Music Row Past Award Winners

Producer Honor Role
A listing of producers scoring the most top-20 Singles and Top-10 Albums for each year.
1982-89: Jimmy Bowen
1990: Tony Brown
1991-92: Allen Reynolds
1993: Tony Brown
1994: James Stroud
1995: Allen Reynolds
1996: Tony Brown
1997: Wilbur C. Rimes
1998: No Award presented
Becomes Producer of the Year–To honor a producers work on albums active during the awards time period. Can include, but is not limited to, single chart performance and album sales.
1999: Byron Gallimore
2000: Byron Gallimore
2001: Mark Wright
2002: Keith Stegall
2003: James Stroud
2004: Buddy Cannon
2005: Frank Rogers
2006: Dann Huff
2007: Byron Gallimore
2008: Frank Rodgers

Top Songwriters
A listing of writers scoring the most Top-20 Singles for each year.
1985: Troy Seals
1986: Dave Loggins
1987-90: Don Schlitz
1991: Pat Alger
1992: Garth Brooks
1993: Clint Black
1994: Gary Burr
1995: Tom Shapiro
1996: Mark D. Sanders
1997: Craig Wiseman
Becomes Breakthrough Songwriter-Honors a Nashville writer who, for the first time in their career, wrote or co-wrote a top 10 song.
1996: Jim Lauderdale
1997: Cathy Majeski, Sunny Russ, Stephony Smith
1998: Harley Allen
1999: Phil Vassar
2000: Carolyn Dawn Johnson
2001: Troy Verges
2002: Anthony Smith
2003: Lee Thomas Miller
2004: Jim Brown/Don Rollins
2005: Vicky McGehee
2006: Jason Matthews
2007: Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear
2008: Luke Bryan

Song of the Year
1996: “What Mattered Most,: Vince Melamed and Gary Burr; Publishers MCA Music, Patrick Joseph Music
1997: “Friends,” Jerry Holland; Publishers: That’s A Smash Publishing, Mike Curb Music; Performed by John Michael Montgomery
1998: “Something That We Do,” Clint Black and Skip Ewing; Publishers: Blackened Music & Opryland Music Group
1999: “Don’t Laugh At Me,” Allen Shamblin & Steve Seskin; Publishers: Built On Rock Music; David Aaron Music/Love This Town Music (ASCAP)
2000: “He Didn’t Have To Be,” Brad Paisley & Kelley Lovelace; Publishers EMI April Music, Sea Gayle Music, Love Ranch Music
2001: “There Is No Arizona,” Jamie O’Neal, Shaye Smith and Lisa Drew; Publishers EMI Music, Zomba Music
2002: “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)” Alan Jackson, Publisher EMI Music Publishing
2003: “Red Ragtop,” Jason White; Publisher Sony/ATV Music
2004: “Almost Home, “Craig Morgan, Kerry Kurt Phillips; Publishers Magic Mustang Music Inc. & Sufferin’ Succotash Songs
2005: “Whiskey Lullaby,” Bill Anderson, John Randall; Publishers by Sony-ATV Tree/Mr. Bubba/Reynsong/Who Ya Say/Wrensong, BMI
2006: “What Hurts The Most,” Jeffrey Steele, Steve Robson; Publishers Songs of Windswept Pacific & Almo Music Corp.
2007: “Stealing Kisses,” Lori McKenna; Publisher Melanie Howard Music, Inc.
2008: “Letter To Me,” Brad Paisley; Publishers EMI April Music/New Sea Gayle Music

Critic’s Pick/New Artist
2000: Eric Heatherly
2001: Mark McGuinn
2002: Blake Shelton
2003: Joe Nichols
2004: Buddy Jewell
2005: Miranda Lambert
2006: Carrie Underwood
2007: Taylor Swift
Becomes Breakthrough Artist–Voted by readers to honor an artist who achieved significant career progress for the first time.
2008: Lady Antebellum

Marketing Achievement
1996: MCA Records for Joe Ely’s Hour At Tower Train Tour
1997: RCA Records for Clint Black’s Greatest Hits
1998: Curb Records for LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live”
1999: RCA Records for Alabama’s For The Record—41 Number One Hits and Monument Records for the Dixie Chick’s Wide Open Spaces
2000: Dreamcatcher Entertainment for Kenny Rogers “The Greatest” and “Buy Me A Rose”
2001: Sony Music Nashville for Billy Gillman, One Voice
2003: Lyric Street Records for Rascal Flatts, Melt
2004: DreamWorks/Sony music for Toby Keith Shock ‘n Yall and Buddy Jewel
2005: none
2006: Lyric Street Records for Rascal Flatts, My And My Gang and Equity Music Group for Little Big Town, The Road To Here (tie)