Ashley Gorley was named songwriter of the year for a ninth time as the ASCAP Country Music Awards winners were announced on social media Monday morning, in advance of a party and red carpet to come later in the day in Nashville.
Gorley’s name being announced for that top honor has come to seem almost a bygone conclusion at ASCAP’s annual kudos. (He’s pictured above accepting at the 2018 ceremony.) The same goes for Warner Chappell being named the country music publisher of the year, as it is again in 2022.
There’s more suspense in what will be named the country song of the year by the performing arts organization. For 2022, that honor goes to “Famous Friends,” co-written by ASCAP member Corey Crowder, as made into a smash by the pairing of Chris Young and Kane Brown.
Gorley’s repeat honor doesn’t have to do with rolled-over good will, of course, but what he’s done for the music business lately. There’s no resting on laurels in Gorley yet again having his name on the largest number of most-played hits, including nine chart-toppers: “Beers on Me” (recorded by Dierks Bentley, Breland and Hardy), “Country Again” (Thomas Rhett), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “New Truck” (Dylan Scott), “Sand in My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), “Slow Down Summer” (Thomas Rhett), “Steal My Love” (Dan + Shay), “Take My Name” (Parmalee) and “You Should Probably Leave” (Chris Stapleton).
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Besides winning the song of the year award, Crowder was obviously a strong contender for the top songwriter honor Gorley picked up, as ASCAP points out that he collaborated on eight No. 1 country hits during this time frame.
The same goes for Warner Chappell, which is being celebrated for being at least one of the publishers on “Buy Dirt” (recorded by Luke Bryan and Jordan Davis), “Cold Beer Calling My Name” (Luke Combs and Jameson Rodgers), “Getting Over Him” (Lauren Alaina), “Lil Bit” (Florida Georgia Line and Nelly), “Never Wanted to Be That Girl” (Ashley McBryde and Carly Pearce) and “You Should Probably Leave” (Stapleton).
A full list of the most-played songs of the year can be found at www.ascap.com/countryawards22.
The winners are also being celebrated on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #ASCAPAwards.
Although this is the third year in a row that ASCAP has bypassed an in-person ceremony and done most of the celebrating virtually, an invitation-only party for the winners and their guests will take place at Nashville’s Soho House tonight, preceded by a red carpet.
