Carl's Scrapbook: 80s Original Songs: Music City News Award Show

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It's Swingin'

John Anderson and Lionel Delmore were the big winners for Swingin'

Swingin' and its writers John Anderson and Lionel Delmore were the big winners at the fourth annual MUSIC CITY NEWS Top Country Hits of the Year Awards, held Jan. 18 at Nashville's Tennessee Performing Arts Center. But nine other big country songs of 1983 were also honored during the telecast, and there was no doubt in anyone's mind that, for two hours, the songwriters ruled the roost.

The gala evening was presided over by Sylvia and Ray Stevens and featured a starstudded lineup of performers including John Anderson, The Osmonds, The Oak Ridge Boys, Gary Morris and Mark Gray. (Appearing on videotape were Alabama, Janie Fricke and Lee Greenwood.) Don Williams also performed and was presented MUSIC CITY NEWS' first Songwriter Patron Award. Co-hosts Sylvia and Ray Stevens had their turns in the spotlight also and Stevens was honored as a Nashville Songwriters Association International Hall of Famer.

Hosts Sylvia and Ray Stevens kept things moving.

Swingin' really put the gears in motion for John Anderson's career. It already had garnered Single of the Year from the CMA and is the biggest-selling country single ever for Warner Brothers Records. The song revolves around one Charlotte Johnson. Asked if Charlotte was a real person, cowriter Anderson called her a composite of several people. Co-writer Delmore, upon receiving the Top Hit Award, remarked that Anderson was more than a collaborator, he was a friend.

Delmore also expressed his gratitude to the fans and remarked at his pride in being a second generation songwriter. He is the son of Alton Delmore, who with his brother Rabon performed as The Delmore Brothers, one of country music's premier duos responsible for an enduring array of tunes.

Mark Gray, Lisa Taylor (for husband Les) and Shawna Harrington received award for It Ain't Easy Bein' Easy

Mark Gray also was a big winner, collecting two awards for his part in writing The Closer You Get (with Exile's J.P. Pennington) and It Ain't Easy (with Shawna Harrington and Exile's Les Taylor). He performed the latter on the show.

Other songs honored included American Made, writtenby Bob DiPiero and Pat McManus; Close Enough To Perfect, written by Carl Chambers; He's A Heartache (Looking For A Place To Happen), written by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley; I.O.U., written by Kerry Chater and Austin Roberts; The Love She Found In Me, written by Dennis Linde and Bob Morrison; The Rose, written by Amanda McBroom; and Thank God For Kids, written by Eddy Raven.

The awards were voted on by the subscribers to MUSIC CITY NEWS. The television show was a production of Multimedia Entertainment, Inc. Executive producers were Dick Thrall and J. Reginald Dunlap. Producer was Dick Thrall and director was Steve Womack. Bill Walker was the music director.

Don Williams recieved the Songwriter Patron Award

Amanda McBroom accepts award for The Rose.

Eddy Raven wrote Thank God For Kids

Carl Chambers writer of Close Enough To Perfect

The Oak Ridge Boys performed two songs.

Kerry Chater and Austin Roberts wrote I.O.U.