ASCAP Awards Announced in Nashville

Last night at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Dave Berg was named Songwriter of the Year and Alan Jackson took Songwriter-Artist of the Year at the 46th annual ASCAP Country Awards.

Jackson earned a songwriter prize from the performing rights organization for the sixth time, having claimed Songwriter of the Year in 1993, 1994 and 1997, and then shifting to the Songwriter-Artist category for wins in 2002 and 2003. Berg received his first Songwriter of the Year honor for writing “Don’t Make Me” (recorded by Blake Shelton), “It’s Good to Be Us” (Bucky Covington), “Moments” (Emerson Drive), “These Are My People” (Rodney Atkins) and “What Kinda Gone” (Chris Cagle).

The most-performed country songs of the past year were also recognized, and “Good Directions,” Billy Currington’s #1 hit from 2007, was named Song of the Year. The award was presented to ASCAP writer Rachel Thibodeau (Thibodeau and co-writer Luke Bryan, a BMI songwriter, performed the song at the ceremony). Other performers included the SteelDrivers and Dierks Bentley with the Grascals.

ASCAP also paid tribute to Reba McEntire, recipient of this year’s ASCAP Golden Note Award for her outstanding career achievements. McEntire was enjoying her 25th year as an ASCAP member, and Brooks & Dunn, Kelly Clarkson and LeAnn Rimes sang some of her biggest hits in honor of the music legend. Clarkson, notably, was greeted with a standing ovation from a mostly placid crowd following her soulful performance of McEntire’s “Why Haven’t I Heard From You.”