Cary Barlowe, Richard Leigh Honored at 2015 SESAC Nashville Music Awards

Pictured (left to right): SESAC’s Tim Fink & Dennis Lord, Richard Leigh, Crystal Gayle, Reba McEntire and SESAC’s Shannan Hatch.
Pictured (left to right): SESAC’s Tim Fink & Dennis Lord, Richard Leigh, Crystal Gayle, Reba McEntire and SESAC’s Shannan Hatch.

SESAC honored songwriters, publishers and performers at its 2015 Nashville Music Awards at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday night.

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Cary Barlowe, the songwriter behind Florida Georgia Line’s “Sun Daze,” Dustin Lynch’s “Where It’s At (Yep, Yep)” and Brice Long’s “Like a Cowboy,” was named the association’s Country Songwriter of the Year. The aformentioned tracks recieved Country Preformance Activity Awards at the event. Barlowe also co-wrote Lady Antebellum’s 2010 hit “American Honey.”

Acclaimed songwriter Richard Leigh, writer of numerous country classics including Reba McEntire‘s “The Greatest Man I Never Knew” and Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” received the SESAC Songwriter Legacy Award for his many achievements in the industry. McEntire and Gayle were in attendance and performed their respective hits in Leigh’s honor.

The night’s other big awards went to Zac Brown, Niko Moon and Wyatt Durrette’s “Homegrown,” and Magic Mustang Music for Country Song and Country Publisher of the Year, respectively.

Check out the full list of SESAC Nashville Music Award recipients below.

Songwriter of the Year:
Cary Barlowe

Song of the Year:
“Homegrown”
Written by Zac Brown, Niko Moon, Wyatt Durrette
Recorded by Zac Brown Band

Publisher of the Year:
Magic Mustang Music

Country Performance Activity Awards:

“Homegrown”
Written by Zac Brown, Niko Moon, Wyatt Durrette
Published by Day for the Dead Publishing
Southern Ground
Rosest Music
Recorded by Zac Brown Band

“Loving You Easy”
Written by Zac Brown, Niko Moon
Published by Day for the Dead Publishing
Southern Ground

“Make Me Wanna”
Written by Larry McCoy
Published by Hondo Creek Music
Recorded by Thomas Rhett

“Like A Cowboy”
Written by Brice Long
Published by SingaBLongSong
Tunes of Parallel
Recorded by Randy Houser

“Sun Daze”
Written by Cary Barlowe
Published by We Be Pawtying
Castle Bound Music
Recorded by Florida Georgia Line

“Where It’s At (Yep, Yep)”
Written by Cary Barlowe
Published by We Be Pawtying
Castle Bound Music
Recorded by Dustin Lynch

“Ain’t Worth The Whiskey”
Written by Josh Martin
Published by Josh Martin Music
Recorded by Cole Swindell

“Kiss You In The Morning”

Written by Justin Wilson
Published by Legends of Magic Mustang Music
Recorded by Michael Ray

“Hell Of A Night”
Written by Jaron Boyer
Published by Jaron Boyer Music
peertunes ltd
Recorded by Dustin Lynch

“Riot”
Written by Jaron Boyer
Published by Jaron Boyer Music
peertunes ltd.
Recorded by Rascal Flatts

“Freestyle”
Written by Hillary Scott
Published by Hobbs Hill Publishing
Recorded by Lady Antebellum

“Long Stretch Of Love”
Written by Hillary Scott
Published by Hobbs Hill Publishing
Recorded by Lady Antebellum

“Bartender”
Written by Hillary Scott
Published by Hobbs Hill Publishing
Recorded by Lady Antebellum

“Hard To Be Cool”
Written by Rob Hatch
Published by Way Down The Hatch Music Publishing
Legends of Magic Mustang Music
Recorded by Joe Nichols

“I Don’t Dance”
Written by Rob Hatch
Published by Way Down The Hatch Music Publishing
Legends of Magic Mustang Music
Recorded by Lee Brice

“Goodnight Kiss”
Written by Rob Hatch
Published by Way Down The Hatch Music Publishing
Legends of Magic Mustang Music

“Drink To That All Night”
Written by Lance Miller
Published by Spirit Nashville Three
Melvins Pistol Music
Melvins Bullets Music
Recorded by Jerrod Niemann

AMERICANA HONOREES

Didn’t It Rain
Contributions by
Beth Nielsen Chapman
Published by Songs of Prismlight Music
Recorded by Amy Helm

The Blade
Contributions by Jamie Floyd
Published by Jamie Floyd Music
Recorded by Ashley Monroe

Traveller
Contributions by Jerry Salley
Published by Den What Music
Recorded by Chris Stapleton

Bound By The Blues
Contributions by Robert Johnson, Sonny Landreth
Published by MPCA King of Spades
Land Line Music
Recorded by Sonny Landreth

The Ruffian’s Misfortune
Contributions by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Published by Snake Farm Publishing
Recorded by Ray Wylie Hubbard

Down To Believing
Contributions by Allison Moorer
Published by Petybug Tunes
WBM Music Corp
Recorded by Allison Moorer

Watkins Family Hour
Contributions by Bob Dylan
Published by Rams Horn Music
Recorded by Watkins Family Hour

Django and Jimmie
Contributions by Bob Dylan
Published by Special Rider Music
Recorded by Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard

Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes
Contributions by Bob Dylan, Marcus Mumford
Published by Special Rider Music
Recorded by The New Basement Tapes

The Firewatcher’s Daughter
Contributions by Seth Avett, Scott Avett
Published by First Big Snow Publishing
Nevoivmusic
Ramseur Family Fold Music
Recorded by Brandi Carlisle

And The War Came
Contributions by Esme Patterson
Published by Kid Tiger
Recorded by Shakey Graves

The Way I’m Livin’
Contributions by Hayes Carll
Published by Hwy 87 Publishing
Recorded by Lee Ann Womack

Promise Of A Brand New Day
Contributions by Bonnie Bramlett
Recorded by Ruthie Foster