VINCE GILL AND PAUL WILLIAMS TO BE HONORED AT NSAI’S 9TH ANNUAL NASHVILLE SONGWRITER AWARDS ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2026

Many award winners are concealed until night-of, however, NSAI has announced that VINCE GILL and PAUL WILLIAMS, two iconic members of the music landscape, will be honored for their impacts within the industry, personal career achievements, and their unwavering commitment to the songwriting community. VINCE GILL, gifted songwriter, philanthropist, and one of the most beloved artists in modern country music will receive the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement award, adding the honor to his long list of accolades received in the past, including being named a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1991, joining the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005, entering the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and receiving the 2014 BMI Icon honor.

 

The Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement award is the organization’s pinnacle honor, given to an individual whose works have made a significant contribution to the American songbook and one who has inspired the careers of others, the award has only been given to seven other recipients since its inception: ALABAMA (2025), Alan Jackson (2024), Bobby Braddock (2023), Garth Brooks (2022), Loretta Lynn (2019), Bill Anderson (2018), and Willie Nelson (2013). 

 

“City National Bank is honored to celebrate the remarkable achievements of this year’s honorees at the Nashville Songwriter Awards,” said Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, senior vice presidents, Entertainment & Sports Banking - Nashville, City National Bank. “The President’s Award and the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award represent the highest levels of excellence in songwriting, and we are proud to join NSAI in recognizing the extraordinary Vince Gill and Paul Williams whose work has inspired audiences and shaped the music industry.”

 

The second revealed honoree, PAUL WILLIAMS, will be presented with NSAI’s President’s Keystone Award, in recognition of his significant contributions to the industry for the betterment of all songwriters. Williams’ songwriting success began the road to many achievements throughout his career. He has won an Oscar, three GRAMMY awards, two Golden Globe awards, earned induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has seen success in film and television. He is a leader within the music industry serving as President and Chairman of the Board of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) for the past 17 years and is among the strongest advocates for creators’ rights. Williams was personally selected for the award by NSAI Board President, Lee Thomas Miller. 

 

“Having grown up loving and studying songs and the craft of songwriting, it is an immeasurable honor to call Paul Williams a friend," stated NSAI Board President, Lee Thomas Miller. “On a personal note, he has always been one of the warmest, classiest, and most professional rock stars of my career. As a BMI writer myself, it has been a joy to wage the copyright advocacy wars for the American songwriter alongside Paul, who has so often sat in the ASCAP seat. It is a great thrill to present this year’s NSAI President’s Keystone Award to our American treasure, Paul Williams.”

 

Audience members can anticipate a night filled with non-stop stories and performances as these award categories are honored alongside the winners of the Song, Songwriter, and Songwriter-Artist of the Year awards and the coveted ‘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.

 

On Wednesday, July 15, the first round of performers participating in the event will be revealed, and tickets for the ceremony will go on sale Friday, July 17 at 10:00 a.m. CT at www.ryman.com.

 

In addition to the previously mentioned awards, the night will also recognize the 2026 Legendary Song award, honoring a song that is deemed legendary above all others and which has stood the test of time in the designated timeframe. The eligibility period for this year’s award was 1969-1985 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 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, General Motors, Recording Industry Association of America, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, Jack Daniel's, Recording Academy Songwriters & Composers Wing, SoundExchange, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters.

 

For more information, please visit nashvillesongwriters.com.

 

One of the most popular artists in modern country music, Vince Gill is famous for his top-notch songwriting, world-class guitar playing and warm, soaring tenor, all wrapped up in a quick and easy wit. Gill achieved his big breakthrough in 1990 with “When I Call Your Name,” which won both the Country Music Association’s (CMA) Single and Song of the Year awards as well as a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male. In total, Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, 22 Grammy Awards, and 8 Academy of Country Music Awards, and in 2025 was presented with the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1991, Gill was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and in 2007 was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2012 he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A gifted songwriter, Gill’s compositions earned him entry into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the prestigious BMI Icon award in 2014. Throughout his career, he has released 21 albums, sold over 30 million albums, and charted 45 singles. In 2022, Gill was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame.  Always considering himself a musician above all else, Gill has over the years been a part of some iconic bands, including Pure Prairie League, The Notorious Cherry Bombs, and The Time Jumpers. In 2017, Gill was asked to join the Eagles on the road, and he continues to be a part of that historic band’s tour. 2025 marked the 50th anniversary of Gill leaving home to pursue a career in music. To honor that milestone, he signed a lifetime contract with his record label MCA, and is releasing an EP series of brand-new music every month for a year, titled 50 Years from Home.

 

Paul Williams is one of the most beloved and respected music creators in the world today. A lyricist and composer who has won an Oscar Award, three Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, an Ivor Novello International Award and earned induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Williams’ timeless classics range from “We’ve Only Just Begun”, “You and Me Against the World” and “The Rainbow Connection” to "Touch" and "Beyond" on Daft Punk’s chart-topping Album of the Year, Random Access Memories on which he also performed, receiving a Grammy as Featured Artist.  As President and Chairman of the Board of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), he is also a leading spokesman for music creators in the digital age.

 

Williams’ standards have been recorded by such diverse musical icons as Ray Charles, David Bowie, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, The Carpenters, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Luther Vandross, Willie Nelson, Gonzo and Kermit The Frog. Although Williams is widely known as an actor in dozens of films and on television, it is his musical legacy that continues to inspire. His songs and scores have received six Oscar, nine Grammy, six Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations. “The Rainbow Connection,” from the children’s classic The Muppet Movie, has been added to the Library Of Congress’ National Recording Registry, a collection of “audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.” It is also one of two Williams’ songs that grace the American Film Institute’s List of Top Movie Songs of All Time; the second, “Evergreen,” is from the award-winning Barbra Streisand/ Kris Kristofferson remake of A Star Is Born. Additional song scores include the cult favorites Phantom of the Paradise and Ishtar, as well as The Muppet Christmas Carol, Bugsy Malone, and Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas, the latter of which has been adapted for the stage and opened to rave reviews. Paul also created the story and wrote the songs for Disney’s Emmy-nominated A Muppets Christmas: Letters To Santa and “I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus” was performed on the Estefan Family Christmas album. Williams’ collaboration with Gustavo Santaolalla has included the animated film, The Book of Life which received a World Soundtrack Award for their “Apology Song” and more recently, “If It’s To Be”, performed by Kali Uchis for Maya and The Three. Paul is currently working on a stage version of Pans Labyrinth with Gustavo, Guillermo del Toro, and JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot LIVE.

 

In addition to music creators’ rights, Paul is also passionate about recovery and works tirelessly to destigmatize alcoholism and addiction. Sober 36 years, his humorous observations of life, love, and creativity, augmented by the education and knowledge he gained through his studies and certification from UCLA as a Certified Drug Rehabilitation Counselor, has been shared in a best-selling book co-written by Tracey Jackson, entitled Gratitude and Trust: Six Affirmations That Will Change Your Life which was featured on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday.

 

While publicly lauded for his work as a songwriter, author and actor, most recently for his role with Billy Bob Thornton in Goliath, Paul predicts he’ll be remembered for playing Little Enos in the Smokey and the Bandit trilogy and for his lyrics to “The Love Boat” theme. However, it is the lyrics from Bugsy Malone that aptly sum up his philosophy: “You give a little love and it all comes back to you; You’re gonna’ be remembered for the things that you say and do”. As a devoted husband to writer Mariana Williams and proud father, Paul considers his son Cole, and daughter Sarah, to be his best work. 

 

City National Bank, member FDIC, is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), and the largest bank headquartered in Los Angeles with $99 billion in assets as of January 31, 2026. Founded in 1954, City National is a regional bank specializing in Wealth Management and Private Banking, Entertainment & Sports Banking, Commercial Banking, and Consumer Banking, with branches and locations in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Las Vegas, Nashville, Atlanta, North Carolina and South Carolina,  Delaware, Washington D.C. and Miami.* In addition, the company and its investment affiliates manage or administer $109 billion in client investment assets. City National is dedicated to strengthening local communities. In 2025 alone, the company made charitable contributions of nearly $11 million to nonprofits that support the communities it serves.

 

For more information about City National, visit the company’s website at cnb.com.

 

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is the world’s largest not-for-profit songwriters trade association. Established in 1967, the membership of more than 5,000 active and professional members spans the United States and foreign countries.  NSAI, with nearly 100 chapters, is dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music.  NSAI has been responsible for many advocacy advances for songwriters including its work on the Music Modernization Act and creation of the MLC, creating the first group copyright infringement insurance for songwriters, passing the landmark Songwriter Capital Gains Tax Equity Act and owns The Bluebird Cafe.