L to R: Dallas Davidson, Luke Laird, Luke Bryan, Dave Turnbull, Rhett Akins, Jason Sellers, Casey Beathard, and Chris DuBois.

Three was the lucky number at the annual CMA Songwriters Luncheon with the presentation of the CMA Triple Play Awards, which honor songwriters who pen three chart-topping hits in a 12 month period.

“This occasion affords CMA the opportunity to honor true creators,” said CMA Board President-Elect Troy Tomlinson, President and CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville. “These exceptional songwriters begin every song with a blank page. They proceed to create something out of thin air that moves us. That’s magical. That’s why we love and honor songwriters. They put into words and music what the rest of us feel but can’t articulate.”

“Nashville is legendary for its songwriters and their ability to convey the triumphs and tragedies of everyday life,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “CMA is honored to award some of these songwriters for this amazing accomplishment and their contributions to our format.”

Recognizing excellence in the format is the foundation of CMA’s mission and there were several songwriters on hand at the Country Music Hall of Fame to receive their Triple Play Awards includingRhett Akins, Casey Beathard, Luke Bryan, Dallas Davidson, Chris DuBois, Luke Laird, Jason Sellers, and Dave Turnbull. Also in attendance were hit tunesmiths from ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, as well as songwriter members of CMA, NSAI, and representatives of some of the most successful publishers in Music City.

“Any songwriter realizes that to get a song recorded and then have it make it to the top of the charts requires the alignment of every single star in the universe,” said Tomlinson. “But to have three songs do that in such a short period of time is truly exceptional. I am grateful to be a part of the CMA honoring these gifted creators of song.”

Garnering an unbelievable two Triple Play Awards this year were Zac Brown and Davidson. “I’m blessed to be able to do this for a living and I’ll never take it for granted,” said Davidson after receiving his trophies.

Rhett Akins, Luke Bryan, and Dallas Davidson celebrate their Triple Play Award wins

In alphabetical order, the recipients of CMA’s Triple Play Award included:
· Rhett Akins: “Honey Bee,” “Take a Back Road,” “I Don’t Want This Night to End”
· Casey Beathard: “The Boys of Fall,” “Come Back Song,” “Just Fishin’”
· Zac Brown (of Zac Brown Band): “Highway 20 Ride,” “Free,” “As She’s Walking Away,” “Colder Weather,” “Knee Deep,” “Keep Me in Mind”
· Luke Bryan: “Rain is a Good Thing,” “Someone Else Calling You Baby,” “Country Girl (Shake It for Me)”
· Dallas Davidson: “All About Tonight,” “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” “Country Girl (Shake It for Me),” “All Over Me,” “Just a Kiss,” “We Owned the Night”
· Chris DuBois: “Water,” “Anything Like Me,” “Old Alabama”
· Wyatt Durrette: “Highway 20 Ride,” “As She’s Walking Away,” “Colder Weather”
· Luke Laird: “A Little Bit Stronger,” “Take a Back Road,” “Drink In My Hand”
· Brad Paisley: “Water,” “Anything Like Me,” “Old Alabama”
· Hillary Scott (of Lady Antebellum): “Our Kind of Love,” “A Little Bit Stronger,” “Just a Kiss”
· Jason Sellers: “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” “I Won’t Let Go,” “I Got You”
· Taylor Swift: “Mine,” “Back to December,” “Mean”
· Dave Turnbull: “The Boys of Fall,” “Anything Like Me,” “Old Alabama”

Humbled by their success, here’s what some of the writers had to say:

“I’m humbled and honored to be here surrounded by my heroes,” said Akins.

“I’m blessed to be around all of these writers that have helped me down this path,” said Bryan.

“I love music so much and I feel blessed by God to get to make it every day,” said Laird.

“This is a lot better than working at Home Depot, I can tell you that,” said Turnbull.

By Alanna Conaway / Taste of Country

Luke Bryan returns to the top this week with the No. 1 country song in the country, ‘I Don’t Want This Night to End.’ Bryan co-wrote the tune with the Peach Pickers (Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip — who were also named the BMI and ASCAP 2011 Songwriters of the Year) for the singer’s latest album, ‘Tailgates and Tanlines.’ The tune was the second release from the album, following hot on the heels of his ‘Country Girl (Shake It for Me),’ a song Bryan co-wrote with Davidson.
The latest No. 1 marks Bryan’s third trip to the top. The song was written on a rare day home from the road for Bryan, and the rest is history.
“We were fortunate enough to get Luke to come in and write it with us,” Akins told Taste of Country last summer when the song impacted country radio. “A lot of the times we get artists we write with who don’t know what they want to say, [but] Luke knows. He’ll automatically tell you if it’s not for him or say it’s perfect for him.”
And it comes as no surprise that Bryan’s song isn’t the only Peach Pickers penned hit climbing the charts. Hayslip is a co-writer on the current Martina McBride Top 10 hit ‘I’m Gonna Love You Through It,’ Akins is a co-writer on Justin Moore‘s ‘Bait a Hook,’ and Davidson is a co-writer on Montgomery Gentry‘s ‘Where I Come From.’ Collectively, the Peach Pickers are also writers on Craig Morgan‘s ‘This Ole Boy.’

Read original article HERE

January 10,2011 - The Boot

In 2011, Luke Bryan was one of only three artists, along with Lady Antebellum and Taylor Swift, to have more than one single sell over 100,000 tracks within a week's time, with 'Country Girl (Shake It for Me)' and 'I Don't Want This Night to End.'

The former went on to become a Top 5 country hit and Top 30 pop single. It's also been certified platinum for digital sales of over 1 million copies. The latter is currently in the Top 5 and has just been certified gold for more than 500,000 downloads. The single registered more than 128,000 downloads in the past week alone, making it the best week of the singer's career, in terms of digital-track sales week of his career. Both tracks are from Luke's half-million-selling album, 'Tailgates & Tanlines,' which was released in August and promptly went to No. 1 on the country chart and No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

"It's about a guy meeting a girl, and it's the first night that they're hanging out," Luke shared with The Boot about the single, which he co-wrote with Dallas Davidson, Ben Hayslip and Rhett Akins. "It's a magical night and he doesn't want it to end. It's got a big fun chorus in it."

That "big fun chorus" should come in handy when Luke joins Jason Aldean for a string of shows on his My Kinda Party tour beginning Jan. 20 in Greenville, S.C. Click here for tour dates and ticket information.