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2006 Nashville Awards
SESAC Honors Country Writers & Publishers

Husband and wife songwriting team Sam & Annie Tate were named SESAC’s Country Songwriters of the Year on the strength of their smash, “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows)” as recorded by Rodney Atkins. During ceremonies held today at SESAC’s Music Row headquarters the Tate’s “Devil” mega-smash hit, which held the No.1 spot on the country charts four consecutive weeks, was also named Country Song Of The Year.

Carnival Music, the publisher of “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows)”, was named SESAC’s Country Publisher Of The Year. Frank Liddell and Travis Hill of Carnival Music were in attendance and accepted the honors.

Peforming a rousing version of Song of the Year, "If You're Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Know)" Sam & Annie Tate with artist, Rodney Atkins	Songwriter Ashe Underwood catches up with artist Trent Tomlinson at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards.	(back, left to right): Tim Fink, Associate Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, SESAC; Pat Collins, COO/President, SESAC; Trevor Gale, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, SESAC. (Front, seated): Sam Tate, Annie Tate
The Greencards perform during SESAC Nashville Music Awards	(Left to Right): SESAC's Shannan Neese and John Mullins; Justin Pollard (award-winner for his contribution to Pat's Green's "Feels Like It Should" project); SESAC's Tim Fink.
SESAC’s Tim Fink bestows a songwriting award on Peter Cooper in the Americana segment of the evening	SESAC award-winning writers and publishers gather for a photo at the conclusion of the festivities.	Award-winning songwriter Steve Nelson chats with SESAC’s Tim Fink
SESAC’s Tim Fink awards songwriter Dustin Welch and publisher Diana Maher for their Americana contribution	Latina artist Erika Ender visits with SESAC’s Pat Collins and JJ Cheng	Artist Rodney Atkins arrives at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards with his wife
SESAC’s Ryan Gill performs before the festivities begin on the beautiful Baldwin piano in the lobby	SESAC’s Tim Fink greets Representative Marsha Blackburn (TN-7th District) and husband Chuck Blackburn
SESAC’s Shannan Neese and manager John Grady share a laugh at awards reception	SESAC Publishers Of The Year Travis Hill (far left) and John Liddell (far right) chat with producer Ted Hewitt	Songwriters Of The Year Sam & Annie Tate share a private moment post-victory
	PHOTO LEFT: (Back row, left to right): Tim Fink, SESAC; Travis Hill, Carnival Music Group; Ted Hewitt, producer; Pat Collins, COO/President, SESAC; Rodney Atkins; Jennifer Adams, Carnival Music Group; Trevor Gale, SESAC. (Seated, left to right): Shannan Neese, SESAC; Sam Tate; Annie Tate; Frank Liddell, Carnival Music Group.
In addition to their songwriting honors, SESAC Associate Vice President, Tim Fink, awarded Songwriters Of The Year, Sam & Annie Tate with a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted Master Built acoustic guitar, courtesy of Gibson Guitar. SESAC recognized the impact of the Americana format during the night’s festivities handing out awards to several top artists and songwriters in the genre including Ray Wylie Hubbard, Kevin Welch, Buck Jones, Kieran Kane and Walt Wilkins. Among the evening’s many highlights was a riveting live performance by Americana award-winning group, The Greencards. Also, a spirited version of “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows”) was offered up by the man who took the song to great success, Rodney Atkins, who was joined by the songwriters, Sam & Annie Tate. In addition to Songwriter, Publisher and Song of the Year Awards for the country genre, many other country singles received performance activity awards (see list attached). SONG OF THE YEAR: “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows)” SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Sam & Annie Tate PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR: Carnival Music Publishing Americana Performance Activity Awards Liz Rose For the album Souls Alike Recorded by Bonnie Raitt Hillsboro Valley Song/Sony ATV Timber Publishing Buck Jones Randy Sitzler Walt Wilkins For their contribution to the Buck Jones album Lucky Star Recorded by Buck Jones Brewmaster Music Dalton Thomas Music Curb Congregation Music Kieran Kane For his contribution to the album Red Letter Day Recorded by Gibson Brothers Little Duck Music Family Style Publishing Glacier Park Music Kieran Kane Claudia Scott Dustin Welch Kevin Welch For their contribution to the album Lost John Dean Recorded by Kevin Welch, Fats Kaplin & Kieran Kane Monkey Jump Music Monkey Head Songs Glacier Park Music Family Style Publishing Ray Wylie Hubbard For his album Snake Farm Recorded by Ray Wylie Hubbard Snake Farm Publishing Peter Cooper For his contribution to the album The Devil You Know Recorded by Todd Snider Steve Nelson For his contribution to the album Workbench Songs Recorded by Guy Clark Nelsounds Shawn Byrne For his contribution to the album Migrations Recorded by The Duhks Rusted Mustang Music Bob Dylan For his contribution to his album Modern Times Recorded by Bob Dylan Special Rider Music Bob Dylan For his contribution to the album Hope & Desire Recorded by Susan Tedeschi Special Rider Music Recurrent Country Performance Activity Awards “Anything But Mine” Written by Travis Hill Recorded by Kenny Chesney Gravitron Music “What’s A Guy Got To Do” Written by Joe Nichols Recorded by Joe Nichols Foray Music, Inc. MR2 Songs, Inc. “Mississippi Girl” Written by Adam Shoenfeld Recorded by Faith Hill Eves Guy Music Love Everybody Music Country Performance Activity Awards “Feels Like It Should” Written by Justin Pollard Recorded by Pat Green Drum Groove Music “Tim McGraw” Written by Liz Rose Recorded by Taylor Swift Hillsboro Valley Songs Sony / ATV Timber Publishing “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows)” Written by Sam & Annie Tate Recorded by Rodney Atkins Whaddayadef Music Gravitron Music “God Only Cries” Written by Tim Johnson Recorded by Diamond Rio The Bigger They Are Music Dimensional Songs of Rye “Drunker Than Me” Written by Ashe Underwood Recorded by Trent Tomlinson Geormac Music “A Good Man” Written by Victoria Shaw Recorded by Emerson Drive AvaRu Music, Inc. Multisongs “I Don’t” Written by Burton Collins Recorded by Danielle Peck Burton B. Collins Publishing Click here for photos and information from the 2005 Nashville Awards ceremony. »