Music Row Awards Honor Taylor Swift, Lori McKenna and more

David M. Ross and Sarah Skates
Photos: Christie King

[Nashville] Music Row magazine handed out its 19th Annual Awards at a ceremony hosted by ASCAP Nashville on Tuesday, June 12 in front of a crowd of over 150 industry insiders. Publisher David M. Ross and News Editor Sarah Skates presided over the event which honored Critics Award winners, Best Of reader-voted categories and the publication’s Top 10 Album All Star Musicians.

ASCAP Sr. VP Connie Bradley welcomed the crowd and then turned the mic over to David M. Ross who said, “We are living through one of the most challenging periods since Music Row began covering the Nashville music industry over 25 years ago. It’s an era of opportunities and pain. Fortunately, more than ever, music continues to be the soundtrack of our lives.”

The Top 10 Album All Star Awards— honoring the musicians that played on the most Top 10 country albums during the preceding year—were the first to be acknowledged. Keyboard winner Steve Nathan, receiving his 12th consecutive win commented, “There are so many great talents coming right behind me, this might be my last year to get this honor.” He had just come from a songwriting appointment and joked, “If I don’t win keyboards, maybe next year I can get the Breakthrough Songwriter Award.” Background vocals winner Wes Hightower thanked Music Row. “These are the only Awards that have a Background Vocals category,” he said appreciatively. Others on hand to accept plaques were engineer Justin Niebank, bassist Glenn Worf and fiddler Larry Franklin.

The reader-voted Best Of Awards, designed to salute community excellence, featured new categories this year. Great American Country personality Suzanne Alexander presented the awards for Best Showase Venue and Best Artist Web site to 12th & Porter and Little Big Town/Country Wired, respectively.

The Critics Awards are chosen by Music Row editorial staffers. This year’s Breakthrough Songwriter Award, which recognizes a writer who earned his/her first Top 10 chart recording was given to Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear for their amazing success penning Carrie Underwood’s crossover smash “Before He Cheats.” News Editor Sarah Skates presented the award and Tompkins and Kear followed their acceptance with a performance of the song. Longtime Music Row columnist Robert K. Oermann highlighted Producer of the Year Byron Gallimore’s achievements. In addition to producing projects for Tim McGraw, Sugarland and Faith Hill, Gallimore also recently launched StyleSonic Records with McGraw. “My wife Missy has been an ideal mate for me, both in business and life,” Gallimore said sincerely as he also thanked the artists, musicians and creative community for his success.

Oermann also presented Song of the Year honors to “Stealing Kisses.” The Lori McKenna song about a forlorn housewife was a hit on Faith Hill’s 2005 Warner Bros. release Fireflies. Publisher Melanie Howard recounted how she first met McKenna through Mary Gauthier.

The Critic’s Pick —to recognize an outstanding new artist who has released their first album in the past year—was the evening’s final honor. Seventeen-year-old sensation Taylor Swift bounced up to the stage to accept the honor. “Thanks for letting me in,” she said to the industry crowd. Swift’s album turned Platinum only days before the Awards. “She is redefining how artists communicate with fans,” said Ross. “Her recent brave and compelling ACM Awards performance tells the whole story of why Taylor Swift is the 2007 Music Row Critics Pick.”

Great American Country was on hand to film the Awards which will be featured on the network’s GAC Nights program on July 5. Attendees were also given souvenir cover posters of the Music Row awards issue.

19th Annual Music Row Awards (complete list)
Critics Awards
Critics Pick (new artist award)—Taylor Swift
Breakthrough Songwriters—Chris Tompkins, Josh Kear, co-writers “Before He Cheats”
Producer of the Year—Byron Gallimore
Song of the Year—“Stealing Kisses” by Lori McKenna, published by Melanie Howard Music
 
Best Of Awards
Best Guitar Brand—Gibson
Best Demo Studio—County Q
Best Showcase Venue—12th & Porter
Best Artist Web site—Little Big Town; designed by Stephanie Orr/CountryWired
 
Top 10 Album All Stars Musician Awards
Bass—Glenn Worf
Drums—Shannon Forrest
Engineer—Justin Niebank
Fiddle—Larry Franklin, Aubrey Haynie (tie)
Guitar—Tom Bukovac
Keyboards—Steve Nathan
Steel—Dan Dugmore
Vocals—Wes Hightower