Ashley Gorley was named ASCAP country music songwriter of the year at the 61st ASCAP Country Music Awards. The invitation-only event, which celebrated the songwriters and publishers of country music’s 50 most-performed ASCAP songs of the past year, was held at The Twelve Thirty Club in Nashville on Monday (Nov. 6).
This was the 10th time Gorley has been named ASCAP country music songwriter of the year, which extends his record.
Gorley, 46, had a hand in writing 10 of ASCAP’s most-performed country songs of the past year, five of which were recorded by Morgan Wallen: “You Proof” (which was named ASCAP country song of the year), “Last Night,” “Everything I Love,” “One Thing at a Time” and “Thinkin’ Bout Me.” Gorley’s other award-winners for the year were “Gold” (Dierks Bentley), “She Had Me at Heads Carolina” (Cole Swindell), “What He Didn’t Do” (Carly Pearce), “Girl in Mine” (Parmalee) and “You Didn’t” (Brett Young).
This is the third time that Gorley has co-written the ASCAP country song of the year. He accepted the honor for “You Proof” alongside winning publishers Round Hill Songs and Sony Music Publishing. The song debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the first song to top Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for 10 weeks.
Gorley has received five CMA nominations for song of the year and five Grammy nominations in songwriting categories — though he has yet to win at either awards show. He has received four Grammy nods for best country song and one for best rock song (for co-writing Weezer’s “All My Favorite Songs”).
Jordan Davis, 35, collected his first ASCAP country music songwriter/artist of the year honor. The MCA Nashville artist’s top 10 Hot Country Songs hits “Next Thing You Know” and “What My World Spins Around” were also honored as most-performed songs. “Next Thing You Know” is nominated for single, song and music video of the year at the 57th CMA Awards, which will be presented on Wednesday. Davis won the CMA Award for song of the year last year for “Buy Dirt,” which he co-wrote with his brother, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins and Matt Jenkins and recorded with Luke Bryan.
Sony Music Publishing was named ASCAP country music publisher of the year. The company represents 21 of this year’s most-performed songs including “Heart Like a Truck” (Lainey Wilson), “Heartfirst” (Kelsea Ballerini), “Need a Favor” (Jelly Roll), “Next Thing You Know” (Jordan Davis), “What He Didn’t Do” (Carly Pearce), “Gold” (Dierks Bentley), “Everyone She Knows” (Kenny Chesney), “5 Foot 9” (Tyler Hubbard), “No Body” (Blake Shelton) and “You, Me, and Whiskey” (Justin Moore and Priscilla Block).
ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews, ASCAP chairman of the board and president Paul Williams and ASCAP vice president of Nashville membership Mike Sistad presented what ASCAP calls the “Of the Year” winners.
A complete list of ASCAP Country Music Award winners can be found here: ASCAP.com/countryawards23.
