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ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC ANNOUNCES INCLUSION OF SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR 47th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS
Awards Will Include Songwriter of the Year Category
For the First Time Since 1965
Encino, CA (October 20, 2011) – The Academy of Country Music announced today the inclusion of a Songwriter of the Year category for calendar year 2011, to be awarded during the 2012 cycle in conjunction with the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The Awards are to be held next spring on an as-yet-unannounced date. The Songwriter of the Year award was previously given out only once, in 1965, to Roger Miller.
“The Academy has always paid tribute to songwriters, whether it was through Song of the Year, hosting songwriter #1 parties or honoring legends with the Poet’s Award as we do every year,” said Michelle Goble, Senior Vice President, Membership & Events at the Academy of Country Music. “We are thrilled to dedicate this annual award to the composers that make the country music genre so special in its rich history of storytelling.”
The Songwriter of the Year final nominees will be selected by a Blue Ribbon panel of judges and the professional members in Artist-Entertainer/Musician-Bandleader-Instrumentalist, Composer, Music Publisher/PRO, Record Company, and the Producer/Engineer/Studio Manager subcategory (contained within the Affiliated category) will vote on the 3rd ballot to determine the winner. The winner will be announced with the Special Awards recipients, Industry and MBI winners next spring, prior to the 47th Annual ACM Awards. These awards will be presented in Nashville during the annual ACM Honors event in the fall.
New membership applications for the Academy of Country Music must be completed by 5:00 PM PT on Friday, November 11, 2011 for members to be eligible to vote during the 2012 Awards cycle; Existing membership renewals must be completed by 5:00 PM PT on Friday, November 18, 2011 for members to be eligible to vote during the 2012 Awards cycle.
Nominees for the Academy of Country Music Awards will be announced in February 2012 at a date to be announced. For more information on ACM Awards criteria, please visit http://www.acmcountry.com/awards/votingcriteria.php.
Songwriter of the Year Award Criteria:
This award is presented to an individual known predominately as a songwriter, selected by a panel of Blue Ribbon Judges composed of songwriters, publishers, producers, and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. The Panel will submit 5 (five) nominees, which will be placed on the ballot once approved by the Board. The factors to be considered include, but are not limited to, a commercially released single crediting the songwriter that charted on Billboard's Hot Country Songs (BDS) or Country Aircheck (Mediabase) country charts during the prior calendar year of December 1st to November 30th.
If the single was released prior to the eligibility period, but achieved its highest charted position during the eligibility period, it is eligible, unless it appeared on a final ACM ballot. The winner shall be determined by a vote of ACM members classified in the following categories; Artist-Entertainer/Musician-Bandleader-Instrumentalist, Composer, Music Publisher/PRO, Record Company, and the Producer/Engineer/Studio Manager subcategory [contained within the Affiliated category].
About the Academy of Country Music
Founded in 1964, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC is an artist and industry-driven organization, providing the financial resources to ensure the on-going philanthropic work of ACM LIFTING LIVES, the charitable arm of the Academy which works to improve lives through music. The Academy is comprised of more than 3,800 professional members and is headquartered in Encino, Calif. For more information, log onto www.acmcountry.com or www.acmliftinglives.org.
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Media Contact:
Brooke Primero
Academy of Country Music
Ph 818.788.8000 x1419
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