We congratulate Jimmy Webb on the honor of the Poet’s Award, from The Academy of Country Music. They just announced yesterday this Special Award for the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards. Glen Campbell will receive the Career Achievement Award. Past honorees for the Poet’s Award include Hank Williams, Roger Miller, Kris Kristofferson, and Felice and Boudleaux Bryant.
Fellow Oklahoman Carrie Underwood will receive an award as well. Her performance of Jimmy’s “MacArthur Park” was part of her meteoric rise on Idol.
Poet’s Award – Eddie Rabbitt (awarded posthumously) and Jimmy Webb
The late Eddie Rabbitt and Elk City native Jimmy Webb have been chosen to receive the Poet’s Award, which honors songwriters for outstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their careers in the field of country music.
Rabbitt scored country/pop crossover success starting in 1979 with hits “I Love a Rainy Night,” “Drivin’ My Life Away,” “Every Which Way But Loose” and “Suspicions.” His career began in the late 1960s as a professional songwriter who penned Elvis Presley’s “Kentucky Rain” and Ronnie Milsap’s “Pure Love.” While working to build his career as an artist, Rabbitt opened for Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Rabbitt also recorded duets with Juice Newton (“Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)”) and fellow 2016 ACM honoree Crystal Gayle (“You and I”). Rabbitt is an ACM Award winner and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. He died May 7, 1998 at age 56.
Webb’s remarkable career began in 1965, crossing numerous genres and sales milestones. He is the pen behind platinum-selling classics recorded by multiple artists. “Up, Up and Away” was recorded by The 5th Dimension, Nancy Sinatra and Diana Ross & The Supremes. “MacArthur Park” was recorded by Waylon Jennings, Dionne Warwick, Donna Summer and Glen Campbell.
Webb and fellow 2016 ACM Special Award honoree Campbell had a particularly fruitful professional relationship, resulting in the hits “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” and others. Among the stellar artists who have recorded or performed Webb’s compositions are Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Judy Collins, Isaac Hayes, Art Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt and Carly Simon. Webb is a member of both the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York, and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. More than 50 years into his career, Webb still performs regularly.
Previous recipients of the Poet’s Award include Bill Anderson, Bobby Braddock, Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, Guy Clark, Jack Clement, Hank Cochran, Dean Dillon, Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall, Harlan Howard, Kris Kristofferson, Bob McDill, Roger Miller, Buck Owens, Fred Rose, Don Schlitz, Cindy Walker and Hank Williams.