2018 MusicRow Awards: Producer Of The Year Nominees

Following last week’s announcement of this year’s nominees for the 30th annual MusicRow Awards, we take a look at the MusicRow Producer of the Year category. Nominees conjured up some of country music’s most innovative projects during the last 12 months.

CATEGORY 1: PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

The MusicRow Awards will be presented at a private ceremony.

See the full list of MusicRow Awards nominees.

Winners are determined solely by MusicRow subscribers. Voting closes on May 25 at 5 p.m. If you do not have a subscription, you may subscribe to receive a ballot.

busbee is a first-time MusicRow Awards nominee. His work led to hits by Maren Morris (“I Could Use A Love Song”) and Lauren Alaina (“Road Less Traveled”), as well as the 2018 trophy for ACM Vocal Event of the Year for “The Fighter” by Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood. busbee is a co-writer and producer of Carly Pearce’s Every Little Thing, which earned the singer a nod for MusicRow Breakthrough Artist of the Year. busbee is an in-demand producer who also helmed Lady Antebellum’s Heart Break, and music by Rascal Flatts and Drake White.

Dave Cobb conjured studio magic for Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, who respectively took home Grammy Awards for Best Country Album and Best Americana Album. Additionally, Stapleton won Album of the Year from both the CMA and ACM for From A Room: Volume 1. From Cobb’s homebase at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, he also recorded projects by Zac Brown Band, John Prine, Brent Cobb, Ashley Monroe, Brandi Carlile, Oak Ridge Boys, Randy Rogers Band, Old Crow Medicine Show and Anderson East. Cobb won this award in 2016.

Scott Hendricks, longtime producer for Blake Shelton, continued his studio success with Shelton’s latest album Texoma Shore, home to the hits “I’ll Name The Dogs” and “I Lived It.” Adding to Hendricks’ recent tally are Dan + Shay’s pair of No. 1s “How Not To” and “From the Ground Up,” Chris Janson’s rising single “Drunk Girl” (also nominated for MusicRow Song of the Year), and music by Michael Ray and newcomer Tegan Marie.

Dann Huff had a hand in hits by three 2018 MusicRow Awards nominees. He produced Thomas Rhett’s groovy Life Changes album, home to “Craving You,” “Marry Me,” and the title track, which is vying for MusicRow Song of the Year. Huff also steered MusicRow Breakthrough Artist nominees Kane Brown and Midland. He reunited with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill for their duets album and produced recent hits by Brett Young, Billy Currington and Brantley Gilbert. Huff is a two-time MusicRow Producer of the Year, who produced Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” the reigning MusicRow Song of the Year and CMA Single of the Year.

Jay Joyce continued scoring hits by his longtime studio collaborators Little Big Town, as well as rising artists Brothers Osborne and The Wild Feathers. Joyce played a major role in helping newcomers Ashley McBryde, LANCO, and Devin Dawson find unique sounds and hone their songwriting abilities, leading to MusicRow Awards nominations for LANCO (Breakthrough Artist) and Dawson (Breakthrough Artist-Writer). Later this year, listen for Joyce’s upcoming project with Tenille Townes. Joyce won 2017 and 2015 MusicRow Producer of the Year.

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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