d Written’ awards, a category voted on exclusively by our pro members, as well as several other achievements and those writers and artists will fill the stage! There’s a lot to celebrate this year and our great songs and songwriters are at the top of the list.”

In addition to celebrating the ’10 Songs I Wish I’d Written’ and the song, songwriter, and songwriter-artist of the year awards, the evening will also include segments honoring previously announced award recipients, GARTH BROOKS and JON PLATT (Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Publishing).

BROOKS will be honored as the 2022 recipient of the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award. An award bestowed to an individual whose works have made a significant contribution to the American songbook and one who has inspired the careers of others, the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award has only been given to three other individuals since its inception, with those honorees being Loretta Lynn (2019 recipient), Bill Anderson (2018 recipient) and Willie Nelson (2013 recipient).

Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt will receive the NSAI President’s Keystone Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the betterment of songwriters. Platt’s dedication to the songwriting community has led to many songwriter-first initiatives at Sony Music Publishing. Platt also enabled Sony Music Publishing’s donation of over a half million-dollars to NSAI in support of the WRITER Foundation, which has provided numerous $1,000 grants to American songwriters and composers in need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.