Kris Kristofferson will be honored as the latest BMI Icon at the annual country music awards for the performing-rights organization. The black-tie, invitation-only gala, to be held November 10 at BMI's Nashville offices, will also celebrate the writers of the past year's most-performed country songs from the BMI catalog.

A Rhodes scholar and Army helicopter pilot prior to launching his music career, Kristofferson is a three-time Grammy winner who has also earned 48 BMI Country and Pop Awards for classic compositions including 'Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down,' 'Why Me,' 'Me and Bobby McGee' and 'Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again),' which was BMI's Country Song of the Year in 1972. Two of his most honored tunes include 'Help Me Make It Through the Night,' which garnered seven BMI Country and four BMI Pop Awards, and 'For the Good Times,' a BMI Country Award winner each consecutive year between 1971 and 1979, and five-time BMI Pop Award recipient between 1970 and 1974.

If you walk down Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles next year, you might step on Alan Jackson! The country icon is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a special ceremony next year. Alan was chosen from hundreds of nominations by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

This honor caps off a week that saw Alan honored for his 20 years in the music industry with a special show in Nashville, plus a CMT Award win for Performance Video of the Year, for his collaboration with George Strait, Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley on 'Country Man.'

Stars were shining in Nashville Tuesday night, as the CMT Awards honored the year's best country music videos. Taylor Swift, Alan Jackson, Def Leppard, Julianne Hough, Luke Wilson, Lady Antebellum, Kid Rock, Kellie Pickler and Keith Urban were just some of the big names to grace the CMT red carpet.

By the time Jamey Johnson takes his seat tonight at the CMT Music Awards, he'll already have won an special prize. During his walk down the red carpet, Jamey will become the inaugural recipient of the Rhapsody Music Without Limits Award, established to honor artists or groups that exemplify the values of music discovery.

"It's an honor any time your music gets recognized," says Jamey, "but it makes it even more special to be the very first person to receive this award. There have been a lot of firsts in my career lately, and I'm proud to have this addition. I love what it stands for, I love what it says. Music should never have limits."

The late Chet Atkins and Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Daniels are among the musicians who will be the latest inductees into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville. Both tremendous musical icons, Atkins is known for his expert guitar skills, as well as being an illustrious producer at RCA Records. The living legend Daniels has had multiple hits in country, bluegrass and Gospel, including the classics, 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' and 'Long Haired Country Boy.'

Steve Wariner, who helped make the inductee announcement on Tuesday, told The Boot that he was honored to be asked to announce his mentor's name. "Don Everly once said, 'Without Chet Atkins there wouldn't have been an Everly Brothers, and I can honestly say that without Chet Atkins and Dottie West, there wouldn't have been a Steve Wariner," he said.

In a bill presented before the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas this week, Willie Nelson has been appointed the 2009 Texas State Musician. He joins an elite group of musicians from the Lone Star state who've had the honor bestowed upon them, including Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Benson, Dale Watson and legendary fiddler Johnny Gimble.

Willie was born in the tiny town of Abbott, Texas (pop. 300). Upon learning of the appointment, the 76-year-old icon, who continues to keep up a busy tour schedule, said, "I consider it a great honor, and I want to thank everyone who helped make it happen."

The Americana Music Association has announced the nominees for their 2009 Honors and Awards ceremony. Buddy Miller, who will once again act as band leader for the awards show, received a total of five nominations.

It's been an eventful year for Buddy. The singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer toured with Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin, and was featured in Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' touring band. In February, while on tour, he suffered a heart attack. Buddy and his wife Julie Miller are nominated in the Album of the Year category for 'Written in Chalk.'