Chris Stapleton honored with Vanguard Award at 54th ASCAP Country Music Awards

Chris Stapleton

ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, presented acclaimed country singer, songwriter and performer Chris Stapleton with the ASCAP Vanguard Award at the 54th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards. The awards celebration, which honors the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed country songs of 2015, took place at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville on October 31st.

“Every so often, someone comes along with songwriting so masterful, a voice so powerful and a presence so captivating, that it stops you in your tracks,” says ASCAP President Paul Williams. “Chris Stapleton does just that. By distilling Southern sounds and themes into potent songs, he has brought raw soul back to the country charts, and established himself as one of the most respected and original artists in American music today. We are thrilled to honor him with the ASCAP Vanguard Award.”

The Vanguard Award recognizes the impact of outstanding ASCAP members on musical genres that will help shape the future of American music. Previous recipients include Walk The Moon, St. Vincent, fun., The Civil Wars, Third Day, Band of Horses, Sara Bareilles and more.

Chris Stapleton’s acclaimed album, Traveller, was released in May 2015 on Mercury Records Nashville and debuted at #2 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. With more than 27,000 albums sold, it was the best-selling first week by a debut country artist that year. The album also received immediate and extensive critical acclaim that helped land Stapleton bookings on “Late Show with David Letterman,” “The View,” “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” among others.

Following an historic turn on the 2015 CMA Awards – Stapleton was the first artist to win Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year at the same awards – Traveller became the first album to re-enter the Billboard 200 all-genre album chart at #1, where it stayed for two weeks. Stapleton also performed a “show-stealing” (Rolling Stone) duet on the live awards show with superstar, friend and fellow ASCAP member Justin Timberlake, which Entertainment Weekly called “an unapologetic display of abnormal levels of talent.”

Stapleton capped off his record year with four nominations and two wins at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards — Album of the Year (nominee), Best Country Album (winner), Best Country Song (nominee) and Best Country Solo Performance (winner). He is currently nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year, as well as Musical Event of the Year, alongside his wife, Morgane Stapleton, for their performance of “You Are My Sunshine” from producer Dave Cobb’s acclaimed Southern Family compilation, at the 50th annual CMA Awards, to be held November 2nd in Nashville.

Renowned and respected in Music City, Stapleton has also co-written six #1 hits for some of country music’s biggest stars and has continually worked as an in-demand session musician, providing masterful backup vocals and guitar work to countless pieces of music. ASCAP has featured Stapleton, a longtime member, at many ASCAP events during his career, including the Sundance ASCAP Music Café, the ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO, the ASCAP “We Write the Songs” showcase on Capitol Hill, the ASCAP Country Music Awards and more.

Ricky Skaggs honored with prestigious ASCAP Founders Award

Ricky Skaggs (via Facebook)

ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, presented acclaimed bluegrass and country music songwriter-artist and Grand Ole Opry member Ricky Skaggs with its prestigious Founders Award at the 54th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards. The exclusive, invitation-only gala, which celebrated the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed country songs of 2016, took place at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, Tennessee on October 31st.

ASCAP President Paul Williams said: "For more than four decades Ricky Skaggs has been a musical force in bluegrass and country music. His incredible gifts as a musician combined with his boundless creativity and energy continue to fuel a passion for American roots music around the world. A national treasure, he has influenced generations of fellow music creators and we are honored to present him with the ASCAP Founders Award."

The Founders Award is one of ASCAP’s highest honors and is presented to songwriters and composers who have made pioneering contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Each recipient is a musical innovator who possesses a unique style of creative genius, which will enrich generations to come. Previous recipients include George Strait, Alan Jackson, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Melissa Etheridge and Neil Young.

Ricky Skaggs is a renowned musician of bluegrass and country music, having earned 12 #1 singles, 14 Grammy Awards, 11 IBMA Awards, nine ACM Awards, eight CMA Awards (including Entertainer of the Year), two Dove Awards, three honorary Doctorate degrees, a GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame induction, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 2013 Artist-In-Residence, and an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award, along with numerous other accolades. Since he began playing music more than 50 years ago, Skaggs has released more than 30 albums and has performed thousands of live shows. He started his own record label, Skaggs Family Records, in 1997 and has since released 12 consecutive Grammy-nominated albums. His newest release, Hearts Like Ours, with his wife, celebrated artist Sharon White of The Whites, features the couple performing duets of handpicked country love songs. The Grand Ole Opry member has also released his first-ever autobiography, "Kentucky Traveler," which details the life and times of Skaggs and provides a descriptive history of country and bluegrass music. In addition to his regular touring schedule with his band, Kentucky Thunder, he has recently performed a string of dates with Sharon White and guitar legend Ry Cooder, and continues to tour with versatile singer-songwriter and pianist Bruce Hornsby.