66th Annual BMI Country Awards

In Case You Didn't Go:

Jesse Frasure was named Country Songwriter of the Year during Tuesday night's (November 13, 2018) 66th annual BMI Country Awards, held at the company's Nashville office. Frasure's credits include five of the most-performed songs of the past year: Thomas Rhett's "Marry Me" and "Unforgettable," Easton Corbin's "A Girl Like You," Old Dominion's "No Such Thing As A Broken Heart" and LoCash's "Ring On Every Finger." 

(L-R) Mike Steinberg, Jesse Frasure (Songwriter of the Year), Mike O'Neill and Jody Williams pose onstage at the BMI Country Awards 2018 on November 13, 2018 in Nashville.

Brett Young's "In Case You Didn't Know" was awarded Song of the Year. It was written by Tyler Reeve and Trent Tomlinson and published by Big Mosquito Music, Big Spaces Music, Brown Hound Publishing, Kirbfinder's Mucho Love Music and Smack of Ham Songs.

Publisher of the Year went to Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Group, which is responsible for 20 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year including Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line's "Meant to Be" and Luke Combs' "When It Rains It Pours" and "Hurricane."

Songwriter/musician Steve Cropper was given the Icon Award and honored with performances of his classics by John Legend ("(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay"), Luke Combs ("Knock On Wood"), Maggie Rose ("In The Midnight Hour"), and Lucie Silvas, Mike Farris and Kenny Greenberg ("Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Coming").

Cropper, who was named this year’s BMI Icon Award honoree, joins an elite list of songwriters including Mac Davis, Dolly Parton, Bob DiPiero, Vince Gill, Hank Williams, Jr., Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, and others who have distinctly and profoundly influenced the music industry.

BMI Vice President Creative Jody Williams, John Legend, Steve Cropper and BMI President & CEO Mike O'Neill onstage at the BMI Country Awards 2018 on November 13, 2018 in Nashville. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for BMI

During the evening, heavy-hitter John Legend, CMA New Artist of the Year nominee Luke Combs, up-and-comer Maggie Rose, and Lucie Silvas with blues musician Mike Farris and guitarist Kenny Greenberg paid musical tribute to Cropper. Silvas, Farris, and Greenberg together gave a rocking mashup of “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” honoring both Cropper’s extraordinary guitar prowess and his musical contribution to the American classics. Maggie Rose gave a powerful performance of “In the Midnight Hour,” followed by Luke Combs’ rendition of “Knock on Wood.” Finally, GRAMMY award-winning singer-songwriter John Legend brought the house down with “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.”

SONG OF THE YEAR

IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW

Writers: Tyler Reeve, Trent Tomlinson

Publishers: Big Mosquito Music Big Spaces Music, Brown Hound Publishing; Kirbfinder’s Mucho Love Music; Smack of Ham Songs

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

JESSE FRASURE

Songs: A Girl Like You, Marry Me, No Such Thing as a Broken Heart, Ring on Every Finger, Unforgettable

PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR

WARNER-TAMERLANE PUBLISHING CORP.

Songs: A Girl Like You, All on Me, All the Pretty Girls, Drinkin’ Problem, Every Little Thing, Every Time I Hear That Song

Greatest Love Story, Happens Like That, Hurricane, I Could Use a Love Song, It Ain’t My Fault, Meant to Be, More Girls Like You, No Such Thing as a Broken Heart, Small Town Boy, The Fighter, There’s a Girl, Unforgettable, When It Rains It Pours, You Look Good

ICON AWARD

STEVE CROPPER

2018 COUNTRY AWARDS TOP 50 SONGS (A-Z)

A GIRL LIKE YOU

Writers: Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure

Publishing: PuDowntown MB Songs; EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.; Telemitry Productions; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

ALL ON ME

Writers: Devin Dawson, Jacob Durrett, Austin Smith

Publishers: Black Jeans Music; Green Goggles Music; Magic Mustang Music, Inc.; Neon Cross Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS

Writers: Nicolle Galyon, Tommy Lee James

Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs US; Once In A Blue Tune; SWMBMGBMI; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

ANY OL’ BARSTOOL

Writers: Josh Thompson

Publishers: Big Music Machine; Two Laine Collections

ASK ME HOW I KNOW

Writers: Mitch Rossell

Publishers: Me Gusta 30 Music; Rezemblance Music; Roy Rivers Publishing; Songs of Reehits

BLACK

Writers: Ross Copperman

Publishers: EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.; Rezolant Music

BROKEN HALOS

Writers: Michael Henderson

Publishers: Straight Six Music; Wixen Music Publishing, Inc.

CRAVING YOU

Writers: Julian Bunetta

Publishers: Dragon Bunny Music; Music of Big Family; Words & Music

DRINKIN’ PROBLEM

Writers: Cameron Duddy; Kitt Cass Pub. Co.; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

EVERY LITTLE THING

Writers: busbee, Emily Shackelton

Publishers: Better Boat Music; Songs of Endurance; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

EVERY TIME I HEAR THAT SONG

Writers: Aimee Mayo, Brad Warren, Brett Warren

Publishers: EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.; Fam Love Music; Sagequinnjude Music; The Queen of Dot Dot Dot; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

FAST

Writers: Luke Bryan, Rodney Clawson, Luke Laird

Publishers: Big Loud Proud Crowd; Peanut Mill Songs; Round Hill Compositions; Round Hill Works; Shirt At Work; Songs of Universal, Inc.; Sony/ATV Tree

FIVE MORE MINUTES

Writers: Monty Criswell, Scotty McCreery

Publishers: Dagum Music; Sony/ATV Tree; Spirit of Nashville One

FIX A DRINK

Writers: Chris Janson

Publishers: Buckkilla Music, ole Red Vinyl Music

FLATLINER

Writers: Cole Swindell

Publishers: Colden Rainey Music; Sony/ATV Tree

FOR HER

Writers: Kelly Archer, Sarah Buxton

Publishers: Big Loud Proud Crowd; Bux Tone Music; Downtown DMP Songs; Round Hill Works; Stars and Stripes and Maple Leaf Music

GREATEST LOVE STORY

Writers: Brandon Lancaster

Publishers: Concession 114 Music; Neon Cross Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

HAPPENS LIKE THAT

Writers: Tyler Hubbard, Granger Smith

Publishers: Big Loud Mountain; Climbing Windmills Music; Round Hill Works; T Hubb Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR

Writers: Bart Butler, Jon Pardi

Publishers: Bill Butler Music LLC; Rancho Fiesta Publishing; Songs of Song Factory; Sony/ATV Countryside

HURRICANE

Writers: Thomas Archer, Luke Combs, Taylor Phillips

Publishers: 50 Egg Music; Big Music Machine; BMG Platinum Songs US; Intune Nashville Music Publishing; Me Gusta 30 Music

Straight Dimes Publishing; TDP Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

I COULD USE A LOVE SONG

Writers: Maren Morris, Laura Veltz

Publishers: Big Music Machine; International Dog Music; Oh Denise Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

IF I TOLD YOU

Writers: Ross Copperman

Publishers: EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.; Rezolant Music

I’LL NAME THE DOGS

Writers: Josh Thompson

Publishers: Big Music Machine; Two Laine Collections

IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW

Writers: Tyler Reeve, Trent Tomlinson

Publishers: Big Mosquito Music; Big Spaces Music; Brown Hound Publishing; Kirbfinder’s Mucho Love Music; Smack of Ham Songs

IT AIN’T MY FAULT

Writers: Lee Thomas Miller

Publishers: The Country And Western Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

LIGHT IT UP

Writers: Luke Bryan

Publishers: Peanut Mill Songs; Sony/ATV Tree

LIKE I LOVED YOU

Writers: Jesse Lee

Publishers: ole Purple Cape Music

LOSING SLEEP

Writers: Chris Young

Publishers: EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.; Songs of Universal, Inc.

MAKE YOU MINE

Writers: Ben Stennis

Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs US

MARRY ME

Writers: Jesse Frasure, Thomas Rhett

Publishers: Cricket On The Line; Downtown MB Songs; EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.; Telemitry Productions

MEANT TO BE

Writers: Tyler Hubbard, Joshua Miller, Bebe Rexha

Publishers: Big Loud Mountain; BMG Platinum Songs US; Jack 10 Publishing; Kiss Me If You Can Music; Round Hill Works

Songs of the Corn; T Hubb Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

MORE GIRLS LIKE YOU

Writers: Joshua Miller

Publishers: Jack 10 Publishing; Songs of the Corn; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

NO SUCH THING AS A BROKEN HEART

Writers: Jesse Frasure

Publishers: Songs of Roc Nation Music; Telemitry Rhythm House; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

OUTTA STYLE

Writers: Aaron Watson

Publishers: Me Gusta 30 Music; Tunes from HTK

RING ON EVERY FINGER

Writers: Jesse Frasure, Thomas Rhett

Publishers: Cricket On The Line; Downtown MB Songs; EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.; Telemitry Productions

ROUND HERE BUZZ

Writers: Eric Church, Luke Dick, Jeff Hyde

Publishers: Emileon Songs; Little Louder Songs; Longer And Louder Music; Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music; Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.; Sony/ATV Tree

SHE’S WITH ME

Writers: Ben Stennis

Publishers: Dead Aim Music; Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.; The Stennis Mightier Music

SMALL TOWN BOY

Writers: Rhett Akins, Kyle Fishman

Publishers: EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.; Kyle Fishman Music; Play It Again Entertainment; Round Hill Compositions; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

SOMEBODY ELSE WILL

Writers: Kelly Archer, Tebey Ottoh

Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs US; Downtown DMP Songs; Songs For Elle; Stars and Stripes and Maple Leaf Music

THE FIGHTER

Writers: busbee, Keith Urban

Publishers: Maroma Music; Songs of Universal, Inc.; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Keith Urban & Busbee honored for their song "The Fighter" on November 13, 2018 in Nashville. (Photo by John Shearer /Getty Images for BMI)

THE LONG WAY

Writers: Brett Eldredge

Publishers: Paris Not France Music; Sony/ATV Countryside

THERE’S A GIRL

Writers: Trent Harmon, Laura Veltz

Publishers: Big Music Machine; Oh Denise Publishing; Trent Harmon Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

UNFORGETTABLE

Writers: Jesse Frasure, Thomas Rhett

Publishers: Cricket On The Line; EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.; Songs of Roc Nation Music; Telemitry Rhythm House

Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

WHAT IFS

Writers: Kane Brown

Publishers: Kane Brown Music; Songs of Universal, Inc.

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

Writers: Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Jordan Walker

Publishers: 50 Egg Music; Big Music Machine; Extremely Combustible Music; Larkin Hill Publishing; Me Gusta 30 Music; Music of one77; On Cor Music; Paj Music Publishing Company; Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.; Straight Dimes Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.; Works of RHA

YEAH BOY

Writers: Keesy Timmer

Publishers: Me Gusta 30 Music; Songs of Blue Guitar

YOU BROKE UP WITH ME

Writers: Thomas Archer, Walker Hayes

Publishers: Kylie Sackley (APRA), Bike Music; BMG Platinum Songs US; Little Extra Music; Razor & Tie Music Publishing

Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.; Songs of SMACK; Spark In Your Pocket

YOU LOOK GOOD

Writers: busbee, Ryan Hurd

Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

YOURS

Writers: Russell Dickerson, Parker Welling

Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs US; Hillbilly Science and Research Publishing; Kailey’s Dream; Music That Is Russelled

Trailerparker Music

YOURS IF YOU WANT IT

Writers: Andrew Dorff; Morendorffin Music; Songs of Universal, Inc.