1980 - Martha Ingram

1981 - Roy Acuff

1982 - Jack Massey

1983 - Barbara Mandrell

1984 - Nelson Andrews

1985 - Dr. Benjamin Byrd, Jr.

1986 - Commissioner Sandra Fulton and Mayor Dick Fulton

1987 - Charles Frazier

1988 - E.W. (Bud) Wendell

1989 - Noah Liff

1990 - Mrs. Henry Cannon

1991 - Mayor Phil Bredesen

1992 - Earl S. Swensson, FAIA

1993 - General William F. Moore, Jr.

1994 - Vince Gill

1995 - Dr. Henry Ponder

1996 - Charles Davis

1997 - DeWitt Ezell

1998 - Scott Ramsey

1999 - Jeff Fisher

2000 - Judy and Steve Turner

2001 - Gerald and Donna Nicely

2002 - Mike Curb

2003 - Frank Wycheck

2004 - Rick Schwartz

2005 - Tony Giarratana

2006 - Marty Dickens

2007 - Darrell Waltrip

2008 - David Freeman

2009 - Mayor Karl Dean

2010 - Ellen Lehman and Brian Williams

2011 - Raul Regalado

2012 - Steve Buchanan

2013 - Michael Burcham

2014 - Tim Corbin

2015 - Dr. Ming Wang

2016 - Butch Spyridon

2017 - Nashville Predators CEO Sean Henry, Head Coach Peter Laviolette, GM David Poile

2018 - Jaynee Day

2019 - Scott Hamilton