The 2024 Songwriter of the Year winner was announced Wednesday ahead of Thursday night’s ACM Awards show.
The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards are set to take place at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, and the country music community is filled with excitement as some of the genre’s most talented singers and songwriters will being honored for their outstanding contributions this year.
On Wednesday evening, ahead of Thursday’s live awards show hosted by Reba McEntire, the highly anticipated award for Songwriter of the Year was announced.
The category featured five talented nominees:
Jessie Jo Dillon
Jessie Jo Dillon’s career in the music industry has earned her incredible recognition, including five Grammy Award nominations and two Academy of Country Music Awards nominations. Dillon has also been a Grammy Award nominee for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. This nomination was for her exceptional contributions to songs performed by artists such as Brandy Clark, Megan Moroney, Jelly Roll, Catie Offerman, Dan + Shay, Old Dominion, Hardy, and Lori McKenna. Among Dillon’s remarkable achievements is her involvement in crafting the chart-topping hit “10,000 Hours,” which she co-wrote for Dan + Shay. This song skyrocketed to the number 1 position on multiple Billboard charts, including Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs, as well as the Canada Country Chart.
Ashley Gorley
Ashley Gorley holds an impressive resume with over 75 number 1 songs to his name. His extensive music catalog includes over 400 recorded songs by artists such as Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Bon Jovi, Nate Smith, Thomas Rhett, Jason Derulo, Kelsea Ballerini, Morgan Wallen, and Dan + Shay. Gorley’s recent milestone was marked by his 75th No. 1 hit with Hardy’s chart-topping track “Truck Bed,” proving his status as one of the most successful and sought-after songwriters in the music industry.
Hillary Lindsey
Over the years, Hillary Lindsey has collaborated with some of the biggest artists in the world, like Michelle Branch, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Shakira, Lady A, Gary Allan, Sara Evans, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Tim McGraw, and Luke Bryan. She’s won Grammy Awards for Best Country Song twice: once in 2006 for Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and again in 2016 for Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush”. In 2011, she received an Academy Award nomination for “Coming Home,” which was in the movie “Country Strong,” and also a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song. Lindsey has had an impressive 20 number-one singles as a writer and has been nominated three times for a Grammy Award for Song of the Year for her work on “Jesus Take the Wheel”, “Girl Crush”, and “Always Remember Us This Way”.
Chase McGill
Chase McGill has become one of Nashville’s most sought-after songwriters, earning numerous awards and nominations for his outstanding work. His remarkable talent has earned him nominations for ACM Songwriter Of The Year in both 2023 and 2018. Additionally, McGill has received multiple Grammy nominations for Country Song Of The Year, with standout tracks including “Break Up In The End” by Cole Swindell and “When Someone Stops Loving You” by Little Big Town. McGill’s songs have also seen extensive airplay on Country Radio, proving that his work resonates with audiences nationwide. His songwriting abilities have attracted some of the country’s biggest names wanting to work alongside him, including Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Morgan Wallen, Brett Young, Kane Brown, and many more.
Josh Thompson
Josh Thompson has undoubtedly left a mark in country music, with his impressive list of songs earning him outstanding recognition. He’s credited as a songwriter on several beloved tracks, including Keith Urban’s “Brown Eyes Baby,” Morgan Wallen’s “Wasted On You,” and Thomas Rhett’s “Half Of Me,” featuring Riley Green. Thompson’s songwriting talents extend beyond these hits, as he’s also written songs for country sensations such as Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Justin Moore, Brad Paisley, Brett Young, Darius Rucker, and many more.
And the winner is….JESSIE JO DILLON!
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Congratulations to Jessie Jo Dillon on a well-deserved win!