BMI is set to fete ZZ Top frontman, Billy F Gibbons, with their coveted Troubadour Award. The private ceremony will be held on September 18 at BMI’s Nashville office.
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“With a career spanning several decades, Billy has penned an array of timeless hits that have left an inedible mark on the music industry,” BMI’s VP of Creative Nashville, Clay Bradley says in a statement. “His ability to craft lyrics that resonate with audiences across generations is a testament to his songwriting prowess and he is the epitome of what the BMI Troubadour Award represents.”
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The Troubadour Award is given to songwriters who have made indelible impacts on the music world and remain a source of inspiration for subsequent generations of musicians. Gibbons’ songwriting contributions to ZZ Top – songs like “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs,” “Cheap Sunglasses” and “La Grange” – check those boxes and then some. Past Troubadour Award recipients include John Hiatt, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen, and Lucinda Williams.
Gibbons’ award ceremony will feature tribute performances and speeches by special guests during a cocktail reception and a dinner. The ceremony, sponsored by DAOU, George Dickel Bourbon, and WP Global, will fall on the eve of AmericanaFest and is by invitation only.
Gibbons has been integral to the music scene since ZZ Top’s formation in 1969. On top of his expert songwriting chops, he is also regarded as one of the top guitarists of all time. His unique playing helped to flesh out ZZ Top’s distinct sound. The band has shared 15 studio albums and sold more than 50 million records worldwide. ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 by Keith Richards.
On top of his career with ZZ Top, Gibbons has enjoyed a lauded solo career. He has released several studio albums. His latest solo pursuit is a 2021 album titled Hardware.
(Photo by Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for CMT)
