[BMI’s Leslie Roberts, Songwriters of the Year Chris Tomlin and Matt Maher and BMI’s Jody Williams pause for a photo during the BMI Christian Awards]
“We’re honored to be able to celebrate these top Christian music creators,” Jody Williams, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, noted. “These songwriters and publishers earned incredible airplay while spreading a wonderful message.”
The invitation-only event featured a special tribute to Joe Moscheo by Steven Curtis Chapman and performances by All Sons & Daughters and Matt Maher.
The Song of the Year title went to “Shoulders,” written by BMI songwriter Luke Smallbone with Ben Glover, Joel Smallbone and Tedd Tjornhom and published by Dayspring Music, Kilns Music and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation. The song was recorded by For King and Country and reached number 4 on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart.
The Songwriter Of The Year award went to two outstanding songwriters this year. Matt Maher earned the title for his songs “Because He Lives (Amen),” Come As You Are” and “Soul On Fire.” His co-writer on “Because He Lives (Amen),” Chris Tomlin, also was awarded Songwriter of the Year for the song, as well as “At The Cross (Love Ran Red)” and “Jesus Loves Me.”
Word Music Publishing (Dayspring Music and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation) took home the Publisher of the Year award. The company had the highest percentage of copyright ownership among the year’s most-performed songs, including the hits “More Than You Think I Am,” “Save My Life,” “Shoulders,” “Through All Of It” and “Who I Am.”
Williams and Executive Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Leslie Roberts served as the evening’s hosts.
