Emmylou Harris Presented With The Prestigious Founders Award At Star-Studded Gala

ASCAP celebrated "90 Years of America's Best Music" tonight with a gala event held at Nashville's Opryland Hotel & Resort. More than 800 of Nashville's most celebrated artists and songwriters, as well as music industry professionals from around the world, were on hand for the presentation of the 42nd Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards, proving once again that ASCAP songs are at the heart of country music's success.

Co-hosted by Academy-Award winning lyricist and President and Chairman of ASCAP Marilyn Bergman, CEO John LoFrumento, and Senior Vice President Connie Bradley, the black-tie gala evening of awards and musical presentations celebrated nine decades (1914-2004) of advocacy for the rights of the most distinguished and beloved songwriters, publishers and artists in the world. The event's elegant creative theme tied together ASCAP's glorious past, exciting present and promising future with archival video, scenic and musical elements.

"ASCAP has such an incredibly rich musical legacy dating back to our founders in 1914," noted Connie Bradley. "And thanks to all the talented writers, publishers, recording artists and industry professionals here tonight…our future looks just as bright!"

A special highlight of the evening was the presentation of ASCAP's prestigious Founders Award to Emmylou Harris, which included the musical high point of the evening with an extraordinary reunion of the original members of her legendary Hot Band. Immediately following a video presentation of footage from the BBC documentary "From A Deeper Well" that reflected upon the transcendent artistry and incomparable career of Emmylou Harris, the original members of Harris' "Hot Band" including James Burton (electric guitar), Rodney Crowell (acoustic guitar), Hank DeVito (steel guitar), Emory Gordy, Jr. (bass), Glen D. Hardin (piano), and John Ware (drums) were reunited with her on stage in the Tennessee Ballroom.

Emmylou Harris has entertained and inspired millions with her heartfelt and enduring artistry.   Her incredible performance with her “Hot Band” at this evening's Awards Show demonstrated just why Harris has been a strong force in popular music for more than three decades, expanding the boundaries of both country and rock genres. From the time of her influential collaboration with Gram Parsons in the early 1970s to her recent work as a singer-songwriter, she has consistently delivered beautifully honest music that, while defying stereotype and category, forever rings true. The Founders Award is presented to songwriter members of ASCAP who have made an enduring artistic contribution, and Emmylou Harris' contribution to this evening's awards show was testimony to the fact that her artistry endures with no end in sight. Past ASCAP Founders Award recipients include Garth Brooks, Jackson Browne, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Walter Becker & Donald Fagen, Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, James Taylor, Tom Waits, and Stevie Wonder, to name a few.

The evening's other top honors were awarded as follows:

ASCAP Songwriter of the Year, Chris DuBois, for hit singles, "19 Somethin'," "I Love You This Much," and "Little Moments" and ASCAP Songwriter of the Year, Neil Thrasher for hit singles "I Melt," "There Goes My Life," and "Wrinkles." DuBois and Thrasher shared songwriter of the year award honors.

ASCAP Songwriter/Artist of the Year, Brad Paisley, for "Celebrity" and "Little Moments."

ASCAP Country Song of the Year Award (honoring the most performed country song of the past year) was awarded to Jim "Moose" Brown for "It's Five O'clock Somewhere," published by EMI Music Publishing and Sea Gayle Music. Multi-latinum selling artist Alan Jackson recorded the song with a guest vocal by the legendary Jimmy Buffett.

ASCAP Publisher of the Year, EMI Music Publishing, as the music publisher with the most award-winning songs: "19 Somethin'," "Celebrity," "Have You Forgotten," "I Can't Be Your Friend," "I Just Wanna Be Mad," "I Love You This Much," "It's Five O'clock Somewhere," "Little Moments," "Remember When," "She Only Smokes When She Drinks," "Sweet Southern Comfort," "This Is God," "Tough Little Boys," and "You'll Think Of Me." EMI Music Publishing has won ASCAP Country Music Publisher for the fourth consecutive year.

This year's Partner in Music Award, presented by Vincent Candilora, ASCAP's Senior Vice President and Director of Licensing, went to Billy Bob's Texas. This prestigious award recognizes a licensee who has shown exceptional dedication to promoting and expanding the reach of country music. Billy Bob's owner, Bill Minick accepted the award.

Throughout the evening hit songwriters performed live renditions of the past year's Top 5 most performed ASCAP songs.
Co-writers Dierks Bentley and Deric Ruttan asked themselves "What Was I Thinkin'?" while Jim "Moose" Brown declared "It's Five O'clock Somewhere" and Rivers Rutherford closed the first half of the show with a romping version of his Tim McGraw hit "Real Good Man". Later in the evening, Don Pfrimmer delivered a hilarious dramatic reading of "My Front Porch Looking In" accompanied by local radio personality Gerry House, and hit-maker Mark Wills took the audience back in time with "19 Somethin'" written by Songwriter of the Year, Chris DuBois.

Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards to the ASCAP writers and publishers of the most performed country songs of the past year. Connie Bradley, joined by ASCAP Vice President John Briggs, presented these awards. Among the honorees were songwriters Dierks Bentley, Darrell Brown, Chris Cagle, Brad Crisler, Brett James, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Chris Lindsey, Hillary Lindsey, Monty Powell, Kerry Kurt Phillips, Don Sampson and Jimmy Wayne, all of whom received multiple awards. Music publishers receiving multiple awards included BMG Songs, Inc., Drivers Ed Music, Famous Music Corporation, Major Bob Music, Mark Hybner Publishing, Nashville DreamWorks Songs, Sea Gayle Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Sunchaser Music, Teracel Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music Group, and Zomba Enterprises, Inc.

Among those in attendance were Kenny Chesney, Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Lee Ann Womack, Darryl Worley, Patty Loveless, Tracy Lawrence, Trick Pony, Dierks Bentley, Terri Clark, Phil Vassar, Trace Adkins, Sawyer Brown, Billy Currington, Mark Wills, David Lee Murphy, Jamie O'Neal, J.D. Souther, Diamond Rio, Rachel Proctor, Rodney Crowell, Josh Turner, Chris Cagle, Jimmy Wayne, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Deric Ruttan, Radney Foster, Josh Gracin, The Jenkins, Trent Willmon, Blaine Larson, Shannon Lawson, Jessi Alexander, The Wrights, Jimmy Buffett, and Emmylou Harris.

Joining Bradley in the planning and preparation of the evening were ASCAP staff members John Briggs, Marc Driskill, Michelle Goble-Peay, Chad Green, Dan Keen, Suzanne Lee, Shauna McCulley, Ralph Murphy, Gerilynn Pearce, Pat Rolfe, Mike Sistad, Mary Self, Jessica Tompkins, Charline Wilhite, and Herky Williams.

ASCAP's production partner for this year's 90th Anniversary presentation was The Gary Musick Company, who provided creative, technical and scenic support for the evening. Executive Producer Connie Bradley collaborated with the show's Producer and Creative Director, Danny Petraitis as well as Art Director Carmelo Roman, and Associate Producers Jonathan Yeaworth and Keith Beck.

On February 13, 1914, at the Hotel Claridge in New York City, a group of prominent, visionary music creators founded The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. For songwriters and composers, this monumental event would forever change music history.

Today, with nearly 200,000 member-owners, including the greatest and newest names in American music, ASCAP is a vital, leading-edge organization that over the last three years has distributed nearly $1.9 billion dollars in royalties. From Country, Bluegrass, Rock, R&B and Blues to Hip Hop, Jazz and Latin to Symphonies, Musical Theatre, Gospel and Electronic, ASCAP music defines our cultural landscape and connects people the world over.

ASCAP's primary purpose is to assure that music creators are fairly compensated for the public performance of their works, and that their rights are properly protected. Throughout its 90 years, ASCAP has stayed true to the democratic ideals and guiding principles set forth by its founding members. ASCAP is still 100% member-owned, governed by a Board of Directors elected by and from the membership every two years. But ASCAP does more than represent its members: ASCAP is its members. As a member-owned organization, ASCAP is a community, a family, as well as the world's most powerful advocate for the rights of creators. In a history built on verses and choruses, it is the bridge that connects America's most beloved and distinguished songwriters and composers to the world.

See complete list of winners