Ticket on-sale begins Friday, July 18, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Central
May 08, 2025 (Nashville, Tenn.) – The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is pleased to announce that the 8th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards will take place September 23, 2025, once again at the historic Ryman Auditorium. With the return of presenting partner City National Bank, the evening will be an epic celebration filled with stories and performances honoring the faces behind the industry and music we all love.
"At City National Bank, we recognize the incredible talent and creativity that fuels the songwriters of Nashville and across the nation," said Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, Co-Managers of City National Entertainment in Nashville. "That's why we're proud to return as the presenting sponsor of the Nashville Songwriter Awards, which recognize individuals for their artistry, storytelling and impact in music.”
While many award recipients are concealed until night-of, Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen, and Jeff Cook (honored posthumously) of ALABAMA and Brenda Lee have been revealed as the evening's first announced honorees. These country music icons have earned two of the organization's highest honors and will be celebrated with special segments during the night.
ALABAMA will receive NSAI's pinnacle honor, the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of the band's contributions to the American songbook. Charting 43 No. 1 hits and selling over 80 million records, ALABAMA is undisputedly one of country music's most influential bands, whose work continues to inspire the careers of songwriters and artists to this day. Previous Kris Kristofferson award recipients include Alan Jackson (2024), Bobby Braddock (2023), Garth Brooks (2022), Bill Anderson (2018), and Willie Nelson (2013).
The second revealed honoree of the evening, Brenda Lee, will be awarded with the NSAI President's Keystone Award, a recognition bestowed to an individual that has given significant contributions to the industry for the betterment of all songwriters. Lee was personally selected by NSAI Board President Lee Thomas Miller in honor of her incredible achievements, record-breaking career, and undeniable place she has earned in music history. Lee signed her first record deal at the age of 11, has sold over 100 million albums around the world, was the first woman inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Country Music Hall of Fames, and among other accomplishments, she holds the record for longest gap between No. 1 charting hits, with her first in 1960 (“I'm Sorry”) and the most recent in November 2023 (“Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree”).
Beyond the organizational honors, the annual event is centered around several award presentations and performances celebrating the Legendary Song, Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Songwriter-Artist of the Year, and the 10 Songs I Wish I'd Written awards. Both Songwriter and Songwriter-Artist of the Year are contingent on chart performance, while the other award categories are peer voted and determined by NSAI's talented professional membership of songwriters.
The Legendary Song award, a newer category created in 2024, was developed as a way to honor a song that is deemed legendary above all others in the designated timeframe. The eligibility period for this year's award was 1968-1984 and the NSAI Board of Directors carefully selected 10 impactful songs from that time for the pro membership to anonymously vote on to determine the top legendary song.
The remaining award categories for the night, and some of the most coveted honors to receive, are the 10 Songs I Wish I'd Written and Song of the Year awards. These accolades are given to those who have written songs that fellow songwriters in the industry honor as a song crafted so well they wish they had been a part of its creation. The Song of the Year award is given to the song that receives the most votes in the 10 Songs I Wish I'd Written voting process.
In the coming weeks several performers taking part in the celebration will be announced, and on Friday, July 18, 2025 tickets will be available for purchase atRyman.com beginning at 10:00 a.m. Central.
The event is produced each year by the Nashville Songwriters Association International, the world's largest not-for-profit songwriters trade organization dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music. Follow @nsaiofficial / #songwriterawards on Facebook, X, and Instagram to stay up-to-date on all announcements and news.
Thank you to our event sponsors: City National Bank, Loeb & Loeb LLP, Recording Industry Association of American, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp, Jack Daniel's, Musicnotes, Recording Academy Songwriters & Composers Wing, SoundExchange, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, The Mechanical Licensing Collective.
For more information, please visit nashvillesongwriters.com.
