The highly anticipated 53rd Annual ACM Awards has finally arrived and the results are beginning to be unveiled, including the highly coveted award of “Songwriter of the Year.”
The nominees for “Songwriter of the Year” are listed below:
Rhett Akins
Ashley Gorley
Hillary Lindsey
Josh Osborne
Shane McAnally
Congrats to Rhett Akins on the much deserved win! Akins, also known as father of country star Thomas Rhett, was awarded the honor on Friday night (April 13) during the ACM’s Stories, Songs & Stars event, part of the ACM Party for a Cause, in Las Vegas.
2017 ACM Songwriter of the Year, Lori McKenna, did the honor of presenting the award to Akins.
“I wanna thank God, number one, for everything he’s done in my life. I’m sorry, God, for everything I’ve done to you, but thank you for overlooking some of it, I guess,” Akins said. “Is there any way we could get four more awards up here? I would do anything to share this with these dudes, seriously,” he said of fellow Songwriter of the Year nominees.
Rhett Akins has penned numerous hit songs over the course of his career, including Jason Aldean’s “When She Says Baby,” “That Don’t Sound Like You” by Lee Brice, and numerous hits for his son Thomas Rhett that include “It Goes Like This,” “Get Me Some of That,” “Star of the Show,” and the title track from his latest album, “Life Changes.”
The 2018 ACM Awards are set to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday (April 15). Reba McEntire will host the night’s proceedings for the 15th time, the country legend taking over from the previous hosts Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley.
Hear “Life Changes” below and tune in to Sunday night’s ACM Awards to hear Thomas Rhett perform the song live!