Singer Chris Young joined songwriters Marv Green, Paul Jenkins and Jason Sellers at Nashville's CMA building Monday (Aug. 25) to salute Young's recent single, "Who I Am With You," which peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's country airplay chart.

The party was co-sponsored by the performance rights organizations BMI and ASCAP.

Speaking of the trio of composers, publisher Troy Tomlinson said, "When they get together, magic happens."

Tomlinson also had high praise for Young's producer, James Stroud, who's helmed more than 100 No. 1 hits for such acts as Clint Black, Tracy Lawrence, John Anderson, Doug Stone and Clay Walker in a career that stretches back to the late '70s.

"Songs generally go where they belong," Green told the crowd, "and this song belonged to Chris. I don't think anybody could sing it better."

After the usual round of thanks, Sellers spotted his daughter in the audience and announced she had gotten a traffic ticket on her way to the party.

"Could somebody here cover that?" he inquired plaintively.

Jenkins spoke of the affection that develops among those who work to make a song a hit. "It's the music business," he observed, "but it's the music friendship, too."

Young said he'd learned a couple of important lessons during the past couple of years, the first being, "Don't try to catch a knife when you knock it off the counter."

He was referring to an accident in early June that wounded the tendons of his left hand and caused him to cancel his scheduled appearance at the CMA Music Festival.

The second lesson, he said, was, "Cut great songs."

Stroud capped the ceremonies by calling Young "one of the greatest artists and singers I've ever been around."