In late April, Carrie Underwood was honored by Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) with a special award: The country superstar received the Board of Directors Award at the 69th annual BMI / NAB Dinner in Las Vegas, Nev.

The BMI Board of Directors Award honors Underwood's impact on the music industry, as a songwriter and artist, through her albums and singles. During the event, which took place on April 25, Underwood was also given awards for her most recent No. 1 hits -- "Heartbeat," "Little Toy Guns" and "Smoke Break" -- and nine new "Million-Air" certificates, which signify that certain songs have received more than one million plays on the radio.

“Not every superstar is a songwriter, but Carrie is," says Mike O’Neill, BMI’s president and CEO (quote via Taste of Country). "She has earned the respect of her colleagues, not only for her singing, but also for her brilliant songwriting and storytelling, and that is an accomplishment that cannot be overstated.”

The annual BMI / NAB Dinner aims to honor the relationships between songwriters and broadcasters. BMI hands out most of its awards in the fall, at the BMI Country Awards ceremony, but Underwood was unable to attend that event as she was preparing to co-host the CMA Awards.

“I am beyond blessed to get to do what I do, and am grateful that I am surrounded by such incredible people," Underwood says. "I love the people that I get to work with — it’s a joy, a pleasure and a privilege. Thank you so much, BMI, for everything that you have done for me and my music.”

Although not currently on tour, Underwood has been keeping busy. She recently made surprise appearances at Nashville shows by her friends Luke Bryan and New Kids on the Block — and has been cheering on her husband, Nashville Predators captain Mike Fisher, during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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