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For Immediate Release   BILLY SHERRILL TO BE HONORED AS ICON AT 58th ANNUAL BMI COUNTRY AWARDS       NASHVILLE, October 1, 2010 – BMI will name Billy Sherrill, the father of the contemporary country sound, a BMI Icon during its 58th annual Country Awards, slated for Tuesday, November 9 at the organization’s Music Row offices in Nashville. In addition to crowning Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year, the black-tie ceremony will celebrate the songwriters and publishers of the past year’s 50 most-performed country songs from the BMI catalog.   The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Sherrill joins a list of past honorees that includes John Fogerty, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Isaac Hayes, Merle Haggard, Brian Wilson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, the Bee Gees, Ray Davies, James Brown, and more.   It is impossible to imagine country music without Billy Sherrill. The eight-time BMI Country Songwriter of the Year has earned 84 BMI Country, Pop and R&B Awards for penning jewels including “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” “Stand By Your Man,” “’Til I Can Make It on My Own,” “My Elusive Dreams,” “I Don’t Wanna Play House,” “Almost Persuaded,” and “Every Time You Touch Me (I Get High).” Yet, Sherrill’s place in musical history would be assured even if he had never written a word. The Grammy-winning architect of countrypolitan produced standards including Charlie Rich’s “Behind Closed Doors,” Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man” and George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Sherrill has received more BMI Country Awards than any other songwriter in h istory, and was named BMI Country Songwriter of the 20th Century in 1999. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984, while the Country Music Hall of Fame welcomed Sherrill earlier this year.   Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI) is an American performing right organization that represents more than 475,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music and more than 6.5 million works. BMI has represented the most popular and beloved music from around the world for 70 years. The U.S. corporation collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it then distributes as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents. www.bmi.com