CMA Reveals Triple Play Awards Honorees

The Country Music Association has revealed the honorees for the 13th CMA Triple Play Awards, which celebrate songwriters who have earned three No. 1 songs within a 12-month period based on the Billboard Country Airplay, Billboard Hot Country Songs, and Country Aircheck charts.

This year’s 16 honorees are Rhett Akins, Kurt Allison, Luke Combs, Jesse Frasure, Nicolle Galyon, Ashley Gorley (who contributed to six chart-topping hits during the 12-month period), Charlie Handsome, Michael Hardy, Ben Johnson, Tully Kennedy, Shane McAnally, Chase McGill, Thomas Rhett, Ernest Keith Smith, Josh Thompson and Morgan Wallen.

All of this year’s honorees will be feted during a ceremony to be held Wednesday, March 1 at Saint Elle in Nashville, and hosted by CMA Board member Jim Beavers.

Gorley will receive his 19th and 20th CMA Triple Play awards during the upcoming ceremony, while first-time CMA Triple Play award recipients this year are Allison, Handsome, Johnson and Kennedy.

In addition to honoring songwriters for crafting some of the year’s most-popular compositions, the CMA Triple Play Awards ceremony will honor longtime songwriter champion and Jody Williams Songs founder Jody Williams with the CMA Songwriter Advocate award.

This accolade recognizes an individual who has dedicated their life to supporting and advancing the art of songwriting and the careers of songwriters. The honoree accepting this award must have positively impacted and contributed to the growth of songwriting in country music over the course of several years, and has proven their unprecedented historical impact on the songwriting community.

“Being honored by the CMA with this award is the cherry on top of the incredible experience I have had serving on the CMA board,” Williams said via a statement. “Nashville’s songwriters have blessed me with a fulfilling career. I’m extremely grateful.”

For more than four decades, Williams has supported, uplifted and aided numerous songwriters, both during his tenure as the head of creative at BMI, as well as his time spent with both major publishers and at his own companies. Just a few of the songwriters and writer-artists Williams has supported over the years are Liz Rose, Ashley McBryde, Eric Church, Vince Gill, Maren Morris, Jeffrey Steele, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn, Taylor Swift, Natalie Hemby and Alison Krauss.

See the honorees for this year’s CMA Triple Play Awards, as well as the songs they are being honored for, below:

Rhett Akins
“To Be Loved By You,” recorded by Parker McCollum
“Slow Down Summer,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Half Of Me,” recorded by Thomas Rhett featuring Riley Green

Kurt Allison
“Blame It On You,” recorded by Jason Aldean
“If I Didn’t Love You,” recorded by Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
“Trouble With A Heartbreak,” recorded by Jason Aldean

Luke Combs
“Cold As You,” recorded by Combs
“Doin’ This,” recorded by Combs
“The Kind Of Love We Make,” recorded by Combs

Jesse Frasure
“Whiskey And Rain,” recorded by Michael Ray
“One Mississippi,” recorded by Kane Brown
“Slow Down Summer,” recorded by Thomas Rhett

Nicolle Galyon
“Gone,” recorded by Dierks Bentley
“half of my hometown,” recorded by Kelsea Ballerini
“Thought You Should Know,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

Ashley Gorley
“Sand In My Boots,” recorded by Morgan Wallen
“Beers On Me,” recorded by Dierks Bentley featuring BRELAND and HARDY
“You Proof,” recorded by Morgan Wallen
“Slow Down Summer,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Take My Name,” recorded by Parmalee
“New Truck,” recorded by Dylan Scott

Charlie Handsome
“I Love My Country,” recorded by Florida Georgia Line
“More Than My Hometown,” recorded by Morgan Wallen
“Wasted On You,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

Michael Hardy
“Single Saturday Night,” recorded by Cole Swindell
“Sand In My Boots,” recorded by Morgan Wallen
“Beers On Me,” recorded by Dierks Bentley featuring BRELAND and HARDY

Ben Johnson
“Take My Name,” recorded by Parmalee
“Best Thing Since Backroads,” recorded by Jake Owen
“New Truck,” recorded by Dylan Scott

Tully Kennedy
“Blame It On You,” recorded by Jason Aldean
“If I Didn’t Love You,” recorded by Jason Aldean
“Trouble With A Heartbreak,” recorded by Jason Aldean

Shane McAnally
“half of my hometown,” recorded by Kelsea Ballerini
“23,” recorded by Sam Hunt
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” recorded by Ashley McBryde and Carly Pearce

Chase McGill
“Waves,” recorded by Luke Bryan
“Never Say Never,” recorded by Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson
“Don’t Think Jesus,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

Thomas Rhett
“Country Again,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Slow Down Summer,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina,” recorded by Cole Swindell

Ernest Keith Smith
“Breaking Up Was Easy In The 90’s,” recorded by Sam Hunt
“One Mississippi,” recorded by Kane Brown
“Wasted On You,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

Josh Thompson
“Whiskey And Rain,” recorded by Michael Ray
“Wasted On You,” recorded by Morgan Wallen
“Half Of Me,” recorded by Thomas Rhett

Morgan Wallen
“Wasted On You,” recorded by Wallen
“Thought You Should Know,” recorded by Wallen
“You Proof,” recorded by Wallen