NMPA Honors Toby Keith, U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch

The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) will award Toby Keith and U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch with NMPA’s 2013 Songwriter Icon Award and The President’s Award, respectively. The honors will be given during NMPA’s Annual Meeting in New York City on June 12, 2013.

“The NMPA is pleased to recognize Toby Keith and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch for their contributions to songwriting, music publishing and creator’s rights,” said NMPA President and CEO David Israelite. “Toby Keith’s talent as a singer/songwriter is remarkable, but his dedication to fans, his work with the USO, and his commitment to music and songwriting as a craft has greatly influenced the industry.”

“Congressman Deutch’s ability to tackle complex issues with an open mind has made him a powerful advocate for the rights of artists,” continued Israelite. “I look forward to honoring them both in front of our full membership.”

 The Songwriter Icon Award recognizes outstanding songwriters for personal achievement and embodiment of the vision of NMPA. Keith’s albums have sold more than 37 million copies.

A key factor in his success is that Keith has remained the principle songwriter behind most of his hits. With more than 80 million BMI airplay performances on commercial radio stations worldwide, Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) recently honored Keith with several BMI “Million-Air” Awards representing songwriting and publishing credits for some of Keith’s biggest hits. Keith was also named Songwriter/Artist of the Decade by the Nashville Songwriters Association International, three-time BMI Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year.

The President’s Award recognizes a policymaker who has been a leader on issues of importance to music publishers and songwriters. Deutch is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and sits on the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, which is responsible for examining copyright-related matters.