Taylor Swift and Kris Kristofferson were among the biggest winners on Tuesday’s BMI Country Awards.
Swift bagged BMI Country Awards’ highest honour of the night in what may be a possible sweep for the country singer who also scored nominations for tomorrow’s Country Music Association awards night.
Her hit song “Love Story” was awarded song of the year by BMI during its 57th awarding ceremonies. Last year, the 19-year-old country star also won the same award for the song “Teardrops On My Guitar.”
Swift said upon accepting her award, “I just want to say to every songwriter and every loved one of a songwriter, thank you, because you are the reason I wanted to try Nashville.”
But it was Kris Kristofferson, who was awarded the BMI icon that captured the audiences that night.
The 73-year-old music icon is also popularly recognised for writing classics, such as “Sunday Mornin’ Come Down” and “Me and Bobby McGee.”
Patty Griffin, Vince Gill and Willie Nelson paid tribute to the legendary artist, wherein Kristofferson was reduced to tears when Griffin performed “Help Me Make it Through the Night”.
“Everything he writes is a standard and we’re all just going to have to live with that,” Nelson said of Kristofferson.
The hit songwriter also said that he was overwhelmed by the attention.
“I’m very honoured, but I’m really uncomfortable with everybody saying something praiseworthy and I feel stupid . . . But I’m awfully grateful that what I love to do means enough to other people that I’m able to do it.”
