Garth Brooks was awarded with one of the inaugural ASCAP Centennial Awards at a special ceremony in New York City on Nov. 17. The honor, in recognition of ASCAP's 100th anniversary, was also given to Billy Joel. Joan Baez, Stevie Wonder and musical theater legend Stephen Sondheim, for their global musical contributions.

Brooks, who performed a new tune, 'I'm a Song,' during the ceremony, said he felt humbled to be included in the class of recipients.

"I guess it's kind of selfish of me tonight -- because when you get to hang out with big names like this, I suppose you say you let it go to your head -- so I'm going to say this just tonight," he said (quote via Rolling Stone). "But I'm very proud tonight to call myself ... a songwriter."

Adds Brooks, "I feel lucky because an award really, truthfully, is only good as the names that have won in the past or other things, so this was pretty sweet that they did this" (quote via Nebraska radio station KTIC).

His wife, Trisha Yearwood, performed one of Brooks' biggest hits, 'If Tomorrow Never Comes,' which was his first No. 1 song in 1989. Brooks wrote the track with Kent Blazy, who originally introduced Brooks and Yearwood.

“Tonight, it’s a full circle. So, not only the song, but all involved kind of creates life for us," Brooks says. "So, this is a big night for us.”

The country music hitmaker has fans all over the world, but perhaps none as supportive as his spouse.

“I’ll hear him humming something or singing something, and I’ll go, ‘What song is that?’ And he’s like, ‘Oh, I don’t know,'" Yearwood says. "It’ll be a piece of something that sounds amazing to me that he’s just pulled out of thin air from somewhere that he’s just humming. And that’s how those songs get started."

The ceremony also marked the first time ASCAP has hosted a fundraising benefit for the ASCAP Foundation and its music education, talent development and humanitarian activities. More information on their charitable endeavors can be found here.

Brooks and Yearwood are currently on the road for their World Tour. See an updated list of dates here.

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