Country star Trisha Yearwood honored as 'voice of a generation'

NASHVILLE, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Country star Trisha Yearwood was honored as the "voice of a generation" Monday night during the 53rd annual American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' (ASCAP) Country Music Awards.

The prestigious Voice of Music award was presented by former President Jimmy Carter and pop star/actor Justin Timberlake.

The ASCAP Voice of Music Award is presented to songwriters and artists whose music gives voice to the spirit of a generation. Yearwood has sold more than 12 million albums throughout her career and is a platinum-selling and multiple Grammy, CMA and ACM Award-winning recording artist. In addition, she is a cookbook author and has a successful cooking show, Trisha's Southern Kitchen, on Food Network.

During the show, three artists performed classic Yearwood songs, including Lady Antebellum ("Walkaway Joe"), Reba McEntire ("The Song Remembers When") and Garth Brooks' daughter, Allie Brooks ("She's in Love with the Boy").

In an interview with CMT, Yearwood said she has waited years to catch up to her husband, Garth Brooks, and win this award.

"He'd won it years ago, in 1992, so I needed to catch up to him, because he's been holding it over my head for all these years," she laughed.