Dwight Yoakam and Brothers Osborne to Be Honored by BMI, ASCAP

Both will be honored as expectional and influenential songwriters.

Written by Chris Parton
Dwight Yoakam and Brothers Osborne to Be Honored by BMI, ASCAP
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Dwight Yoakam arrives at the Premiere Of Sony Pictures Classic's "David Crosby: Remember My Name" at Linwood Dunn Theater on July 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)

Dwight Yoakam and Brothers Osborne are set to be honored in separate, industry-only ceremonies during CMA Awards week, with both of Nashville’s major performing rights organizations aiming to highlight their influence and impact as songwriters.

Yoakam will receive the BMI President’s Award at the company’s 67th annual BMI Country Awards on November 12, while Brothers Osborne will be presented with ASCAP’s Vanguard Award at the 57th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards on November 11. The competing organizations both represent the interests of songwriters and publishers, and are responsible for collecting and distributing royalty payments for the use of their clients songs in everything from TV and film to restaurants and juke boxes.

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We’re excited to celebrate the extraordinary career of @DwightYoakam by presenting him with the BMI President’s Award at our 67th annual #BMICountryAwards on November 12, 2019. “To this day, no other artist has captured country music’s past and catapulted it into the future quite like Dwight Yoakam,” said Jody Williams, VP, Creative, Nashville. “Standing on the shoulders of Bakersfield legends, Dwight’s self-penned songs have made indelible marks on America’s musical culture. His career includes roles in most every facet of the entertainment business and we are thrilled to celebrate him with BMI’s President’s Award.” The BMI President’s Award is presented to songwriters who have distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry. In receiving the award, Yoakam will join an impressive list of past honorees that includes Kenny Chesney, P!nk, Harlan Howard, Brooks & Dunn, Pitbull, Adam Levine, Billy Sherrill, and Toni Braxton. #BMICountryAwards

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Yoakam’s BMI President’s Award is meant to honor a songwriter who has “distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry,” and after receiving it, the “Honky Tonk Man” hit maker will join past honorees like Kenny Chesney, P!nk, Harlan Howard, Brooks & Dunn, Pitbull, Adam Levine, Billy Sherrill and Toni Braxton.

“To this day, no other artist has captured country music’s past and catapulted it into the future quite like Dwight Yoakam,” said BMI’s Jody Williams. “Standing on the shoulders of Bakersfield legends, Dwight’s self-penned songs have made indelible marks on America’s musical culture. His career includes roles in most every facet of the entertainment business and we are thrilled to celebrate him with BMI’s Presidents Award.”

Meanwhile, Brothers Osborne will be handed ASCAP’s Vanguard Award to recognize “ASCAP members whose innovative work is helping to shape the future of music.” Previous recipients include Chris Stapleton, Kelsea Ballerini, St. Vincent, Third Day, Band of Horses, Sara Bareilles and more.

“John and TJ Osborne successfully honor the past and the future with their passionate country rock sound,” said ASCAP’s Paul Williams. “Together with John’s masterful guitar picking and TJ’s pitch-perfect baritone, they offer a fresh take on the modern country duo. We are thrilled to honor them with the ASCAP Vanguard Award.”

Both the BMI Country Awards and ASCAP Country Music Awards are seen as lead-in events to the larger, televised CMA Awards, which are set to take place on November 13. Each will celebrate the writers and publishers of the top songs of the year from their respective catalogs, and hand out awards such as Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year during a formal ceremony.