Ralph Murphy Receives CMA’s Jo Walker-Meador International Award

Written by SLN Staff Writer
Ralph Murphy Receives CMA’s Jo Walker-Meador International Award

During the annual CMA International Reception held on Nov. 7 as part of festivities around “The 45th Annual CMA Awards,” Ralph Murphy, songwriter, producer and VP of ASCAP Nashville, was given the 2011 Jo Walker-Meador International Award. The Award was presented by CMA CEO Steve Moore.

“The industry has been more than generous with all the Irish, the Canadians, the Norwegians, the Australians, the Dutch, the Germans – everyone who’s come here to play Country Music,” said Murphy. “And it’s always been more than generous with me. You can’t ask for more in life than a chance and an opportunity of someone being fair with you.”

The Jo Walker-Meador International Award recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual or company in advocating and supporting Country Music’s marketing development in territories outside the United States. It was named in honor of former CMA Executive Director (1959-1991) and Country Music Hall of Fame member Jo Walker-Meador.

Previous winners of the Jo Walker-Meador Award include:
1994 Trisha Walker-Cunningham, TWI
1995 CMT: Country Music Television
1996 Bob Saporiti, Warner/Reprise Records Nashville
1997 Barry Coburn, Ten Ten Management
1998 Judy Seale, Refugee International
1999 Sarah Brosmer & Kate Farmer, MCA Nashville & Universal International
2000 Jeffrey Stothers, Gone Country Promotions
2001 Iain Snodgrass, Universal Music International, UK
2002 Sheila Hamilton, Canadian Country Music Association, Canada
2003 Meryl Gross, Australia
2004 Jeff Green, R&R, USA
2005 Greg Swain, Telstra, Australia
2006 Alan McBlane, Mcb3, UK
2007 Heather Ostertag, FACTOR, Canada
2008 Mark Moffatt, USA
2009 Michael Chugg, Michael Chugg Entertainment, Australia
2010 John Lomax III, Roots Music Exporters, USA