2024 TSAI Songwriter
Awards
Once again, Sam Ash Music
played host to a
FANTASTIC Show!
This year, in the Main Room,
On the Big Stage!
We started off as always, with
an Invocation, this year
by Reverend Ronnie Horton,
and songs by Ronnie and
one of our co-hosts,
Lisa Daggs.
Paul introduced our
other co-host, Lee Newton.
The music kept going with
performances by
Kyler Sullivan, and a
nominated song
by Judy Klass
Lee and Paul presented
The Category 1 Award to
Judy Klass, for
“My Name Is Hope”
More music by
Randi Driscoll, and
Madison Hughes
Lee and Madison presented
The Category 2 Award to
A 3-way tie!
Corey Lee Barker,
Mark Barnowski,
John Culpepper,
Mark Roma, for
“Once”
Charles Wong for
“Love Her Out Loud”
Joe DeLucas,
Mark Toliusis,
Patrick Sebastian, for
“TrashCan Whiskey
2 more songs by
Dawn Rix
Lee and Kelsea presented
The Category 3 Award to
Paul and Kelsea for
“River Of Blessing”
(see what I did there?) ha!
Paul and Kelsea spoke
a bit about the things
TSAI offers, including
Tuesday night meetings
at Sam Ash, critiques,
Workshops, Pitch Nights,
TSAI’s YouTube Channel,
our channel on
Nashville Country Television
Network on Roku,
(where this Show will air),
and “Real Country Music
On Radio”, our movement to
get Country Music split into
2 separate Radio formats and
Billboard Charts, “Pop Country”
and “Traditional Country”.
Can’t think of anything
that would help
Songwriters more!
Paul and Kelsea then had the
honor of inducting
Janelle Angel, and
James Breedwell into
The TSAI Hall of Fame!
Lee and Lisa then presented
The Category 4 Award to
Clare Cunningham for
“I Swear”
Lee and Lisa also presented
The Category 5 Award to
Corey Lee Barker,
Mark Barnowski,
MaryBeth Stone, and
Revele, for
“Yule-tidin’ With You”
Lee and Lisa then presented
The 2024 Song Of
The Year Award to
Judy Klass, for
“My Name Is Hope”
2 songs by Dee White,
(who is being Produced by
Tony Brown by the way)
Dee, Lisa, and Lee presented
The 2024 Record/Cut of
The Year to
Corey Lee Barker,
Mark Barnowski,
MaryBeth Stone,
and Revele for
“Yule-tidin’ With You”
Then, a surprise guest! Our
friend Marty Brown came
by to see Tony Brown
and Kyler Sullivan!
He’s writing some new
songs with Kyler, can’t
wait to hear those!
And, so, we couldn’t
let him go without doing
his Tony Brown Produced
“I’m From The Country And
I Like It That Way”!
A big hit for Tracy Byrd!
After a short Intermission, we
were graced with Terry McBride, of
(McBride and the Ride), and writer
of many hits by Reba,
George Strait, Garth Brooks,
Alan Jackson, 13 singles by
Brooks and Dunn, and
recently Inducted into
The Texas Songwriters HOF,
to introduce Mr. Tony Brown!
Our first TSAI Lifetime
Achievement Award winner!
Terry spoke of how influential
Tony Brown has been to
his career, and what great
friends they’ve become.
And then our special guest,
Tony Brown!
Lee & Lisa then presented the 41st annual TSAI Songwriter Of The Year Award to
Corey Lee Barker
Paul and Kelsea came out and thanked our
co-hosts Lee Newton
and Lisa Daggs,
Sam Ash Music,
our volunteers,
congratulated all
the winners,
and said Goodnight!
All photography
with the exception of the Category 2 Winners
Courtesy of Janet Reynolds Photography
Archive 2020 Pitches
Archive 2021 Pitches
Archive 2022 Pitches
Archive 2023 Pitches
The 2023 TSAI
Songwriter Awards
This year’s 40th Annual event was held at
Sam Ash Music on April 23rd.
An intimate setting,
but still plenty of room.
Our guest-host this year was
Dale Houston!
We began with an Invocation,
then a couple songs by Dale,
followed by a performance
by Parker and Dallaire
Dale and Paul presented the
Category I
Song Of The Year Award to
Frank Prenevost and Tom Dallaire
for “House Where Love Grows”
More great music from
Craig Hendricks,
Brooke Butler,
Kenneth Cole,
and Allie Keck
Dale and Allie then presented
The Category II
Song Of The Year Award to
Mark Barnowski,
Corey Lee Barker,
and Allie Louis
for “I Wish”
Then 2 great performances by
Kecia Burcham,
and Clare Cunningham
Dale and Clare presented the
Category III
Song Of The Year Award to
Mark Barnowski,
Corey Lee Barker,
Joey Boone,
and Chad Bushnell for
“Thank God”
Kelsea and Paul then welcomed
our 2023 TSAI Hall Of Fame inductees,
past Board Member
Meredith Blis, and
past President and
Executive Director
Kenny Angel
We thanked our volunteers and
Board members, talked a little
about some of what TSAI has to offer,
our YouTube channel, our channel on
The Nashville Country Television Network
and
“Real Country Music On Radio”, which
is our effort to split Country Music into
2 separate genres and Radio formats.
Pop Country and Traditional Country
have mostly different audiences, and on
different Stations and Charts, would
provide more opportunities for
Artists, Songwriters, advertisers,
and the listening audience.
Now, on to more music!
2 more fantastic performances by
Andrew Marshall,
and Billy Coane
Dale and Billy presented the
Category IV
Song Of The Year Award to
Paul Castoe and
Aaron Rodgers for
“ War Don’t Care”
Dale and Andrew presented the
Category V
Song Of The Year Award to
Corey Lee Barker,
Emily Daniels, and
Kelly Seidel for
“First Christmas”
Dale and Paul presented the
2023 Song Of The Year Award to
Frank Prenevost and Tom Dallaire
for “House Where Love Grows”
Dale and Paul presented the
2023 Record Of The Year Award to
Mark Barnowski,
Corey Lee Barker, and
Chad Jeffers for
“You Got This”, by
Suzette Michaels
And then a Special Performance by
the legendary Jerry Foster
Dale and Jerry presented the
2023 TSAI Songwriter Of The Year Award
to Corey Lee Barker!
As always, thanks to everyone who
voted for these songs, all the volunteers,
and big thanks to our friends
at Sam Ash Music!