Belmont School of Music Presents Annual Award to Alumna Making an Impact
The School of Music awarded its annual Curtain Call Award to alumna Sarah Davison, an award created in 1995 to honor commercial music alumni who are using the foundation they built at Belmont to impact the world. Davison, who graduated from Belmont in 2006 with her degree in commercial piano performance and music business, has garnered recognition for her unwavering commitment to creating meaningful and influential art.
Davison formed her band HighRoad in 2011, which has since garnered a Grammy nomination in 2020 for its album “Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout" for Best Americana Roots Gospel Album and other accolades such as the Singing News New Artist of the Year for 2018, Singing News Band of the Year for 2022 and two Dove Award nominations for Bluegrass/Roots Album of the Year. The group regularly performs at leading country and Gospel music events including 40 Days at the Ark Encounter, Singing in the Sun, Women of Joy, The National Quartet Convention, Dollywood and more.
“Sarah was selected by the commercial music faculty for this year’s Curtain Call Award because she’s found great success in both the business and art of music while maintaining a spirit of love and generosity," said Kate Paradise, instructor of commerical music. "She exemplifies all the qualities we hope our students will cultivate and she is an incredible example of how hard work and kindness can lead to a lifetime of success.”
The School of Music presented Davison with the award Wednesday, Jan. 31 in the Massey Performing Arts Center. The evening continued with a concert featuring Davison and special guests, along with an artist interview delving into Davison’s journey through the music business.
Beyond her achievements with HighRoad, Davison's musical prowess extends to collaborations with iconic artists such as Mark Wills, Emily Ann Roberts and The Isaacs, and touring with George Jones. Additionally, Davison served as the musical director for the Dove Awards segment honoring women in Gospel music in 2022.
Looking ahead, 2024 promises to be an exciting year for HighRoad, with a project on the way in collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Ben Isaacs and its record label DayWind Records. The upcoming album will feature a star-studded lineup, including a duet with Ricky Skaggs, Scotty Inman, The Isaacs and more, showcasing the diverse talents of Davison’s acclaimed group.
The Curtain Call Award has a rich history of honoring accomplished alumni across various music industry fields, including songwriters, instrumentalists, vocalists and music industry leaders. Notable past recipients include Melinda Doolittle, Josh Turner, Danny Wells, Ginny Owens, Akil Thompson, Tammy Rogers King, Dwan Hill, Alvin Love III, Russell Dickerson, and Cody Fry.