David Garcia & Ben Glover Named Christian Music Songwriters of the Year

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) honored the songwriters and publishers of Christian music's most performed songs of the past year at the 37th annual ASCAP Christian Music Awards, held on Monday, March 23rd at the historic Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee. ASCAP President and Chairman of the Board Paul Williams was on hand to help celebrate the evening's honorees before an audience of distinguished songwriters, Christian music stars and music industry leaders. Top honors were awarded to the following:

ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter of the Year (TIE): David Garcia and Ben Glover
ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter-Artist of the Year: Matthew West
ASCAP Christian Music Song of the Year: "This is Amazing Grace," written by Josh Farro and Jeremy Riddle; published by Bethel Music Publishing, FBR Music, Josh's Music, Warner/Chappell Music Publishing and Word Music
ASCAP Christian Music Publisher of the Year: Capitol CMG Publishing

A total of 25 most-performed song awards were presented by ASCAP Nashville Membership heads Michael Martin and LeAnn Phelan, joined by Director of Strategic Services Kele Currier and New York-based Executive Vice President of Membership John Titta. Fervent Records recording artist Chris August opened the show with his new single, "The Maker."

Ben Glover and David Garcia tied for ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter of the Year honors. The co-writing and co-producing duo also earned ASCAP most-performed song awards for Francesca Battistelli's "Write Your Story," Mandisa's "Back to You" and Mercy Me's "Greater." Garcia celebrated his first Songwriter of the Year Award while Glover claimed his fourth. The two previously co-wrote and produced Mandisa's 2013 Grammy Award-winning single "Overcomer" and have more than 30 chart-topping hits between them.

Matthew West earned his second ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter-Artist of the Year award, having first claimed the title in 2013. He also earned three ASCAP most-performed song awards, for his own multi-week chart-topping single, "Do Something," as well as for Josh Wilson's "Pushing Back the Dark" and Casting Crowns "Thrive." In 2014, West was named ASCAP's top Christian Music Songwriter of the Year and earned the ASCAP Christian Music Song of the Year award for his single, "Hello My Name Is."

The ASCAP Christian Music Publisher of the Year award was presented to Capitol CMG Publishing, who claimed the title for the 13th consecutive year with 9 award-winning songs: "Back to You," "I Am," "Speak Life," "All The People Said Amen," "My Heart Is Yours," "Your Grace Finds Me," "Holding Nothing Back," "Greater," and "Write Your Story." Capitol CMG Executive Vice President Casey McGinty and his team were on hand to accept the award.

Notable songwriters and artists in attendance included Francesca Battistelli, Ryan Stevenson and Love & The Outcome, who served as guest presenters, as well as ASCAP Board Member Desmond Child, for King & Country, Jason Gray, ASCAP Board Member Wayland Holyfield, Unspoken and more.

About ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a professional membership organization of songwriters, composers and music publishers of every kind of music. ASCAP's mission is to license and promote the music of its members and foreign affiliates, obtain fair compensation for the public performance of their works and to distribute the royalties that it collects based upon those performances. ASCAP members write the world's best-loved music and ASCAP has pioneered the efficient licensing of that music to hundreds of thousands of enterprises who use it to add value to their business - from bars, restaurants and retail, to radio, TV and cable, to Internet, mobile services and more. The ASCAP license offers an efficient solution for businesses to legally perform ASCAP music while respecting the right of songwriters and composers to be paid fairly. With 530,000 members representing more than 10 million copyrighted works, ASCAP is the worldwide leader in performance royalties, service and advocacy for songwriters and composers, and the only American performing rights organization (PRO) owned and governed by its writer and publisher members. www.ascap.com

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