2020 MusicRow Awards Category Profile: Producer of the Year

Following Tuesday’s (July 7) announcement of this year’s nominees for the 32nd 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 eligibility period of April 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020.

The MusicRow Awards will be announced virtually among multiple MusicRow platforms on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Presenting Sponsor of the 2020 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank.

Click here to see the full list of MusicRow Awards nominees.

Winners are determined solely by MusicRow Magazine subscribed members. Voting is now open and closes on July 17 at 5:00 p.m..

To receive a ballot to vote in the MusicRow Awards, become a MusicRow member here.

Dave Cobb merged critical and commercial success with his work on albums by The Highwomen, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen, and the upcoming Lori McKenna project. Tapping into the creative vibes at his homebase of historic RCA Studio A, Cobb continued crafting the cool sounds that helped him become MusicRow Awards Producer of the Year in 2018 and 2016.

Ross Copperman led a diverse group of artists to studio success, ranging from pop-leaning songstresses Kelsea Ballerini and Gabby Barrett, to radio mainstays Dierks Bentley and Kenny Chesney, to newcomers King Calaway. Copperman co-produced Barrett’s smash debut single “I Hope,” which helped her earn two MusicRow Awards nominations. With a string of hits as a writer, Copperman is also in the running for Male Songwriter of the Year.

Scott Hendricks continued his hitmaking run as producer for Dan + Shay, Blake Shelton and Michael Ray. His studio skills earned several hit singles during the eligibility period, including Shelton’s “Hell Right,” “Nobody But You” and “God’s Country,” and Dan + Shay’s “All To Myself.” Hendricks’ work helped yield an Artist of the Year nomination for Dan + Shay and a Discovery Award nomination for newcomer Trea Landon.

Dann Huff, a three-time and reigning MusicRow Awards Producer of the Year, returns to the nominations with another impressive list of credits. Among the No. 1 records he produced are Lady A’s “What If I Never Get Over You,” Brett Young’s “Here Tonight,” Eli Young Band’s “Love Ain’t,” and Thomas Rhett’s “Remember You Young” and “Beer Can’t Fix” (ft. Jon Pardi). Adding to Huff’s tally are projects by Brantley Gilbert, Brooks & Dunn, Kane Brown, Midland, Riley Green, Runaway June and Seaforth.

Jay Joyce leaves fingerprints all over this year’s slate of MusicRow Awards nominees, including producing projects by Artist of the Year nominees Ashley McBryde and Miranda Lambert. He also produced Song of the Year nominees “One Night Standards” (McBryde), “Bluebird” (Lambert), and “Monsters” (Eric Church). Joyce steered recent recordings by Brandy Clark, Brothers Osborne, Lainey Wilson, LANCO, Tenille Townes and Declan McKenna. Joyce was voted MusicRow Producer of the Year in 2017 and 2015.

Scott Moffatt is the studio brains behind Luke Combs’ hit-making brawn. Together they have churned out multiple No. 1 hits, including “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “Even Though I’m Leaving” and the most recent “Does To Me,” which is in the running for MusicRow Awards Song of the Year. Additionally Combs is vying to retain his title as reigning Artist of the Year. This is Moffatt’s first MusicRow Awards nomination.