Chris Stapleton and Ashley Gorley were the top winners of the 2024 ASCAP Country Music Awards, celebrating the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP's most performed country music songs of the past year. The awards were presented at an invitation-only gathering in Nashville on Monday (November 18).
Stapleton received the ASCAP Country Music Songwriter/Artist of the Year award. Gourley won his 11th ASCAP Country Music Songwriter of the Year honor, more than anyone else in the 62-year history of the ASCAP Country Music Awards.
Stapleton and Gorley will compete for song of the year at the CMA Awards on Wednesday. Stapleton is nominated for writing his own hit “White Horse.” Gorley for co-writing “I Had Some Help,” the Post Malone smash with Morgan Wallen. Fun fact: Stapleton and Gorley, both Kentucky natives, were born just 34 miles and less than a year apart. Stapleton was born in 1978 in Lexington. Gorley in 1977 in Danville.
Stapleton's “White Horse” (co-written by ASCAP member Dan Wilson) and “Think I'm in Love with You” were among ASCAP's 50 most-performed country songs of the year.
Gorley co-wrote Wallen's megahit “Last Night,” which is ASCAP Country Song of the Year. The song, co-written by JKash and Gorley, marks Gorley's fourth ASCAP Country Song of the Year win. He previously won for “You Proof” (2023), “One of Them Girls” (2021) and “You're Gonna Miss This” (2009).
Sony Music Publishing, Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Domain Capital Group, Poppy's Picks, Prescription Songs and Rap Kingpin Music shared in honor of “Last Night”. The Grammy-nominated single spent 16 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023.
Gorley had a total of 11 songs among ASCAP's 50 Most Performed Country Songs of the Year. The others and the artists who made them famous are: “All I Need is You” (Chris Janson), “Bulletproof” (Nate Smith), “Cowgirls” (Wallen), “God Gave Me a Girl” (Russell Dickerson), “I Had Some Help” (Wallen and Post Malone), “Save Me the Trouble” (Dan + Shay), “This Town's Been Too Good to Us” (Dylan Scott), “Truck Bed” (Hardy), “World On Fire' (Nate Smith) and 'Young Love & Saturday Nights' (Chris Young).
Gorley was nominated last week for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Voting members have until midnight ET on December 22nd to submit their ballots.
Sony Music Publishing has been named ASCAP Country Music Publisher of the Year for the 11th time, with 24 of this year's most performed songs. Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston accepted the award.
Sony Music Publishing's top tracks include “A Bar Song (Tipsy), Shaboozey's smash hit that spent 17 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, as well as “Can't Break Up Now” (Old Dominion and Megan Moroney), “If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)” (Kelsea Ballerini), “Texas Hold 'Em (Beyoncé), “Outskirts” (Sam Hunt), “Bulletproof” (Nate Smith), “Save Me the Trouble” (Dan + Shay), “I Can Feel It” (Kane Brown), “Light On in the Kitchen” (Ashley McBryde) and “Austin” (Dasha).
ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews, ASCAP Board Chair and President Paul Williams and ASCAP Nashville Membership Vice President Mike Sistad presented awards. Up and coming Everette duo present their latest single “High and Lonesome”.
A complete list of ASCAP Country Music Award winners can be found at: ASCAP.com/countryawards24.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/ascap-country-music-awards-2024-winners-chris-stapleton-ashley-gorley-1235831057/
