Alan Jackson and Buddy Cannon Revealed as First Honorees and New ‘Legendary Song’ Category Announced
June 26, 2024 (Nashville, Tenn.) – The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), alongside presenting partner City National Bank, is proud to once again bring the music industry and fans together this fall for the 7thannual Nashville Songwriter Awards. Returning to Ryman Auditorium on September 24, 2024, the celebration will honor the peer voted '10 Songs I Wish I'd Written' awards, NSAI's Song, Songwriter, and Songwriter-Artist of the Year, and will recognize pivotal individuals who have had great influence in the world of songwriting.
It has been revealed that the organization’s highest honor of the evening, the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to legendary songwriter and recording artist Alan Jackson. Throughout his career, Jackson has earned an astounding list of awards, recognized by the GRAMMYs, the Academy of Country Music (ACM), the Country Music Association (CMA), and the American Music Awards (AMAs), and he has earned stars on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Music City Walk of Fame. In 2012 Jackson was awarded CMA’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2017 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Amassing 26 #1 songs over the past 30 years, Jackson’s impact on songwriting and the music industry is forever etched in history with enduring hits such as “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” “Chattahoochee,” “Gone Country,” “Remember When,” “Drive (for Daddy Gene),” “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” “Where I Come From,” “Wanted,” “Little Man,” “Who’s Cheatin’ Who,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” with Jimmy Buffett, “Murder on Music Row” with George Strait, and “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).”
"When the NSAI Board of Directors chose Alan Jackson as this year's recipient of the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award, I knew they had made a fantastic choice," said Jennifer Turnbow, NSAI Chief Operating Officer. "I was eager to craft a segment of our annual awards show around his work as a songwriter. But, it wasn't until I really studied his body of work and recalled decades of his songs that I realized just how deserving he was of this recognition. Alan’s songs, many of which he wrote by himself, have marked significant moments in time and are etched into the memories of multiple generations. Choosing only a handful of his many hits to highlight in a celebration of his career will be incredibly challenging...that I'm looking forward to!"
“City National Bank has supported the music industry from the first day we opened our doors in 1954 and we are especially proud of our work in the beloved country music and local Nashville communities,” said Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, Co-Managers of City National Entertainment in Nashville. “On behalf of City National, we congratulate the incomparable Alan Jackson for his Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award. For decades, Alan, as both an artist and a songwriter, has delivered the most inspirational, motivational and uplifting music and we applaud the recognition of his eloquent songwriting artistry.”
Each year, NSAI’s Board President has the opportunity to present an individual with the President’s Keystone Award, and this year the incomparable producer and songwriter Buddy Cannon will be celebrated to honor his significant contributions to the industry and betterment of all songwriters. Perhaps best known for his work producing Kenny Chesney and Willie Nelson, Cannon got his start playing bass for Bob Luman and Mel Tillis. The latter saw songwriting potential and was proven right when Cannon co-wrote iconic songs including "Set 'Em Up Joe," "I've Come To Expect It From You," "Dream Of Me" and "Give It Away." As an A&R executive, he contributed to signing and developing Shania Twain and Billy Ray Cyrus. In the studio, he's shepherded projects by Alison Krauss, George Jones, Reba McEntire, Joe Nichols, John Michael Montgomery and many others. Cannon is a three-time Grammy honoree for his work with Nelson, the 2006 Academy of Country Music Producer of the Year, and a 2021 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame. He and Chesney just notched their 35th No. 1 together – "Take Her Home."
"Buddy Cannon has spent decades as an elite member of our Music Row community. He has written songs for some of country music’s most legendary superstars, has ridden busses playing in their bands and he is one of the most important record producers of the last 30 years. It is impossible to calculate the impact Buddy Cannon has had on the songwriters in this town. He is famous for being tough on songs and helping build multi decade careers, like Kenny Chesney’s, is an example of how incredible his barometer is for a hit song. I’m proud to present Buddy Cannon with the 2024 NSAI President’s Award” -Lee Thomas Miller
Beginning this year, NSAI will also commemorate one song chosen by NSAI’s professional songwriting members as the ‘Legendary Song’ of its time, beginning with songs from 1967-1983. The NSAI board of directors carefully selected 10 impactful songs in the given range, and the pro membership anonymously voted to determine the winning song. The first-ever Legendary Song Award recipient will be revealed and performed at the show.
Performer announcement and ticket information will be revealed in the coming weeks with on-sale set for July 26, 2024. Up-to-date information can be found at www.ryman.comand www.nashvillesongwriters.com as well as NSAI’s socials: @nsaiofficial on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The Nashville Songwriter Awards is made possible by City National Bank and our event partners: Loeb & Loeb LLP, Renaissance Nashville Hotel, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, Musicnotes, Recording Academy Songwriters & Composers Wing, SoundExchange, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, and The Mechanical Licensing Collective.
About Alan Jackson:
A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Alan Jackson’s membership among music’s all-time greats is part of a long line of career-defining accolades that include three CMA Entertainer of the Yearhonors, over 30 years of membership in the Grand Ole Opry, a Billboard ranking as one of the Top 10 Country Artists of All-Time, induction to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Heritage Award as the most-performed country songwriter-artist of ASCAP’s first 100 years.
The man from rural Newnan, GA has sold nearly 60-million albums worldwide, ranks as one of the 10 best-selling male vocalists of all-time (rock, pop and country). He has released more than 60 singles – registering 50 Top Ten hits and 35 #1s (including 26 Billboardchart-toppers). He has earned more than 150 major music industry awards – including 19 Academy of Country Music Awards, 17 Country Music Association Awards (including the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award), a pair of Grammys and ASCAP’s Founders and Golden Note Awards.
Jackson – one of the most successful and respected singer-songwriters in music – is also the man behind one of Nashville’s most-popular tourist stops, AJ’s Good Time Bar. The four-story honky-tonk in the heart of downtown featuring daily live music and a rooftop view of Music City set the bar – literally – for the many celebrity establishments in the city as the first – and still the only solely-owned – artist bar on Broadway.
About City National:
City National Bank, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada, is the largest bank headquartered in Los Angeles with $92.03 billion in assets as of April 30, 2024. Founded in 1954, City National provides personalized banking, investment and trust services in select markets including Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Nashville, Atlanta, Delaware, Las Vegas, Washington D.C. and Miami.* In addition, the company and its investment affiliates manage or administer $96.83 billion in client investment assets. City National is dedicated to strengthening communities, and in 2023 alone, the company made more than $11 million in charitable contributions to nonprofits that support the communities it serves.
For more information about City National, visit the company’s website at cnb.com.
*City National Bank does business in Miami and the state of Florida as CN Bank.
About the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI):
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is the world's largest not-for-profit songwriters trade organization. Established in 1967, the membership of more than 5,000 spans the United States and 10 foreign countries. For over 56 years, NSAI has been dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music. For more information, visit nashvillesongwriters.com.
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