HARDY got emotional after taking home the win for the BMI songwriter of the year award on Tuesday night (Nov 8) at the BMI Country Music Awards in Nashville.
The annual ceremony hosted over 900 music artists and industry members including Ashley McBryde, Kelsea Ballerini, Priscilla Block, Kane Brown, Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Dustin Lynch, Jake Owen, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban.
BMI President/CEO Michael O’Neill led the event and welcomed the crowd saying, “We are thrilled to honor all of you who are delivering the best in country music.”
The award was just another acclamation to the songwriter’s career, after his ACM songwriter of the win earlier this year. His own hits this year included “One Beer,” and “Give Heaven Some Hell,” and he was also a contributing writer to Dierks Bentley’s “Beers on Me” (which he is featured on), Morgan Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown” and “Sand in My Boots,” Blake Shelton’s “Come Back as a Country Boy” and Cole Swindell’s “Single Saturday Night.”
The 12-time chart topping lyricist was gifted a custom guitar as he took to the stage for his acceptance speech.
@musicmayhemmagazine @Hardy was named Songwriter Of The Year at the 2022 #BMICountryAwards in Nashville and during his acceptance speech he graciously and tearfully thanked his mom and dad for helping him pursue his dreams in country music. #HARDY
“I want to thank every songwriter in this room – Casey Beathard, Ashley… I see so many people in here tonight that took a chance on me when I had nothing. You guys saw something in me and gave me a shot as a songwriter because you thought that something I was doing as a writer had a little meat on its bones. You have no idea how much that fueled my fire and how much that inspired me to know that what I was doing was something worth believing in.”
“I want to thank BMI so much for being here for me every single step of the way, for introducing me to some of my favorite collaborators that I still write with to this day. For creating opportunities for me that helped advance my songwriting career. I can honestly say without a doubt that I don’t know where I would be in this town if that 19-year-old kid wouldn’t have walked into this building and blindly signed. Thank you so, so much.”
He then went on to express gratitude to his parents for helping him move to Nashville.
“They made sacrifices to help create opportunities for me. An opportunity to move somewhere to make a name for myself, the opportunity to create a legacy of my own, for my last name, for my families name, and by god, that’s exactly what I did in this f—- town and I’m very proud of that, and I owe every single bit of that to my mom and dad Mike and Sarah Hardy. I love you guys and thank you guys so much.”
BMI posted a celebratory photo on their Instagram.
“@Hardy, Congratulations on winning Songwriter of the Year at our 2022 #BMICountryAwards! 🎉 You wrote hits like “Single Saturday Night,” and “Come Back as a Country Boy,” so tonight ‘Beers on [US]!’😆💙”
In further commemoration, the ceremony was the first red carpet debut for the hit songwriter and his brand-new bride, Caleigh Ryan, as a married couple. HARDY sported a corduroy cap inscribed “Nothin’ Fancy” and a brown/black blazer, while his wife looked remarkable in a white and pink floral dress. The pair tied the knot at the end of October at a stunning new venue in Nashville, in front of 350 of their closest friends.
HARDY performed during the 2022 CMA Awards on Wednesday night (Nov 9) for the first-time ever, sharing the stage with Lainey Wilson for their Top 25 and climbing single “wait in the truck.” He was also nominated for three awards during the coveted awards show, including New Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (“Sand In My Boots”), and Musical Event of the Year (“Beers On Me”).
