MusicRowPics: Akins, Hayslip Honored with ‘MusicRow’ Challenge Coins

Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip were recently honored with a MusicRow Challenge Coin for their work on Jason Aldean‘s “When She Says Baby.” The song reached No. 1 on MusicRow‘s CountryBreakout chart for the week of Feb. 6, 2014. Publishers on the song include EMI Blackwood Music, WB Music Corp., Tar-Cam-Knox Music, Get A Load Of This Music.

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson, songwriter Rhett Akins, and MusicRow Chart Director Troy Stephenson

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow chart director Troy Stephenson, songwriter Ben Hayslip and MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson

MusicRow launched the MusicRow Challenge Coins in 2014 to honor songwriters and artists whose works have topped the MusicRow Country Breakout chart.

Challenge coins celebrate distinguished individuals, and the challenge coin term and tradition is believed to date back to WWI, when they were initially given to American soldiers. Varying accounts exist, but the most common story behind the coin’s name is as follows. After receiving a challenge coin, organization members carried it with them at all times. When challenged to prove membership, they would produce it to verify their membership status. Some stories add if the member couldn’t produce the coin, they had to buy the challenger(s) a drink and vice versa.