Adding to an arsenal of accolades and what American Songwriter calls “the makings of a songwriting legend,” 12-time chart-topping lyricist HARDY was awarded the coveted Songwriter of the Year award at last night’s BMI Country Awards.
Already the reigning 2022 ACM Songwriter of the Year and the 2022 AIMP Songwriter of the Year, HARDY’s “handle on modern vernacular that’s second to none” (Nashville Lifestyles) has changed the face of modern country music, earning him a reputation as “one of Nashville’s most trusted songwriters” (MusicRow).
“When I heard that I had won this award – this is very recently, and a true story – my first though was just, ‘I’m so glad that I’m with BMI…’” HARDY said in his acceptance, “Because it’s the only way I would every beat Ashley Gorley at anything.”
“I want to thank every songwriter in this room – Casey Beathard, Ashley…I see so many people in here tonight that took a chance on me when I had nothing. You guys saw something in me and gave me a shot as a songwriter because you thought that something I was doing as a writer had a little meat on its bone. You have no idea how much that fueled my fire and how much that inspired me to know that what I was doing was something worth believing in.”
“I want to thank BMI so much for being here for me every single step of the way, for introducing me to some of my favorite collaborators that I still write with to this day. For creating opportunities for me that helped advance my songwriting career. I can honestly say without a doubt that I don’t know where I would be in this town if that 19-year-old kid wouldn’t have walked into this building and blindly signed. Thank you so, so much.”
Photo: HARDY accepts the award for Songwriter of the Year at the 2022 BMI Country Awards | Image by Erika Goldring (Getty Images for BMI)
PHOTO (L-R): BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill, BMI VP of Creative Clay Bradley, BMI Songwriter of the Year HARDY, BMI’s AVP, Creative Leslie Roberts and BMI’s EVP, Licensing & Creative Mike Steinberg.
