Megan Moroney, Jaron Boyer, Warner Chappell Music Among Top Winners at SESAC’s Nashville Music Awards

Megan Moroney, Jaron Boyer and Warren Zeiders‘ “Pretty Little Poison” were among the evening’s big winners at SESAC Performing Rights’s annual Nashville Music Awards on Sunday night (Nov. 17), as the country music industry’s annual CMA Week got underway with the first of a trio of parties held by performing rights organizations to honor the songwriters and music publishers many of the year’s most performed country songs.

More than 400 members Nashville’s elite songwriters, publishers and other industry members gathered at the Country Music Hall of Fame Sunday night to honor the SESAC writers behind not only top country songs, but top Americana tunes such as Sierra Ferrell’s “American Dreaming” and The Avett Brothers’ “Orion’s Belt” during the glitzy shindig.

SESAC Sr. VP/Head of Nashville Creative Shannan Hatch hosted the evening alongside senior directors, creative services ET Brown and Lydia Cahill. The event was sponsored in part by Hatef Aesthetics, Bombas, Brumate, CRVFT, Cymbiotika, Dr. Bronner’s, Eboost, Herban Essentials, Little Secrets, Monopoly, Olaplex, Osea, Pause, and Solawave.

Early in the evening, Megan Moroney performed the title track to her sophomore album, Am I Okay?, before later being honored with the SESAC spotlight award, honoring not only her work on resonant songs such as “I’m Not Pretty” and “Indifferent,” but her myriad accomplishments over the past year, including the release of her album and her three CMA Awards nominations heading into Wednesday evening’s CMA Awards (among them a nomination for female vocalist of the year).

“There’s nothing more fulfilling than writing songs. Thank you SESAC for taking care of the songwriters,” Moroney said in accepting the honor.

Boyer was named SESAC’s songwriter of the year, for his work writing hits including Jason Aldean’s “Let Your Boys Be Country,” and George Birge’s “Mind on You.” He was feted with a Gibson custom guitar as well as a custom ring from Jostens.

“Thank you, Jesus .. .without him none of us would be here,” Boyer said. “I almost retired from songwriting a couple of years ago. I had some good friends that … reeled me in to keep writing songs and here we go. I don’t know what else to say … thank you.”

SESAC’s song of the year went to Warren Zeiders’s “Pretty Little Poison,” co-written by Jared Keim. Zeiders joined with co-writers Keim and Ryan Beaver to offer a compelling performance of the song.

SESAC’s country publisher of the year honor went to Warner Chappell Music, after the publisher picked up several accolades throughout the evening.

See a full list of the evening’s honored songs below:

“Pretty Little Poison”
Written by Jared Keim
Published by Warner Chappell Music, Twelve6 Sequoia
Recorded by Warren Zeiders

“We Don’t Fight Anymore”
Written by Pete Good
Published by Warner Chappell Music, King Pen Songs, SMACKWORKS Music
Recorded by Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton

“Mind on You” 
Written by Jaron Boyer, Michael Tyler
Published by Marlowe Sinclaire Songs, MTNoize, peertunes LTD, Melodies of CTM Outlander 
Recorded by George Birge

“Tucson Too Late”
Written by Josh Jenkins
Published by Follow Me Where I Go, SMACKWORKS Music
Recorded by Jordan Davis

“Let Your Boys Be Country”
Written by Allison Veltz Cruz, Jaron Boyer
Published by Allison Veltz Sensations, Marlowe Sinclaire Songs, Hipgnosis Tunes, peertunes LTD, Songs of Porterfied Music 
Recorded by Jason Aldean

“Love You Again”
Written by Casey Brown 
Published by Track & Feels, Warner Chappell Music, Tape Room Tunes 
Recorded by Chase Matthew

“Creek Will Rise” 
Written by Chris LaCorte 
Published by Card Tables Music, Concord Tunes, Hang Your Hat Hits 
Recorded by Conner Smith

“I’m Not Pretty”
Written by Megan Moroney 
Published by Georgiamo, Sony Music Publishing
Recorded by Megan Moroney

“Indifferent”
Written by Megan Moroney 
Published by Georgiamo, Sony Music Publishing
Recorded by Megan Moroney

“Can’t Have Mine”
Written by Matt Alderman
Published by Aldysongs, Curb Congregation Songs 
Recorded by Dylan Scott

“Glory Days”
Written by Seth Mosley
Published by M & M College Fund, Sony Music Publishing 
Recorded by Gabby Barrett

“Wine Into Whiskey”
Written by Justin Ebach
Published El Chapo Music
Recorded by Tucker Wetmore

“Heartless Year”
Written by Ed Jurdi, Gordy Quist
Published by Three Pisces Music, Vitrolacaster Music
Recorded by The Band of Heathens

“Fox Hunt”
Written by Sierra Ferrell
Published by Abel Elba, Pulse Worldwide
Recorded by Sierra Ferrell

“Good Together”
Written by Rachael Price
Published Warner Chappell Music, 17 Lake Street Music 
Recorded by Lake Street Dive

“Love of a Girl”
Written by Seth Avett, Scott Avett, Bob Crawford
Published by First Big Snow Publishing, NemoIVMusic, Truth Comes True Publishing, Ramseur Family Fold Music
Recorded by The Avett Brothers

“American Dreaming”
Written by Sierra Ferrell
Published by Abel Elba, Pulse Worldwide
Recorded by Sierra Ferrell

“Orion’s Belt”
Written by Seth Avett, Scott Avett, Bob Crawford
Published by First Big Snow Publishing, NemoIVMusic, Truth Comes True Publishing, Ramseur Family Fold Music
Recorded by The Avett Brothers