Mike O’Neill, President and CEO of BMI, Carrie Underwood, and Paul Karpowicz, Chairman, BMI Board of Directors & President, Meredith Local Media Group Present Underwood with the BMI Board of Directors Award at the 69th Annual BMI/NAB Dinner.
Carrie Underwood was honored at the annual BMI/NAB dinner held in Las Vegas. The American Idol season 4 winner received the Board of Directors Award and the latest of her three songwriting awards. Additionally, she performed. Read all about it below.
Broadcast Music, Inc.®, (BMI®), the global leader in music rights management, honored music superstar Carrie Underwood at the 69th annual BMI/NAB Dinner held Tuesday (April 25) night at the Wynn Encore in Las Vegas. Underwood was recognized with the BMI Board of Directors Award for the impact her music has had on the broadcast industry, as well as her many contributions as a songwriter.
In addition, BMI took the opportunity to present Underwood with the latest three of her 14 career BMI songwriting awards for “Heartbeat,” “Little Toy Guns,” and “Smoke Break.” These awards are traditionally given out at BMI’s Country Awards Dinner in November, which Underwood was unable to attend due to her hosting preparation for the CMA Awards. She was also presented with nine BMI “Million-Air” Certificates, which are acknowledgements of songs that have achieved one million or more spins on radio. Underwood now has a career total of 14 BMI “Million-Air” certificates. (Full list below)
Mike O’Neill, BMI’s President and CEO, spoke to the room of industry heavy-hitters about Underwood’s impressive career and commented that, “Not every superstar is a songwriter, but Carrie is. She has earned the respect of her colleagues, not only for her singing, but also for her brilliant songwriting and storytelling, and that is an accomplishment that cannot be overstated.”
In accepting the award, Underwood remarked, “I am beyond blessed to get to do what I do, and am grateful that I am surrounded by such incredible people. I love the people that I get to work with — it’s a joy, a pleasure, and a privilege. Thank you so much BMI for everything that you have done for me and my music.”
After her remarks, Underwood performed several songs from her impressive repertoire including “Two Black Cadillacs,” “So Small,” “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” and “Smoke Break.”
Past recipients of the BMI/NAB honor include Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Graham Nash, Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, and John Williams, among others.
Carrie Underwood performing at the 69th Annual BMI/NAB Dinner at the Wynn Encore Hotel in Las Vegas, NV
