The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) will honor legendary country music songwriter Bob McDill with the prestigious ASCAP Golden Note Award during its 50th Annual Country Music Awards, taking place on Monday, October 29th, 2012 at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland. The invitation-only gala will also honor the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed Country songs from April 1st, 2011 through March 31st, 2012.
The ASCAP Golden Note Award is presented to songwriters, composers and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones. Past recipients include Don Williams, Garth Brooks, Lindsey Buckingham, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire and J.D. Souther, among others.
Commenting on the award to McDill, ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams said, “Bob McDill is one of Country music’s most eloquent and literary songwriters. His dedication to the art and craft of writing honest songs that come straight from the soul has touched the hearts of millions around the world. We are very proud to honor him with the ASCAP Golden Note Award in recognition of his extraordinary career.”
Throughout a career spanning more than three decades, Texas-born songwriter Bob McDill has written an exceptional 31 number one songs, garnered four Grammy nominations, earned the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award in 1994, was named the NSAI Songwriter of the Year three times and was inducted into the NSAI’s Hall of Fame in 1985. His career began in the late 1960’s, while McDill was still serving in the Naval Reserve, when pop singer Perry Como recorded his song, “Happy Man.” Not long after, McDill moved to Nashville and soon earned his first Country hit with “Catfish John,” recorded by Johnny Russell. For the next thirty years, McDill landed chart-toppers with numerous artists, including the classics “It Must Be Love” and “Good Ole Boys Like Me,” recorded by ASCAP’s 2011 Golden Note honoree, Don Williams; “Amanda,” recorded by Williams and later Waylon Jennings, who took it to number one; “Song of the South,” recorded by Alabama; “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On” and “Louisiana Saturday Night,” recorded by Mel McDaniel; “Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold),” recorded by Dan Seals; and “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” recorded by Keith Whitley.
McDill’s success continued well into the 1990’s, as evidenced by chart-topping hits with Alan Jackson (“Gone Country”), Sammy Kershaw (“She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful”), Doug Stone (“Why Didn’t I Think of That”) and Pam Tillis (“All the Good Ones Are Gone”), and his indelible influence on the art of songwriting will be felt for years to come. Alan Jackson expressed his appreciation for McDill and “Gone Country” in the liner notes of The Greatest Hits Collection. “Bob McDill wrote this and he is one of my favorite writers of all time. When I first heard this song I fell in love with it. I wish that I’d written it ’cause it says a lot of things that I’d like to say,” wrote Jackson.
The 50th ASCAP Country Music Awards will also include the announcements of the Songwriter of the Year, Songwriter/Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Publisher of the Year. The evening will feature live performances of the top five most-performed songs of 2011 by the award-winning songwriters and special guests. ASCAP’s annual celebration of its Country songwriters sets the pace for a busy week in Nashville, which culminates with the 46th Annual Country Music Association Awards on Thursday, November 1st.
Contact: jerry@nashville.com
I think that “Somebody’s Always Saying Goodbye” is the most beautiful song ever written and nobody could sing it better than Anne Murray. So nice that Mr. McDill is being recognized for his extraordinary talent.