NASHVILLE, TN (CelebrityAccess) — The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) announced that the 8th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards will make its return to the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on September 23rd, 2025.
While most awards are announced on the night of the event, the NSAI announced that Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen, and Jeff Cook (honored posthumously) of the legendary country-rock band Alabama, along with music icon Brenda Lee will be among the honorees for 2025.
Alabama will receive NSAI’s pinnacle honor, the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of the band’s contributions to the American songbook. Over the course of their career, the band has sold more than 80 million records, including 43 No. 1 hits, making them one of country music’s most influential groups.
Previous Kris Kristofferson award recipients include Alan Jackson (2024), Bobby Braddock (2023), Garth Brooks (2022), Bill Anderson (2018), and Willie Nelson (2013).
The NSAI also announced that Brenda Lee will be awarded with the NSAI President’s Keystone Award at the event in September. The award is intended to recognize an individual that has made a significant contribution to the industry for the betterment of all songwriters.
Lee was personally selected by NSAI Board President Lee Thomas Miller for her achievements in music, including a her lengthy, record breaking career. Lee signed her first record deal at the age of 11 and has gone on to sell more than 100 million albums around the world. She was the first woman inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Country Music Hall of Fames and holds the record for the longest gap in achieving a number 1 hit after scoring her first chart topper in 1960 with “I’m Sorry” and Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” which she released in November 2023.
The 2025 edition of the Nashville Songwriter Awards is sponsored by Nashville’s City National Bank.
“At City National Bank, we recognize the incredible talent and creativity that fuels the songwriters of Nashville and across the nation,” said Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, Co-Managers of City National Entertainment in Nashville. “That’s why we’re proud to return as the presenting sponsor of the Nashville Songwriter Awards, which recognize individuals for their artistry, storytelling and impact in music.”
