Photo: Kay Williams
Willie Nelson receives award from Brenda Lee.
“I want to thank all of my friends, and all the people in this town, that made it possible for me to be standing here. Hearing all these nice things said about me — I almost gave myself a standing ovation. I held back, though.” — Willie Nelson
www.billboard.biz
by: Elizabeth Hurst
The music community came together in Downtown Nashville on August 29 to celebrate pioneers Fred Foster, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson with the seventh annual Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award. Vince Gill hosted the ceremony for a packed room of music industry executives, creators, friends and family. The Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award was created “to recognize music trailblazers who exemplify the highest quality of leadership and leading by example.”
Photo: Kay Williams
Kyle Young, Director, Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum; Karen Oertley, Executive Director, Leadership Music; honorees Kris Kristofferson, Fred Foster and Willie Nelson; Jamie Cheek, Board President, Leadership Music and Partner, Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy; and Del Bryant, President & CEO, BMI.