JESSIE JAMES DECKER RELEASES FAN FAVORITE TRACK, “GROW YOUNG WITH YOU”

Singer / songwriter and beloved personality Jessie James Decker is ready to “Grow Young With You” in her latest song, available today (LISTEN HERE). The groove-driven track (Emily Weisband, Alysa Vanderheym) tells of how a loving relationship, no matter how old, can make every experience feel brand new. Fans clamored for Decker to release “Grow Young With You” after she teased it on TikTok last month.

“I’ve loved the sentiment of this song since I first heard it,” Decker said. “Seeing how people have responded so far with the clips I’ve shared on socials and during my live shows made me want to put it out into the world!”

“Grow Young With You” is the first official track from the Big Yellow Dog / Atlantic Records / Warner Music Nashville recording artist since the release of her The Woman I’ve Become EP in 2021 (STREAM HERE). The project spawned a headlining tour, which wrapped last month after hitting major cities across the nation. Now she has traded the stage for the dance floor: Decker is currently competing on season 31 of Dancing with the Stars with partner Alan Bersten. New episodes air Monday nights live on Disney+ at 8:00pm/7:00c.

Since the release of her self-titled debut in 2009, Decker has accumulated nearly than 200 MILLION on-demand streams amid her other successes. With upwards of five million fans across her social media platforms, she has crafted a brand recognized world-round that reflects her family, her southern roots and, above all, her love for music.

NOMINATIOINS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2022 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS

Music’s Hottest Night of the Year Airs Live, Sunday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. EST/PST on ABC

dick clark productions and ABC today announced nominees for the “2022 American Music Awards” (AMAs), the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, which will air live from Microsoft Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 8pm EST/PST on ABC.

About the “2022 American Music Awards”:

  • The AMAs represents the year’s top achievements in music determined by the fans, for the fans. Last year’s show stands as the most social telecast of 2021 with 46.5 million interactions, underscoring the role fans play in the annual event. A vibrant night of non-stop music, the AMAs features a powerful lineup featuring first-time collaborations and exclusive world premiere performances from music’s biggest names – from Pop to Rap, R&B to Country, Latin to K-Pop – and more, as well as memorable moments that live on in pop culture.
  • As the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, the AMAs will air globally across a footprint of linear and digital platforms in more than 120 countries and territories.
  • Fan voting is now open via com and Twitter in all award categories, except Favorite K-Pop Artist. Voting for Favorite K-Pop Artist will open on Tuesday, November 1.
  • The “2022 American Music Awards” winners are voted entirely by fans. Nominees are based on key fan interactions – as reflected on the Billboard charts – including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay, and tour grosses. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partner Luminate, and cover the eligibility period of Sept. 24, 2021, through Sept. 22, 2022.
  • The “2022 American Music Awards” are produced by dick clark productions and Jesse Collins Entertainment. Jesse Collins is showrunner and executive producer. Dionne Harmon, Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, and Larry Klein are also executive producers. For the latest AMA news, exclusive content and more, follow the AMAs on social (FacebookTwitterInstagramTikTokSnapchat and YouTube), online at com and ABC.com, and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #AMAs.

THE “2022 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS” NOMINEES [COUNTRY]:

FAVORITE MALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Chris Stapleton
Cody Johnson
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Walker Hayes

FAVORITE FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Carrie Underwood
Lainey Wilson
Maren Morris
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift

FAVORITE COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP
Dan + Shay
Lady A
Old Dominion
Parmalee
Zac Brown Band

FAVORITE COUNTRY ALBUM
Carrie Underwood “Denim & Rhinestones”
Luke Combs “Growin’ Up”
Cody Johnson “Human: The Double Album”
Taylor Swift “Red (Taylor’s Version)”
Walker Hayes “Country Stuff: The Album”

FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG
Chris Stapleton “You Should Probably Leave”
Cody Johnson “’Til You Can’t”
Dustin Lynch ft. MacKenzie Porter “Thinking ‘Bout You”
Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan “Buy Dirt”
Morgan Wallen “Wasted on You”

KELLY LANG RELEASES NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR “LIFE SENTENCE” IN HONOR OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

New Album Old Soul II Available 11/11/22

Nationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, author, producer, and survivor, Kelly Lang has released her latest single “Life Sentence” along with a new music video that was premiered by American Songwriter. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, Lang wanted to pay tribute to those who fought the true fight of their lives and are thriving today. She enlisted the help of her friends and followers on social media to send in photos of themselves holding signs that offer hope to others who are currently battling cancer. As a result of the life-altering diagnosis that she received seventeen years ago, Lang has a different outlook than most and encourages all to live EACH day to its fullest and enjoy everything life has to offer. Lang has dedicated “Life Sentence” to her dear friend, the late Dame Olivia Newton-John, and it is available on all digital platforms today!

To view Lang’s premiere with American Songwriter, visit HERE.

“I wrote the song “Life Sentence” with my friend the late Bruce Burch,” shares Lang. “He had heard me say that a cancer diagnosis could sometimes feel like a death sentence, but I decided to change the way I looked at it. I began looking at it as my “Life Sentence.” By that I mean, I am more appreciative of everything in my life. I try to encourage others to use the good china, take those vacations, burn your candles and do the things that make you happy. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so live life to the fullest and more boldly while you can.”

Earlier this month, Lang was invited to perform at the 29th Annual A Tennessee Waltz at the historic Tennessee State Capitol. The event is the prestigious annual fundraiser for the Tennessee State Museum Foundation. The sold-out gala, hosted by Governor Bill Lee, showcased Lang’s talent. She performed her popular single “I’m Not Going Anywhere” as well as the beloved Tennessee State Song, “Tennessee Waltz.” Lang also performed her self-penned single “Under A Tennessee Moon ” showcasing many of the reasons people from around the world travel to Tennessee to experience everything it has to offer from the Great Smokey Mountains to Graceland and the Grand Ole Opry. Previous performers at “A Tennessee Waltz” include Patti Page, Allison Krauss, Brooks & Dunn, Wynonna, Emmylou Harris, Clint Black, Connie Smith, Raul Malo, Gary Morris, Donna Summer, Steve Winwood, Lyle Lovett, Olivia Newton-John, and more.

The view Kelly Lang’s performance video of “Tennesee Waltz,” visit HERE.

To view “I’m Not Going Anywhere,” visit HERE.
To view “Under A Tennessee Moon,” visit HERE.

Lang recently released her latest single, “Take My Breath Away” along with a new music video which was premiered exclusively by Taste of Country, and will be included in her upcoming project “Old Soul II,” sponsored by Springer Mountain Farms Chicken. Originally released by Rock legend Berlin, “Take My Breath Away” was the lead single for the movie Top Gun in 1986, starring Tom Cruise. Lang’s vocals embrace every word with ease, offering a modern flare while remaining true to the original sound of the hit song.

Listen/stream/buy HERE.

To view Lang’s premiere of “Take My Breath Away” with Taste of Country, visit HERE.

To view Lang’s premiere of “Midnight Train To Georgia” with Fox News Digital, visit HERE.

Lang’s new autobiography titled “I’m Not Going Anywhere,” features the foreword by Olivia Newton-John, and highlights her journey as a 17-year breast cancer survivor, along with her healing experience and the unfolding of her love story with her husband, country music legend T.G. Sheppard. The book is titled after her song, “I’m Not Going Anywhere,” which has been seen and heard across the United States as part of Ascension Hospital’s “Your Care Is Our Calling” national campaign, honoring caregivers and the patients they serve. The autobiography can be purchased on Amazon.com and is now available in hardcover due to popular demand. Fans can receive autographed copies at KellyLang.net.

CMT NAMES LAINEY WILSON AS “BREAKOUT ARTIST OF THE YEAR” AT THE 2022 “CMT ARTITS OF THE YEAR” CELEBRATION

Star-studded special premieres Friday, October 14th at 9p/8c from Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony

CMT today announced Lainey Wilson will be honored as “Breakout Artist of the Year” at the 2022 “CMT ARTISTS OF THE YEAR,” premiering Friday, October 14th at 9p/8c on CMT. Wilson, who is riding high on a remarkable year, is the fifth recipient of the coveted award, joining the ranks alongside previous honorees Mickey Guyton (2021), Ashley McBryde (2019), Kelsea Ballerini (2016), and Chris Stapleton (2015).

“This past year has been a wild ride,” Wilson said. “To be considered for this award reinforces that the years of hard work my team and I have put in was all worth it. The team at CMT feels like family, and the way they genuinely support artists on their platform is so special and important for dreamers like me.”

“When it came to naming ‘Breakout Artist,’ Lainey Wilson was unquestionably our only choice this year,” said Leslie Fram, SVP, Music & Talent, CMT. “Not only is she a powerhouse performer and tremendously gifted songwriter with contagious energy and drive, she is just starting to show the world her range and versatility, as evident by her upcoming role on hit series ‘Yellowstone.’ From naming her as part of the ‘Next Women of Country’ franchise in 2019 to watching her shine on our CMT Music Awards stage with one of the most memorable performances this year, we couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate Lainey’s much-deserved successes and cheer her on for all that’s next!”

One of Nashville’s fastest growing artists, Wilson has a growing string of No. 1 hits, including the Platinum-certified “Things A Man Oughta Know” and “Never Say Never” with Cole Swindell, while her two latest singles, “Heart Like a Truck” and “wait in the truck” with HARDY, both continuing to climb the charts as she readies to drop her new album, Bell Bottom Country, due out October 28th.This year alone, she has racked up an impressive number of award nominations and wins, including a sweep at this year’s ACM Awards with a total of three wins, including ‘New Female Artist of the Year’ and ‘Song of the Year,’ and is the leading nominee heading into this November’s CMA Awards, where she is up for six nominations. Wilson has performed around the globe for sold-out crowds throughout the US, UK and Germany, just wrapping the final date on Jon Pardi’s Ain’t Always The Cowboy tour and will play select upcoming dates with Luke Combs. This fall, she will make her acting debut on critically-acclaimed series “Yellowstone,” returning for a highly-anticipated Season 5 on Sunday, November 13th on Paramount Network.

Wilson has a strong history with CMT, first named to its prestigious ‘Next Women of Country’ franchise in 2019. This past April, she gave one of the most raved about performances at the 2022 “CMT MUSIC AWARDS,” performing her duet “Never Say Never” with Cole Swindell, in addition to a second song, “What Would Dolly Do” as part of “CMT Music Awards Extended Cut.” Her first CMT performance and nomination was in 2021, where she performed on the Ram Trucks Side Stage; she has additionally been featured in an episode of CMT Digital’s hit series “CMT Campfire Sessions.”

The 2022 “CMT ARTISTS OF THE YEAR,” hailing from Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center, will salute previously announced honorees Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Kane Brown, Luke Combs and Walker Hayes with special never-before-seen performances, special guests and congratulatory moments. Alan Jackson will be named “Artist of a Lifetime.” Additional honorees, performers and presenters for the 90-minute special to be announced soon.

STEPHANIE QUAYLE ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF HER MOST PERSONAL ALBUM TO DATE “ON THE EDGE” OUT THIS FALL

Quayle’s Lead Single “The Lost Years” Available Now

Big Sky Music Group recording artist, Stephanie Quayle, has announced the release of her latest album, On The Edge, available on November 4th. The collection of songs was a soul-searching reconciliation of long suppressed trauma and triumph for Quayle – channeling emotions from one of the darkest times in her life. The first single from On The Edge, “The Lost Years,” explores a 13-year period that Quayle silenced her pain, put on a smiling face and buried the impact of a life-changing tragedy. “The Lost Years” is available now.

LISTEN:                 “The Lost Years”

“My lost years were full of regret and redemption,” says Quayle. “This song, and this album, crack open the door to sharing my personal struggle with the weight of those years, and my decision to no longer shoulder that weight alone.  I don’t know what the world will take from it, but this song has already given me more than I ever could have expected, and no one has even heard it yet.”

The eight tracks that make up On The Edge, explore the fundamentally human experience when in your darkest moments you’re faced with a decision, when you’re forced to choose between descending into the darkness or seeking the light. This album is a redemptive tale, and a profoundly personal one.

FOURTH ANNUAL CHARLIE DANIELS PATRIOT AWARDS DINNER SET FOR OCT. 26

Country Music Star and Previous Patriot Award Recipient Chris Young to Perform Live
The fourth annual Charlie Daniels Patriot Awards Dinner will be held on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. at Nashville’s City Winery. All proceeds from the evening will benefit the late Country Music Hall of Fame member’s veterans non-profit, The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project (TCDJHP).
Multi-platinum, global entertainer Chris Young, a previous recipient of the Patriot Award, will perform live. The War Hippies (combat warriors Scooter Brown and Donnie Reis) will open the evening with the national anthem and a few tunes. Special guest speakers will include former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik, decorated military veteran Mark “Oz” Geist (Benghazi survivor and co-author of 13 Hours / U.S. Marine Corps, retired), and Col. Jay Powers, former Commanding Officer, 5th Group (U.S. Army Green Beret – Fort Campbell, KY). SiriusXM’s Storme Warren will host the event. The dinner ceremony will also include a silent and live auction. Daniels’ wife Hazel and son Charlie DanielsJr. will be in attendance.
“As the world continues to change and evolve, we as a community must not forget the men and women who have sacrificed so much in the past decades, as well as our future warriors and their families,” says TCDJHP co-founder and Daniels’ longtime manager David Corlew. “The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project exists to honor and to provide much needed support in their time of transition.”
The Charlie Daniels Patriot Awards provides an opportunity to celebrate the U.S. military and the extraordinary individuals who have contributed to TCDJHP as it continues its sacred mission. Two very special guests will also be honored at this year’s dinner event: 97-year-old WWII Navy vet Mathias Gutman and 99-year-old WWII Coast Guard vet Gladys Hughes.
Mathias Gutman came from a military family and joined the U.S. Navy shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He became a coxswain on LST 553, delivering men and equipment under fire on several amphibious landings. He was part of six island invasions in the Pacific and battled Japanese forces coming from the land, the sea, and the skies.
At a young age, Gladys Hughes felt the call of duty and left college as a junior to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII, serving as a HA1C medic. She appreciates beauty at every stage and in every avenue of life, winning 2nd runner-up in the 2012 Ms. Veteran America competition, which works to promote issues of homeless female veterans. She earned the crown of Ms. Mississippi Senior America in 2003, where she emphasized children’s theater.
“We have so many distinguished guests, stories, and above all, the presentation of our three award recipients who most represent patriotism, commitment and giving back in this critical time,” explains Corlew. “Our live auction will feature two of our most honored guests, Mathias Gutman and Gladys Hughes, as we auction a guitar signed by ten Medal of Honor recipients in order to complete a project of erecting a statue that will honor the men and women of World War II and Vietnam. Come join us. You won’t regret it!”
This year’s Patriot Award honorees will be revealed during the evening ceremony. The criteria for the award is based on the mission of the organization: to support veterans in their return, rehabilitation, and reintegration back into civilian life. The award honors a person, persons, or group that fulfills and exemplifies the efforts and dedication of TCDJHP’s purpose to continuously care, support and encourage the men, women, and families who have served our great nation. Previous recipients include Young, Darryl WorleyMike HuckabeeJude SealeWilliam HortonDonnie MingusThe Shepherd’s Center and more.

KENNY CHESNEY DROPS “BEER WITH MY FRIENDS” CLIP POSTCARDS FROM THE ROAD WITH OLD DOMINION

All the Summer Fun, Pop-Up Shows, Ice Baths & No Shoes Nation

Having broken his own records at multiple stadiums, Kenny Chesney’s Here And Now 2022 tour blazed across America and played to 1.3 million fans in a single summer. Even more than the sheer energy that Chesney, his guitar-forward band and No Shoes Nation generated each night, there was a spirit of joy that permeated every moment of the tour from the load-in to the parking lot parties and the final extended play-offs in each market.

To celebrate, the man the Wall Street Journal called “The King of the Road” tapped his longtime stadium tourmates Old Dominion to record the raucous good-time anthem “Beer With My Friends.” They debuted the blaring rocker at the two-night tour-ending stand at Foxboro, MA’s Gillette Stadium.

Knowing this summer was unlike any other, Chesney had been documenting behind the scenes, onstage and in the parking lots. With “Beer With My Friends” having such strong, fun energy, what better way to create a moving scrapbook that serves as postcards from the road to the people of No Shoes Nation?

“I tried to tell friends how magical it was up on that stage, how good the vibe was out there,” Chesney marvels. “Not since we started doing those early Keg shows have I had that much fun doing a pop-up – maybe because Old Dominion was doing all the work! But it was just free, easy and I think everyone remembered who they were before the world got so heavy. Or maybe it’s just that music really does melt all the stress of the week away…

“No Shoes Nation is just an extension of my soul. When I was looking at all the footage, laughing to myself, I knew I needed to share some of this with everyone who came out all summer. So what better way to do that?”

In buses, on tiny stages, with an empty stadium and backstage, the camera sliced through Chesney’s world; ice baths, crazy dancing, private jokes, a fish named Marley, a cameo of his mom, island vistas; it’s all there. Plus, No Shoes Nation in the parking lot, the Sandbar, the packed stands; rocking out in all their glory.

“It’s hard to believe how fast the summer went,” Chesney continued. “If every picture is a million words, then every cut of this clip is a whole movie! Every shot means something to us, all those faces in the crowd, the stadiums… And to have Old Dominion, who’ve turned into real brothers of the road, up there with me, it shows not just this summer, but so many summers where we’ve dreamed even bigger than maybe anyone has a right to.

“So when you see me drinking that beer in the ice bath, just know: that beer I’m lifting’s for you… wherever you are, whoever you’re with! It’s all about ‘Beer With My Friends,’ from my whole road family, Old Dominion and beyond, to you!”

With an all-sing chorus meant for everyone in the house, “Beer With My Friends” is ready for bonfires, tailgates, corner bars and anywhere people are coming together. Now, with the video coming today, there’s a mini-movie to go with the soundtrack of pure unbridled fun.

CONNER SMITH NAMED OPRY NEXTSTAGE ARTIST FOR OCTOBER

The Grand Ole Opry announced the latest addition to its Opry NextStage Class of 2022 with rising singer-songwriter Conner Smith. Smith is the sixth act to join the 2022 class that includes BRELAND, Callista Clark, Restless Road, Elvie Shane and Morgan Wade. Smith will return to the Grand Ole Opry to make his NextStage artist debut on Tuesday, Oct. 25. Tickets are available to purchase HERE.

Watch HERE for Smith’s exclusive NextStage interview discussing his love for songwriting and the Grand Ole Opry visit that led him to writing his first song. Smith also performs his brand new single “Take It Slow,” which has already amassed nearly 60 million global streams to date. Watch the performance HERE.

On being named the Opry NextStage Artist of October, Smith said, “I have been so blessed to see a lot of my dreams come true this year but there has not been a moment comparable to my Grand Ole Opry debut. Standing in that circle, as a kid from Nashville, I truly felt the weight and history of the Grand Ole Opry in all its depth. To be even more accepted by the Opry as a NextStage Artist means more than I can say.”

Signed to BMI at the age of nine, Smith has penned most of his songs including five of the six songs on his debut collection DIDN’T GO TOO FAR. The release features his first top 40 hit “Learn From It” and virial smash “I Hate Alabama.” Named one of Spotify’s Hot Country Artists to Watch for 2022 and Amazon Music’s 2022 Amazon Artists To Watch, the 22-year-old artist was the only Country act named to Pandora’s prestigious all-genre accolade, Artists To Watch 2022: The Pandora Ten list.

ASHLEY McBRYDE INVITED TO BECOME THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY

Arkansas Native Surprised by Invitation from Country Icon Garth Brooks on CBS Mornings

While performing at the Grand Ole Opry a little over a year ago, current five-time CMA nominee and two-time winner Ashley McBryde shared with the audience, “I dream about joining the Opry and what that day will be like — Will I cry the entire time? Will I be seated? Who will ask me? I dream about that more than I dream about my wedding.” No longer dreaming about the special day, the Arkansas native has officially been invited to be the newest member of the revered Country institution by Garth Brooks on CBS Mornings. Watch the clip HERE.

“It would be the great joy and the great honor of my life,” McBryde answered through joyful tears. “There’s the GRAMMYs and there’s being a member of the Grand Ole Opry – they are the two greatest things that can happen to you as an entertainer. I’ve always said I will earn it, and this is a pretty surreal moment.”

On the heels of the release of critically acclaimed Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville, McBryde took to NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers last night, Oct. 5, to perform the Outsider-dubbed “perfect introduction to McBryde’s wild little town,” “Brenda Put Your Bra On,” joined by album collaborator Pillbox Patti. Watch the performance HERE.

Cited by NPR as a “glorious detour into downhome character studies,” the four-time GRAMMY nominee and her collaborators leaned all the way in on Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville, garnering applause from critics upon its debut.

Produced by John Osborne, Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville includes performances from McBryde, Brothers Osborne, Brandy Clark, Aaron Raitiere, Patti, Caylee Hammack and Benjy Davis, with Rolling Stone calling it a “wildly inventive” album “about a group of people all living in a little town just trying to get by,” as Billboard observes, “While the songs do center on life in a small town, the stories and characters in Lindeville dispel the idyllic nostalgia that permeates many songs currently staking their claims on the country charts.”

“McBryde and crew created detail-rich storylines with a John Prine level of empathy and compassion,” praises AP, while Variety notes, “The very existence of an album like Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville is enough to restore your faith in Nashville, however far afield it might have wandered,” making it “Country music’s most ambitious and oddball album in recent memory,” observes Esquire.

Celebrated by The New York Times as “a skilled curator, as well as a performer,” McBryde “has made abundantly clear over the course of her short but fruitful career, she is principally interested in peeling back the layers and speaking the truth,” boasts Vulture.

Summed up by Stereogum, “There’s a whole lot of beautiful writerly vision at work on Lindeville, but it wouldn’t matter if the songs weren’t great. Guess what? The songs are great… A lot of people put a lot of work into this record, and they made something that resonates on a deep, emotional level. Give it up for them.”

“When it comes out,” McBryde shared with Esquire, “I hope everybody laughs a little bit and I hope everybody says ‘What the f*ck?’ a little bit. Sometimes you look and realize, this town is such a mess, everybody here is a disaster. And in the same breath, in that same three minutes, everybody’s okay. And I love those times. Sometimes I wish I could make that stand still a little bit longer—we’re all a disaster, and it’s beautiful. And that’s true whether it’s a small town or a big city.”

TOBY KEITH TO BE HONORED WITH BMI ICON AWARD AT THE 2022 BMI COUNTRY AWARDS

Top Country Songwriters & Publishers Will Also be Saluted at November 8th Event
Broadcast Music, Inc.®, (BMI®), will celebrate the extraordinary career of Toby Keith by presenting him with the BMI Icon Award at the company’s 70th annual BMI Country Awards, to be held at BMI’s Nashville office on November 8, 2022. BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill will host the ceremony with Clay Bradley, BMI Vice President, Creative, Nashville.
BMI will also crown the Country Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year, as well as salute the writers and publishers of the past year’s 50 most-performed songs from BMI’s Country catalog at the invitation-only event.
The BMI Icon Award is given to exceptional songwriters in recognition of their “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” In receiving this award, Keith will join an impressive list of Country legends, including Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, and Hank Williams, Jr., as well as multi-genre royalty Stevie Nicks, Little Richard, Patti Labelle, James Brown, and more.
“We are honored to present Toby Keith with this year’s BMI Icon Award. Since the release of his single ‘Should’ve Been A Cowboy’ in 1993, Toby has been the gold standard of songwriting in the modern era of Country music,” says Clay Bradley, VP, Creative, Nashville. “Toby is not only a stellar songwriter, musician, and producer whose songs have amassed millions of performances; he is also a true humanitarian. With 11 USO tours under his belt, he continues to commit to honoring and serving our troops worldwide. No one is more deserving of this honor.”
Toby Keith is one of Country’s biggest hitmakers, with his most recent years serving as a remarkably accurate representation of his entire career. In 2021, he was bestowed the National Medal of Arts, inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (having already been inducted into the all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015), and honored with the Academy of Country Music’s prestigious Merle Haggard Spirit Award.
In 2018, Keith celebrated the 25th anniversary of his debut No. 1 single, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” with the re-release of his debut album. Since his career began, Keith has sold more than 40 million albums and has had 32 singles hit #1. Impressively, he wrote a #1 hit every year for 20 straight years, among them “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American),” “I Love This Bar,” “Beer For My Horses,” and “As Good As I Once Was.” In 2018, Keith released a song called “Don’t Let The Old Man In,” which was inspired by a conversation he had with Clint Eastwood and was later featured in Eastwood’s movie, The Mule. Keith has received the BMI Country Songwriter of the Year award three times, and his hit single “As Good As I Once Was” was awarded BMI’s Country Song of the Year in 2006. As a songwriter, Keith has had 26 number one hits, 11 of which he wrote on his own. Altogether, his music has garnered more than 10 billion streams and 100 million terrestrial radio spins.
Keith’s most rewarding experiences, however, have come from giving back locally, nationally, and abroad. His annual golf classics fund the Toby Keith Foundation and OK Kids Korral, a cost-free home for families of children dealing with critical illnesses, and his 11 USO tours have enhanced the lives of nearly 256,000 troops and military families. In 2014, he was given the Spirit of the USO Award for his work with the organization, which has so far included 11 tours and more than 285 events. In an even more personal instance of philanthropy, he became the face of his hometown after it was ravaged by a tornado, shouldering the cleanup, and headlining the 2013 OK Twister Relief Concert.