Deana Carter, Matraca Berg and Songwriter Johnny Bulford Lead Music Row Award Winners

Phil Barton and Johnny Bulford

Short and sweet, the Music Row Awards don't have the budget of the CMT Music Video Awards or the legacy of the ACM Awards. They do, however, have a list of award-winners that's traditionally more quality than marketing blitz and the 24th Annual Awards held this past week were no exception. First, the winners:

24th annual MusicRow Award winners

Breakthrough Songwriters: Johnny Bulford and Phil Barton

Producer of the Year: Frank Liddell
Breakthrough Artist: Eli Young Band

Song of the Year: “You and Tequila,” by Matraca Berg and Deana Carter, published by UMPG and Warner/Chappell

Top 10 Album All Star Musician Awards
Vocals: Perry Coleman
Keys: (tie) Charles Judge and Gordon Mote
Guitar: Ilya Toshinsky
Steel: Paul Franklin
Bass: Jimmie Lee Sloas
Fiddle: (tie) Larry Franklin and Aubrey Haynie
Drums: Shannon Forrest
Engineer: Justin Niebank

Jon Jones of the Eli Young Band said, “This is one room that understands how many people it takes to get something on the radio.” Added his band mate Mike Eli, “There are a lot of people all over this country who are dreaming of being in this room….Thank you, MusicRow magazine. Thank you, everybody.”

Breakthrough Songwriter winner Phil Barton exclaimed, “I’m just super happy right now. Thank you, Nashville!” He and fellow winner Johnny Bulford were saluted for “A Woman Like You,” the Lee Brice smash they co-wrote with Jon Stone.

“This really means a lot,” began Song of the Year winner Matraca Berg. “I wish [co-writer] Deana Carter was here, because we held hands really tightly throughout all the awards shows where we lost. Being voted on by your peers is a real honor.” Their winning song was “You and Tequila,” recorded by Kenny Chesney with Grace Potter.