Governor Phil Bredesen received the Lifetime Humanitarian Award for his years of support to Nashville’s Table, the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Cover Tennessee, the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund, the Land Trust for Tennessee, the Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation, his on going efforts to provide greenways and create better air quality in our lifetime, among others.
The Honorable William H. Frist M.D. received the Lifetime Medical Achievement Award for founding the Vanderbilt Multi-Organ Transplant Center, his dedication to medical missions in developing nations, his work with Hope Through Healing Hands, and his national leadership with the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the ONE campaign to promote global health as a currency for peace around the world. He recently published: A Heart to Serve: The Passion to Bring Health, Hope, and Healing. For more information, visit www.billfrist.com.
Brooks and Dunn received the Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award for their accomplishing a remarkable career as the most successful duo from any genre, having sold more albums than all others in the Nielsen/SoundScan era. They have achieved multiple #1 hits, numerous awards and world wide recognition as top entertainers which makes them worthy of this first annual award.
Susan Simons – Susan received the Spirit of Nashville Award for all of her years of philanthropic service to the Nashville community such as the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Alive Hospice, the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts, the Metropolitan Convention Center Commission, the Community Foundation, the Tennessee State Museum Foundation, United Way, and the International Women's Forum, to name a few.
Michael Bolton received the first Frances Williams Preston Lifetime Music Industry Award for his lifetime commitment of outstanding endeavors as a songwriter and performer with accomplishments that include selling over 53 million albums and singles worldwide, winning numerous awards including two Grammys for Best Male Vocalist and six American Music Awards, earning a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and selling out arenas worldwide.