Country Songwriter of the Year, Country Song of the Year and Country Publisher of the Year to be Revealed During Celebration of  the Year’s 50 Most-Performed Country Songs

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BMI will celebrate one of the ultimate architects of modern Country music, Jeffrey Steele, by naming him a BMI Icon during the 74^th annual BMI Country Awards. The two-time BMI Country Songwriter of the Year will be recognized for his significant songwriting and contributions to Country music. The invitation-only event will be held at BMI’s Nashville office on Nov. 17^th and will be hosted by BMI’s CEO, Mike O’Neill, Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue & Creative Officer, Mike Steinberg and BMI’s Nashville VP of Creative, Clay Bradley.

Throughout the evening, BMI will also reveal the Country Songwriter of the Year, Country Song of the Year and Country Publisher of the Year, while celebrating the top songwriters and music publishers behind this past year’s 50 most-performed songs in Country music.

“Jeffrey Steele is a titan of modern storytelling whose catalog has shaped the sound of Country music over the last three decades,” BMI’s Nashville VP of Creative, Clay Bradley said. “When you hear one of his anthems that has become the soundtrack to millions of lives, you can feel the emotion behind every lyric. As a two-time BMI Country Songwriter of the Year and an intentional mentor to the next generation of creators, Steele has earned a permanent place among the greats.”

Since Steele’s affiliation with BMI in 1981, the multi-Platinum songwriter, singer and producer has shaped the modern Country music landscape with over 60 chart-topping hits. The prolific songwriter has received more than 34 BMI Country and Pop Awards for his extensive catalog that includes iconic songs like Tim McGraw‘s “The Cowboy in Me” along with Rascal Flatts‘ “What Hurts the Most,” “My Wish,” and “These Days” as well as Keith Urban‘s “Raise ‘Em Up” featuring Eric Church, Zac Brown Band‘s “Knee Deep,” Van Zant‘s “Help Somebody,” Montgomery Gentry‘s “Something to Be Proud Of” and “My Town.” The seven-time GRAMMY® nominee has earned critical recognition for his creative impact with an induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Steele has been honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame as a “Poet and Prophet.”

The BMI Icon Award is given to exceptional songwriters in recognition of their unique and indelible influence on music makers over many generations. In receiving this award, Steele joins an impressive list of Country legends including Bill Anderson, Matraca Berg, Clint Black, Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Dean Dillon, Vince Gill and Hank Williams, Jr., as well as multi-genre creative/songwriting royalty Stevie Nicks, Little Richard, Carole King, Patti LaBelle, Brian Wilson, James Brown, Janet Jackson, Bo Diddley, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Peter Gabriel, Al Green, Van Morrison, Sting, Bryan Ferry, Carlos Santana, Los Lobos, and more.

ABOUT JEFFREY STEELE:
Jeffrey Steele continues to shape American music with songs that connect people across generations. With more than 65 million radio and television airplays, his songwriting has produced major hits for artists including Keith Urban, Eric Church, Zac Brown Band, Jimmy Buffett, Montgomery Gentry, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cher, .38 Special, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Trace Adkins, LeAnn Rimes, Rascal Flatts, Van Zant, Joe Cocker, Little Feat ft. Bob Seger, Joe Bonamassa, Cascada, and many more. A member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Steele has been recognized by the Country Music Hall of Fame as a “Poet and Prophet,” named BMI Songwriter of the Year twice, and awarded NSAI Songwriter of the Year three times. He is also a two-time CMA Triple Play Award recipient for penning three No. 1 hits in a single year. His extensive list of chart-topping songs includes: “Raise ‘Em Up,” “Knee Deep,” “Here,” “My Wish,” “The Cowboy in Me,” “These Days,” “My Town,” “Something to Be Proud Of,” “Everyday,” and the landmark “What Hurts the Most,” which earned a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Country Song. Steele has received a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice nominee for Best Original Song for “I Thought I Lost You” (from Disney/Pixar’s Bolt). He has been named one of Billboard’s Top 5 Writers for eight consecutive years and MusicRow Magazine’s Songwriter of the Year. Continuing to use his voice to reflect the times, Steele released his new single “A Voice” in January – a song rooted in hope, unity and shared humanity. Written as a reminder of what connects us in a world often marked by division and uncertainty, the song underscores Steele’s enduring belief in music as a force for healing and togetherness. The song debuted at #4 on the Billboard Digital Sales charts. A full-length American Storyteller album of new music will follow. Fore more information visit www.JeffreySteele.com.

ABOUT BMI:
Celebrating over 80 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, BMI® is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in over 25 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.5 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI’s repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on X, TikTok, and Instagram @BMI or stay connected through BMI’s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.

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SOURCE Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)