Vince Gill & Charlie Handsome Lead 2026 NMPA Gold & Platinum Gala Honorees
Categoria: Musica
The 2026 National Music Publishers' Association Gold & Platinum Gala, held Thursday, honored over 150 Nashville songwriters.
Por Billboard | 23/10/2026
The National Music Publishers’ Association celebrated an array of top country songs and the writers who created them Thursday night (Oct. 22), during the 8th annual NMPA Gold and Platinum Gala, held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville. The NMPA’s president/CEO David Israelite welcomed the audience of songwriters, music publishers and others in Nashville’s music industry elite, while the company’s Cara Cunningham and Charlotte Sellmyer were among those also leading the charge in honoring writers. The event honored over 150 songwriters whose country songs have achieved Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum and Diamond or above status, as certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) from the July 2025-June 2026 eligibility period. Songwriting plaques were presented to more than 80 multi-platinum hitmakers from the Nashville community. Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) CEO Mitch Glazier was also in attendance to honor the hits and songwriters recognized during the ceremony. Laci Kaye Booth launched the evening with a performance of her song “Daddy’s Mugshot,” featured on her new album Love Ain’t for the Faint of Heart . The annual NMPA Gold and Platinum Gala honors new RIAA certifications for songs, no matter when they were initially released; thus, the evening feted songs both new and classic. Numerous songs were honored during the evening, including the Morgan Wallen-recorded “Chasing You,” which was celebrated Diamond, the Carrie Underwood-recorded “Before He Cheats” (11x Platinum), and a handful of 12x-Platinum songs: Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Combs’s “Hurricane” and Wallen’s “Last Night,” as well as his 13x-Platinum “Whiskey Glasses.” Also among the songs honored this year was the 3x Platinum “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” written by Gordie Sampson, Hillary Lindsey, and the late Brett James. Cornman Music president Nate Lowery accepted the accolade on behalf of James, who passed away just over a year ago. The audience responded with tremendous applause and a standing ovation. The platinum anthem honor, which recognizes the highest-certified song of the year, went to “Beautiful Crazy,” written by Luke Combs, Rob Williford and Wyatt Durrette, and recorded by Combs. The song earned 15x Platinum certification in December 2025. Brett Young honored the writers by putting his own soulful spin on a performance of “Beautiful Crazy,” while songwriter Williford took the stage to accept the honor. “I think about that kid that just dreamed about hearing a song he wrote on the radio,” Williford said. “I thought, ‘Man, if I can just accomplish that, if I got a No. 1, or if I won song of the year, I will have made it. I’m here to tell you, I’m here 10 years later, and I’m just as hungry,