BMI Foundation Presents Dolly Parton Songwriters Award to Singer-Songwriter Kaden Trev
BMI's Clay Bradley and 2026 BMI Foundation Dolly Parton Songwriters Award Winner Kaden Trev. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
NASHVILLE, TN - June 8, 2026 - BMI Foundation, Inc. presented the 2026 Dolly Parton Songwriters Award to Arkansas-based singer-songwriter Kaden Trev at the Ryman & BMI Block Party in Nashville on Thursday, June 4th. Kaden’s winning song “Write My Wrongs” was selected from a record-breaking 600 applicants by a panel of music industry experts. The award was presented by BMI Foundation Trustee and BMI Vice President, Creative Clay Bradley following performances by Kat Luna, Robyn Ottolini, Tyce Delk, and TRIPPP.
Known for blending modern country influences with emotional storytelling, Kaden Trev has quickly gained attention through live performances and social media. In 2025, he advanced to Hollywood Week on American Idol, further expanding his audience and music industry experience. In the fall of 2026, Kaden will attend Middle Tennessee State University to continue studying the music business while pursuing his dream of becoming a successful country music artist.
“One of my favorite things is being able to put music to emotions and experiences into words,” shared Kaden Trev. “I’m super grateful for this award. It’s been really encouraging me to keep pursuing this dream that I have, and this passion that I love so much.”
The Dolly Parton Songwriters Award is an annual, national competition open to aspiring songwriters with a monetary prize of $10,000 for the best original song entry in the genres of Americana, blues, bluegrass, contemporary Christian, country, folk, and roots. Originally established in 2015 as the Nashville Songwriting Scholarship, the award was created to celebrate BMI’s 75th anniversary and pay homage to the musical epicenter and “Songwriting Capital of the World,” Nashville, Tennessee. In 2022, the program was revised to honor the creativity and generosity of the legendary artist Dolly Parton with an endowment from Sony Music Publishing's Rusty Gaston as well as a contribution from country superstar Luke Combs.
About the BMI Foundation
The BMI Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1985 to encourage the creation, performance, and study of American music. The Foundation’s programs include competitive scholarships for songwriters and composers, operating grants for nonprofit arts presenters, and support for innovative music education initiatives in schools and communities across the country. For more information about the work of the Foundation, please visit our website at www.bmifoundation.org. For exclusive news and content, follow @bmifoundation on Twitter and Instagram, and like BMI Foundation on Facebook.
