Latest news with #BenVaughn
Express Tribune
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Chris Stapleton dedicates ACM Male Artist of the Year win to late friend Ben Vaughn
Country star Chris Stapleton won Male Artist of the Year at the 2025 ACM Awards on May 8 in Frisco, Texas. He dedicated his emotional acceptance speech to his late friend and music publisher Ben Vaughn, who died earlier this year at age 49. 'Wow, so many guys in this category that are so deserving and great artists,' said Stapleton, 47. 'I gotta thank everybody who works so hard to make these things possible… my wife Morgane, my kids at home.' He continued, 'I'm thinking a lot about my friend Ben Vaughn who we lost this year, so I'm gonna send this one out to Ben.' Hosted by Reba McEntire, the 60th ACM Awards saw Stapleton beating out fellow nominees Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll, and Cody Johnson for the prestigious award. All five men were also contenders for Entertainer of the Year. Stapleton has now claimed the Male Artist of the Year title five times — previously in 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024 — and has been nominated for the honor ten consecutive years. In 2025, he also received nominations for Single of the Year ('White Horse'), Music Event of the Year (with Carly Pearce), and Visual Media of the Year. Stapleton's heartfelt tribute added a poignant moment to a night celebrating the best in country music.
Axios
30-01-2025
- Business
- Axios
Nashville music publishing executive Ben Vaughn dies
Ben Vaughn, one of the most consequential publishing executives in Music City and a fierce advocate for songwriters, died suddenly Thursday. He was 49. Vaughn rose quickly through the ranks of the music publishing industry, scoring the top job at Warner Chappell in 2012. The company announced his death Thursday morning in a memo to staffers. "First and foremost, Ben was an extraordinary human being," Warner Chappell co-chairs Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall said in the memo. "He met everyone with enthusiasm, warmth, and generosity. His smile was huge, and his sense of humor was infectious." Music publishing has long been the cornerstone of the country music industry in Nashville, and Vaughn was one of the most successful this century. He won an array of industry awards and served on many important nonprofit boards. He was named to Billboard's Power 100 list last year and he was the magazine's country power players executive of the year in 2020. Thomas Rhett was one of many songwriters whose careers Vaughn shepherded. To be successful in the levels of music publishing, it takes an eye for creative talent and business acumen. Music publishers sign songwriters to business deals and pitch their songs to top artists. Vaughn defined his concept of success in an interview with the Tennessean in 2017. "To me the No. 1 thing that determines success is how are we viewed in the community?" Vaughn said. "Are we the type of company that takes care of songwriters? Do we provide them opportunity? That's always No. 1. I believe if you do the really small things right, then the big successes are going to come."
