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Though Clint Black wasn’t immediately made aware of what he was receiving when he was named 2025’s BMI Icon Award recipient, he knew from the way that his team presented it that the latest notch in his belt would be something truly special.
Black, 63, who has dominated country music for decades with a Grammy Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, numerous awards from the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM), 20 million record sales, nearly two dozen gold and platinum certifications and nearly two dozen No. 1 singles, exclusively tells PEOPLE that his latest honor is a truly significant one to take in — though his team kept specifics surrounding it a secret at first.
“It was pretty moving,” Black, 63, shares. “Clay Bradley and Mike O’Neill said, ‘Hey, we want to get with Clint and meet with Clint,’ and they met with me and told me the news. So right off the bat, I knew something was happening here; they both wanted to meet with me. So, just the way they presented it was a big deal.”
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News of being named as the recipient of the honor, which has previously gone to the likes of Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Vince Gill, Hank Williams, Jr., Stevie Nicks, Little Richard, Carole King, Patti LaBelle, Brian Wilson, James Brown, Janet Jackson, Sting, Carlos Santana and more, profoundly struck Black.
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“It did make me emotional. And I could feel the gravity or the levity of it, whichever way you want to characterize it,” the legendary artist shares. “It was a special moment to be told by them, for them to take the time.”
Black noted how touched he was that they didn’t go through his manager to share the news; instead, they both met with him.
“They said, ‘Now, we’re going to do something, and you can’t know what that’s going to be, and we’re going to swear your manager to secrecy,’ which even made it even more special, because it sounds like it’s more than a medallion ceremony,” he says.
Black adds, “So then the imagination starts going, and I have to shut that down and say, ‘Just let it be,’ ” surmising, “I can’t wait to see what they have in store” for the The 73rd Annual BMI Country Awards, which are set to take place on Nov. 18.
His ample thoughts on the matter are informed by a lifetime spent in conscious retrospect on his accomplishments and how the perception of his relationship with them is shared publicly. “I’ve spent my career trying to just be down here on earth and not where someone else wants to put me, whether it’s fans or award shows. Not to say I don’t appreciate the honors, I just have to guard against thinking too much of myself,” he shares.
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In terms of his relationship with the concept of legacy, Black reasons, “I think above all, I’m a poet. I want to be a poet. And so having the lyrics be thought through like I thought through Haggard’s and Willie’s. And Billy Joe Shaver, [Don] Henley, [Glen] Frey, [Paul] McCartney and [John] Lennon. James Taylor, those lyrics to me held something greater than entertainment. There was wisdom, is wisdom, in those lyrics.”
For Black, it would be “rewarding” if someone found that same wisdom in his lyrics.
Bradley, who serves as BMI Nashville’s VP of Creative, shared in a statement that “Clint Black’s career is a testament to the power of songwriting, and he is a true trailblazer whose artistry continues to leave an indelible mark on Country music. He set a new standard for storytelling in song that defined an era. His ability to craft songs that resonate across decades has made him a true BMI Icon.”
Though he is being honored for a lifetime of accomplishments, Black sees no signs of slowing down anytime soon. “I’m still playing 80 cities a year, roughly, and I still practice just almost constantly. I’m still improving. I haven’t seen any decline; I’ve just seen improvements,” he tells PEOPLE.
He adds, “I’m still striving to become the musician I think I can be. And so that requires putting it to the test, getting up on stage, trying to pull off these challenges I’ve created for myself as a musician, as a singer.”
To Black, those challenges include still treating every performance, big or small like a “World Series game.”
“It’s the audience’s party, it’s not mine. If I’m going to have a beer, it’s going to be after the show. Anyone who’s ever heard themselves singing after a beer or two knows that’s not when you’re at your best. The show’s just that important to me,” he shares.
Black adds, “When I walk on stage, I haven’t earned their respect yet. And that’s what I’ll have to do for the next hour and a half plus. So, every single show is that important to me; it’s never just me and the band playing the songs. It’s always that opportunity to be at the highest level of excellence we can reach, so that when we leave the stage, the audience is satisfied.”
