Vince Gill To Receive BMI ‘Icon’ Honor

Vince Gill will be celebrated as a BMI Icon at the performing rights organization’s 62nd annual BMI Country Awards. The invitation-only event is slated for Tuesday, Nov. 4 at BMI’s Music Row offices in Nashville.

Gill will be feted by an all-star musical tribute. Gill joins past honorees including Bill Anderson (BMI’s inaugural BMI Icon honoree), Dean Dillon, Dolly Parton, Tom T. Hall, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Jr., Merle Haggard, and others.

Among Gill’s 17 solo albums are the platinum-selling When I Call Your Name, These Days, and When Love Finds You. His hit songs, including “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” “When I Call Your Name,” “I Still Believe In You,” “Never Knew Lonely,” “The Heart Won’t Lie” (with Reba), and numerous others, have garnered him more than 40 million radio performances, in addition to more than 26 million albums sold.

His awards mantle is heavy with 20 Grammy honors, six ACM Awards, 18 CMA awards, and 32 BMI awards (including two Songwriter of the Year honors). He was named CMA’s Entertainer of the Year twice. He was inducted as a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005, the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012.

He is as well-known for his charitable involvement as he is for his singing, songwriting and guitar work. His philanthropic initiatives include work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the T.J. Martell Foundation, the Country Music Hall of Fame’s “All For The Hall” campaign, and helping to create the annual The Vinny Pro-Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament.

“The craft of a songwriter isn’t easy; however, Vince makes it look easy. He binds lyrics with music into timeless songs that have influenced musicians across all genres,” said BMI President and Chief Executive Officer Mike O’Neill. “Vince Gill’s discography, in addition to his philanthropic endeavors in Nashville and beyond, represents the epitome of a BMI Icon, and we look forward to celebrating his accomplishments.”

BMI will also crown the Country Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year at the awards ceremony, as well as salute the writers and publishers of the past year’s 50 most-performed songs from BMI’s country catalog. BMI President and CEO O’Neill will host the event with Jody Williams, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, and Clay Bradley, BMI Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville.