SESAC celebrates songwriters and publishers at 2018 Nashville Music Awards

Matt McGinn Named Songwriter of the Year

"Heaven" Named Song of the Year

SMACKWORKS MUSIC Named Publisher of the Year

Lee Brice recognized for his involvement in establishing the Folds of Honor Nashville Chapter.

(L-R) SESAC VP of creative services Shannan Hatch, chairman and CEO of SESAC John Josephson, Matt McGinn and SESAC President and COO Kelli Turner attend the 2018 SESAC Nashville Music Awards at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Nov 11, 2018 (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SESAC Inc., celebrated its songwriters and music publishers behind the year's most-performed country and Americana songs at the company's annual Nashville Music Awards, tonight, Sunday, Nov. 11, at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum. 

Congratulations to all of our #SESACAwards winners, and a special congrats to @matthewmcginn on taking home the award for Country Songwriter of the Year. Thanks to everyone for a great night! 👏🏻🏆 📸: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/gc7bbvAHVM

— SESAC, Inc. (@sesac) 12 November 2018

Matt McGinn, who has topped the charts with "Heaven," performed by Kane Brown, was named SESAC's Songwriter of the Year.  The multi-week, No. 1 multi-Platinum-selling "Heaven," published by SMACKWORKS MUSIC and Kobalt Group Publishing, was named SESAC Song of the Year. Winning its first-ever Publisher of the Year accolade was SMACKWORKS MUSIC during the event.

McGinn's co-writer and Lindsay Rimes, along with friends Aaron Eshuis and Joey Hyde, performed the No. 1 song "Heaven" in his honor. RCA Nashville recording artist Ryan Hurd was also on hand to present McGinn with his Songwriter of the Year Award.

In addition to celebrating songwriters and publishers, the Veteran's Day event recognized America's bravest men and women of the armed forces during the awards show. SESAC honored the Folds of Honor Foundation and its mission for providing educational scholarships to families of the fallen and disabled service members, and recognized Lee Brice, a SESAC affiliate, with an award for his involvement in the establishment of the Folds of Honor Nashville Chapter.  

(L-R) Hannah Mulholland, Naomi Cooke and Jennifer Wayne of the band Runaway June perform onstage during the 2018 SESAC Nashville Music Awards at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Nov 11, 2018 in Nashville, TN. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) 

The awards ceremony kicked off with Jamey Johnson and John Carter Cash performing "Spirit Rider" from the recent project Johnny Cash: Forever Words, which assembled an A-list of talent and garnered chart accolades from around the world. Lee Brice also performed a moving tribute of his 2013 CMA Song of the Year "I Drive Your Truck" in honor of Veteran's Day. Culminating the evening, SESAC affiliates DJ KO, Runaway June, Tyler Rich, Seaforth and Michael Tylerprovided musical entertainment with their latest hits.

Rollingstone: Jamey Johnson, John Carter Cash Sing at 2018 SESAC Awards

The festive event, hosted by Shannan Hatch, SESAC's Vice President of Creative Services, honored top songwriters and publishers behind the year's biggest hits in the genres of country and Americana. More than 500 songwriters, publishers and industry professionals attended the awards celebration, sponsored in part by W.H. Grant & Sons and Sound Royalties.

Country Awards:

"YOURS"
Written by: Casey Brown | published by: Not Just Another Song Publishing, So Essential Tunes
recorded by: Russell Dickerson

"HEART BREAK"
written by: Hillary Scott | published by W.B.M. Music Corp, EKT Publishing
recorded by: Lady Antebellum

(L-R) SESAC's Lydia Schultz, Ryan Beuschel of W.B.M. Music Corp, Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum, and SESAC VP of Creative Services Shannan Hatch onstage during the 2018 SESAC Nashville Music Awards at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Nov 11, 2018 in Nashville, TN. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images)

"HEAVEN"
written by: Matt McGinn | published SMACKWORKS MUSIC, Kobalt Group Publishing
recorded by: Kane Brown

"SINGLES YOU UP"
written by: Justin Ebach | published by: Wordspring Music, WBM Music, Memory Days
recorded by: Jordan Davis

"LOSING SLEEP"
written by: Josh Hoge | published by: EMI Foray Music, Write to Be Free
recorded by: Chris Young

"SHE'S WITH ME"
written by: Seth Mosley | published by: CentricSongs, Capitol CMG Amplifier
recorded by: High Valley

"ONE NUMBER AWAY"
written by: Sammy Mitchell | published by Concord Music, Self Shrevident Music
recorded by: Luke Combs

Americana Awards:

ALL AMERICAN MADE
contributions by: Margo Price, Jeremy Ivey | published by: BMG, Peach Pit, Fisheye
recorded by: Margo Price

(L-R) SESAC Manager of Creative Services E.T. Brown, Margo Price and Jeremy Ivey attend the 2018 SESAC Nashville Music Awards at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Nov 11, 2018 in Nashville, TN. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for SESAC)

FROM A ROOM VOL. 2
contributions by: Kevin Welch, Brice Long, Jaron Boyer
published by: Send ME the Checks Music, Spur 66 Music, Universal Tunes, EMI Foray Music, BMG
recorded by: Chris Stapleton

JOHNNY CASH: FOREVER WORDS
contributions by: Jamey Johnson, Rosanne Cash, Robert Glasper
published by: Polishit, Chelcait Music, Notable Music, Words of Cash Music, BMG, Big Deal Music
recorded by: Various Artists

ACCOMPLICE ONE
contributions by: Anthony Snape
published by: Anthony Snape Music Publishing
recorded by: Tommy Emmanuel

THE LONELY, THE LONESOME & THE GONE
contributions by: Andrew Combs
published by: Concord Music, Chunk of Coal Publishing
recorded by: Lee Ann Womack

TIME FLIES
contributions by: Jim Lauderdale
published by: BMG Cicada, Jim Lauderdale Music
Performed by: Jim Lauderdale

FREE YOURSELF UP
contributions by: Rachael Price, Michael Olson
published by: W.B.M. Music, 17 Lake Street Music
recorded by: Lake Street Music

SESAC Holdings, Inc.:

About SESAC Holdings, Inc.:

SESAC Holdings is the only U.S.-based Music Rights Organization that administers public performance, mechanical, and other rights. SESAC Holdings is unique in its ability to offer singular licenses for the works of its affiliated writers and publishers that aggregate both performance and mechanical rights in order to drive greater efficiency in licensing for music users, as well as enhanced value for music creators and publishers. Its businesses operate on a sophisticated information technology and data platform to provide timely, efficient royalty collection and distribution. 

SESAC Holdings' subsidiaries are some of the most well-known companies in music licensing and administration. SESAC Performing Rights is the second oldest and most progressive performing rights organization in the U.S.  SESAC Holdings' acquisition of the Harry Fox Agency (HFA) accelerated its transition to a "multi-rights" organization with HFA's deep publisher relations and mechanical licensing history. Following the HFA acquisition, HFA's administrative service business unit adopted the Rumblefish brand of its sister company. Rumblefish simplifies business for digital services, publishers, labels, artists and apps. Rumblefish's transparent composition and recording administration, data and royalty management, licensing and network monetization allow clients to focus on their core business. Rights. Simplified. Royalties. Amplified.

SESAC Holdings has offices in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, London and Munich.

CONNECT with SESAC:

SESAC Nashville Music Awards Fashion

Hillary Scott – Lady Antebellum’s leading lady wore a dark print dress with floral detailing with a top mesh panel and capped sleeves. She carried a GUCCI Queen Margaret small top handle bag (Product $ 3,290 Style ‎476541 DVUST 4198). The Queen Margaret line mixes iconic Gucci details with newly established codes. The bee-a historical Gucci code taken from the '70s archives-is enriched by glass pearls and multicolor crystals. An ID holder with gold embossed "Blind For Love", a reference to inclusive romanticism, hangs over the top handle. Made in smooth leather with a slight shine in a light pink, white, hibiscus red and blue color block design.

Jamie Floyd – The singer- songwriter wore a black/top matching crop top and wide pants outfit courtesy of The Showroom Nashville (1212 8th Ave. South #201 Nashville, TN 37203) | Makeup (Aubrey Jones).

She shared on Instagram: I just know this is going to be one of the best weeks of my life. Thank you to my SESAC family for kicking it off.

TOP: (L-R) Hillary Scott, Jamie Floyd, Jenny Tolman
BOTTOM: Margo Price, Nora Collins, Olivia Lane

Jenny Tolman – The Rock & Roll to My Country Soul Nashville artiste wore a white lace crop Bandeau top with matching shawl and tassels adding a below the knee cream silk skirt and caged booties.

Margo Price – The Americana singer-songwriter wore a black top with matching shiny pink loose jacket and pants with a floral pattern.

Nora Collins: The Strings singer songwriter wore a strapless glittery gold top with tiered black pants courtesy of The Showroom Nashville. She posted on Instagram Another great year at the SESAC awards! So grateful to be apart of the SESAC family!

Olivia Lane: The You Got Me singer-songwriter wore a Black Side Stripe Jumpsuit from Miss Selfridge (Product)

Shannan Hatch - SESAC VP of creative services looked elegant wearing a matching sleeveless plunging black top with silver detailing adding a floor length silky back skirt with a bow front tie detail and open black ankle strap sandals.

SESAC VP of creative services Shannan Hatch attends the 2018 SESAC Nashville Music Awards at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Nov 11, 2018 in Nashville, TN. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for SESAC)