Loretta Lynn, George Strait to Be Honored at 2019 Nashville Songwriter Awards
Two country legends are being recognized for their contributions to the art of songwriting.
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has shared that Loretta Lynn and George Strait will be honored at the 2019 Nashville Songwriter Awards. The "Coal Miner's Daughter" icon will be bestowed with the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award — regarded as the organization's "highest honor" — for the many high-caliber songs she's created that have defined country music, along with building a legacy that's inspired other artists. Strait, meanwhile, will be honored with the President’s Keystone Award for his loyal support of songwriters, as several of his hits have been penned by Nashville-based writers.
"George Strait is the perfect recipient of the NSAI President’s Keystone Award," NSAI President Steve Bogard says in a press release. "The keystone is the 'central stone at the summit of an arch, locking the whole together.' His delivery of a great melody and that perfect phrasing that communicates the emotion in a lyric is the ultimate last step in bringing so many incredible records to his fans."
Additionally, Reba McEntire, Sam Hunt, Dierks Bentley, Chris Janson, Michael Ray, Lee Brice, David Lee Murphy and Dean Dillon, the writer behind many of Strait's esteemed hits such as "Marina Del Rey," "The Chair" and "Easy Come, Easy Go," will all perform at the 2019 Nashville Songwriter Awards ceremony. Other awards set to be given out that evening include Songwriter-Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.
The 2019 Nashville Songwriter Awards are set to take place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Sept. 17.
Where Would George Strait Be If Johnny Paycheck Hadn't Gotten Arrested?
Live Like a King: See George Strait Through the Years