Bobby Karl Works The MusicRow CountryBreakout Awards

Showcase artist High Valley.

11th annual CountryBreakout Winners
Male Artist of the Year: Dierks Bentley, 127,652 spins
Female Artist of the Year: Miranda Lambert, 100,934 spins
Group/Duo of the Year: Zac Brown Band, 118, 356 spins
Breakout Artist of the Year: Kip Moore, 93,869
Independent Artist of the Year: Taylor Made, 35,409 spins
Label of the Year: Capitol Records Nashville, 597,897
CountryBreakout Reporter of the Year: Paul Ciliberto, WDNB/Liberty, NY

Read all about the award winners in the new print issue of MusicRow, available for free at the Nashville Convention Center during CRS. Awards are based strictly on spins on theMusicRow CountryBreakout chart during 2012. 

BOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM: Chapter 417

Dierks Bentley

There was no bang from a starter pistol, no clang of a gong or ringing of a bell, but the 2013 CRS attendees are definitely off and running.

Hundreds surged into Margaritaville on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 26), packing the venue’s upstairs event space for the MusicRow CountryBreakout Awards. Now in its 11th year, this gig has become the unofficial kick-off event of Country Radio Seminar.

The throng included Tracy Lawrence, The Roys, Robby Johnson, Sherry Lynn, Angel Mary & The Tennessee Werewolves, Tyler Dean, Brent Cobb, Shelly Mullins and Alex Flanigen schmoozing the likes of David Newmark, David Ross, Isabel Ross, Al Brock, Dan Mitchell, Regnia Hensley, Judy Harris, Christy Watkins, Brenda Larsen, Wes Vause, Teddi Bonadies, Steve Pope, Preston Schmidt, Susan Collier, Neil Spielberg, Chuck Dauphin, Frank Myers, Woody Bomar, Robbie Huff, Byron Gallimore, Renee Grant-Williams and hostess with the mostest, Margaritaville’s Tinti Moffatt.

Showcase artist Jaida Dreyer

“Repeat after me, ‘Welcome to CRS!’” shouted entertainer Jaida Dreyer to the crowd. Her debut album, I Am Jaida Dreyer was released that very morning. From it, she chose to sing the wry, minor-key “Confessions of an Ex Girlfriend,” her single “Half Broke Horses” and the bopping “If That Ain’t Love.”

(L-R): Sarah Skates, Sony’s R.G. Jones, Sherod Robertson

Also entertaining at the event were the three-part sibling harmony masters High Valley. The group, which is opening shows for Little Big Town this spring, sang the driving, energetic “Love You for a Long Time” and the anthemic “Call Me Old Fashioned,” then introduced a brand-new song, the throbbing “Rescue You.”

(L-R): Sarah Skates, MCA’s Van Haze, Sherod Robertson

Between performances, MusicRow owner/publisher Sherod Robertson handed out the magazine’s radio chart honors. This year’s Male Artist of the Year is Dierks Bentley, thanks to “Home,” “5-1-5-0” and “Tip It on Back.”

CountryBreakout Reporter of the Year Paul Ciliberto

“I’m a huge fan of MusicRow, so it is an honor to be here,” said Bentley. “And my fan club is on the front row! This is awesome.”

Accepting the Female Artist of the Year award for Miranda Lambert was Sony Music Nashville promo guy R.G. Jones. “Thank you very much for all your support, country radio,” he said. “I just wish I was as good looking as Miranda.” So do we.

ROAR’s Matt Maher and Chuck Swaney of Southern Ground Artists accepted the Group/Duo prize on behalf of the Zac Brown Band. MCA’s Van Haze got up to collect the Breakout Artist award on behalf of Kip Moore, who was busy shooting the video for “Hey Pretty Girl.”

(L-R): Sarah Skates, UMG Nashville’s Steve Hodges and Shane Allen, Sherod Robertson

(L-R): Sarah Skates, ROAR’s Matt Maher, Southern Ground Artist’s Chuck Swaney, Sherod Robertson

Can you believe this? Capitol Nashville Records won the Label of the Year award for the eighth consecutive time. The company had 11 of the 32 No. 1 songs on the MusicRow chart during the past year.

Independent Artist of the Year Taylor Made

“Thank y’all for playing our fantastic music,” said the label’s Steve Hodges, who was accompanied to the stage by co-worker Shane Allen.

The West Virginia-bred sibling trio Taylor Made was clearly delighted by its win. Their press releases now refer to them as “MusicRow Independent Artist of the Year Taylor Made.”

Radio Reporter of the Year Paul Ciliberto of WDNB in Liberty, N.Y. accepted his award by saying, “The best award of all is making true friends of so many in this room. I am truly honored.”

High Valley

Robertson bid us all adieu: “We appreciate you starting Country Radio Seminar week with us. Have an awesome CRS. Have as much fun as you can…legally.”

A-a-a-a-a-nd they’re OFF! Let the week of yakking and drinking and music begin.

(L-R): Sarah Skates, Sherod Robertson, Dierks Bentley and Steve Hodges

Jaida Dreyer

Photos by Isabel Ross and Caitlin Rantala. Click to see more event pics.