The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) celebrated its eighth annual Nashville Songwriter Awards on Tuesday evening (Sept. 23), held at the Ryman Auditorium. Forty-two individuals were honored for their excellence and dedication to the craft of songwriting–or, as NSAI board president Lee Thomas Miller called songwriters that evening, “the lifeblood of our industry.”
The organization was founded in 1967 as a not-for-profit trade organization for professional and developing songwriters.
The evening launched with a tribute to Kris Kristofferson (the namesake of the evening’s Kris Kristofferson lifetime achievement award, which was given to country group Alabama). Kristofferson, known for elevating the craft of songwriting with his poetic approach and songs such as “Sunday Morning Coming Down” and “For the Good Times,” died in 2024. During the Nashville Songwriter Awards, Lukas Nelson honored the late Kristofferson with a performance of Kristofferson’s 1971 hit “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Everything I’ll Ever Do Again)”.
“He changed what you can write in this town,” Bart Herbison, executive director of NSAI, said of Kristofferson.
Ashley Gorley earned his ninth songwriter of the year accolade, for writing songs including “Cowgirls,” “I Am Not Okay,” “Bulletproof,” and “World on Fire.” Tyler Hubbard feted Gorley with a performance of “Park” and Dylan Scott performed “This Town’s Been Too Good to Us.”
Gorley thanked NSAI “for the work you do to fight for our rights… and to celebrate our talents tonight.” He also thanked Sony, Tape Room, ASCAP, country radio and more. “I want to thank the artists for recording the songs,” he added.
“I Will Always Love You,” written by Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton, earned the legendary song award. Caylee Hammack honored Parton with a spot-on performance of the song.
“This song has become so many things to so many people,” Parton said in a video acceptance speech. “That is the power of music, and I can’t thank you enough for honoring me and allowing me to tell my stories.”
“Little Miss Dynamite” Brenda Lee, who signed with Decca Records prior to her 12th birthday and went on to become the first woman inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, was celebrated as the NSAI president’s keystone award recipient. Trisha Yearwood performed a rendition of Lee’s 1959 hit “Sweet Nothin’s,” which was written by Ronnie Self.
“It’s such an honor for me because of the people who are giving me this. The songwriters have been the backbone of everything I’ve ever done… I love this industry… You have been so so loyal and wonderful to this little short girl from Georgia,” Lee said.
The loss of esteemed Nashville songwriter (and NSAI board member) Brett James last week was palpable within the songwriter and publishing community gathered that evening. The screen included a tribute that read simply, “We love you, Brett.” Early in the evening, Lee Thomas Miller led the audience in observing a moment of silence to remember James, and to honor his enduring impact on the Nashville songwriting community.
Miller called James “an incredibly talented songwriter, publisher and producer. Few songwriters in our town have achieved the level of success that Brett did. Since the mid-’90s, him, and that hair, were a constant on Music Row and in our lives. He was a beautiful friend to all of us who knew and loved him and it’s hard to imagine country music without him.”
In accepting his songwriter of the year accolade, Gorley also took a moment to remember James and memories of spending time with him. He recalled playing a writer’s round with James and how during the round, James took the time to encourage Gorley. Gorley said James was “proof of living life to the fullest and being an encourager even more. My whole family ziplined with him at Sundance, I watched him get knighted at a castle in France at a writing camp one time. He gets all he can out of life.”
Matthew West was named songwriter-artist of the year for a second time, and honored as a writer on songs including “Don’t Stop Praying,” “Unashamed,” “No Fear” and “Strong.” He was celebrated as Anne Wilson performed her 2021 hit “My Jesus,” which she wrote with West and Jeff Pardo. West is the first to be a multiple writer-artist of the year winner from the Christian music genre.
“A songwriter only goes as far as the champions they have in their life,” West said, thanking “every artist and writer who lets me in the room to create.”
“I’m humbled to be a part of this community,” he added, and urged songwriters on Music Row to let “hope and love flow” from their pens — citing songs such as “Jesus, Take The Wheel” and “Go Rest High on That Mountain” as enduring examples of songs of faith within the genre.
Later in the evening, Lisa Kristofferson, who attended in honor of her late husband Kris Kristofferson, presented the Kris Kristofferson lifetime achievement award to this year’s honorees, Alabama’s Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen and Jeff Cook (who was honored posthumously). The group has earned 33 No. 1 Billboard Hot Country Songs hits and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005.
Lorrie Morgan performed “There’s No Way,” while singer-pianist Gordon Mote honored the group with a medley of songs including “Tennessee River” and “Feels So Right.” Jason Aldean performed “My Home’s in Alabama,” calling the country group “my favorite band of all time.”
Alabama‘s Randy Owen, who also wrote many of Alabama’s hits, took the stage to accept the honor. He thanked longtime Alabama producer Harold Shedd, who was in attendance. Owen also thanked Cook and Gentry for their camaraderie and thanked those who fight on behalf of songwriters.
The evening concluded with the song of the year accolade, which went to “Dirt Cheap,” a solo-written song from Josh Phillips. In a brief acceptance speech, Phillips offered gratitude to artist Cody Johnson for recording the song, as well as to Johnson’s producer Trent Willmon. Phillips also thanked Warner Chappell Music and thanked NSAI for their continued advocacy for songwriters, before he took up an acoustic guitar and offered a performance of the song.
“Dirt Cheap” joins an illustrious group of songs that have earned the honor, among them “For the Good Times,” “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” “Lucille,” “Strawberry Wine,” “Bless the Broken Road,” and “The Song Remembers When.”
Johnson feted Phillips during brief video comments, saying, “You have no idea how much [‘Dirt Cheap’] changed my life… the impact that I get to see of the song you wrote.”
Throughout the evening, 10 additional songs were recognized as part of the “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written Awards,” voted on by the professional songwriter members of NSAI to honor the work of their peers. The songs eligible have to have at least one Nashville-based writer and charted in the top 20 of Billboard Airplay chart in the Christian, Country, Mainstream Top 40, and/or Rock genres between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025. The NSAI song of the year is the highest vote-getter. Many of the songs’ writers were on hand to perform the songs throughout the evening.
This year’s recognized songs were:
“4X4XU” – Written by: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson (recorded by: Lainey Wilson)
“Espresso” – Written by: Amy Allen, Julian Bunetta, Sabrina Carpenter, Steph Jones (recorded by: Sabrina Carpenter)
“I Had Some Help” – Written by: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Jonathan Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters (recorded by: Morgan Wallen feat. Post Malone)
“I Never Lie” – Written by: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top (recorded by: Zach Top)
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Written by: Kelly Archer, Travis Denning, Chris Stevens (recorded by: Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood)
“Lies Lies Lies” – Written by: Jessie Jo Dillon, Josh Miller, Daniel Ross, Chris Tompkins (recorded by: Morgan Wallen)
“One Bad Habit” – Written by: Marc Beeson, Aaron Eshuis, Tony Lane (recorded by: Tim McGraw)
“She’s Somebody’s Daughter (Reimagined)” – Written by: Drew Baldridge, Cameron Jaymes, Jimmy Yeary (recorded by: Drew Baldridge)
“Texas” – Written by: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock (recorded by: Blake Shelton)
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Written by: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere (recorded by: Ella Langley feat. Riley Green)