Brandy Clark Wins CMA Song of the Year

Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally with their CMA Awards for writing the 2014 CMA Song of the Year, "Follow Your Arrow," with Kacey Musgraves. Photographer: Ebie McFarland

ASHVILLE, Tenn.  -- (Nov. 05, 2014) – Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Brandy Clark won her first-ever CMA Award, for “Song of the Year” for “Follow Your Arrow” (which she co-wrote with Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves, and was recorded by Musgraves), during tonight's “48th Annual CMA Awards.” The three writers were previously nominated together in that category in 2013 for co-writing Miranda Lambert’s No.1 hit song “Mama’s Broken Heart.” 

When asked how she felt, Clark said, "When I came off stage, Vince Gill grabbed me and said 'you just won the biggest award you can ever win. I know, I've won them all and this one means the most to me.' That about sums it up!"

Clark and Musgraves have now joined an exclusive club of only 14 women who have written a CMA Song of the Year. The other female songwriters who have won the category are Jessi Alexander and Connie Harrington (2013 - “Drive Your Truck” along with Jimmy Yeary), Miranda Lambert (2012 - “Over You” along with Blake Shelton), Kimberly Perry (2011 - “If I Die Young”), Jennifer Nettles (2008 - “Stay”), Tia Sellers (2000 - “I Hope You Dance” along with Mark D. Sanders), Annie Roboff, Robin Lerner and Beth Nielsen Chapman (1999 - “This Kiss”), Matraca Berg (1997 - “Strawberry Wine” along with Gary Harrison), Gretchen Peters (1995 - “Independence Day”), and K.T. Oslin (1988 - “’80s Ladies”). 

Clark was a double CMA nominee this year, having also been nominated for New Artist of the Year. Originally released on Blue Slate Records in late 2013, Clark's debut album 12 Stories was named among the best albums of the year by a wide range of media outlets including The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, New York Post, The New Yorker, NPR, Rolling Stone, and many more.

Earlier this week it was announced that Clark had signed a new recording contract with Warner Bros. Records/Los Angeles. Clark is currently on the road with Eric Church as part of his “The Outsiders World Tour” and she will join Alan Jackson for his “25th Anniversary Tour” in 2015. She is also the co-writer (along with McAnally and Bob DiPiero) of Toby Keith’s current hit single “Drunk Americans.”

Clark toured with Jennifer Nettles during the summer and opened for Loretta Lynn at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium in October. Earlier in the year she performed for the first time on both “The Late Show with David Letterman” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” and debuted her music video for “Get High” on PerezHilton.com. Her song “Stripes” was featured in Beats Music’s Super Bowl commercial, which starred DeGeneres. Clark also co-wrote The Band Perry’s No. 1 hit “Better Dig Two.” Other artists to record her songs include Craig Campbell, Sheryl Crow, Reba McEntire, Craig Morgan, LeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, and more. 

For more information, visit www.brandyclarkmusic.com.