ACM Announces Industry Award And Studio Recording Winners For 55th ACM Awards
The Academy of Country Music’s reigning New Male Artist Riley Green and New Female Artist Tenille Townes announced the Industry Award and Studio Recording Award winners for the 55th ACM Awards today (Dec. 8) via Facebook.
The 2020 Industry Awards, the 2020 and 2021 Studio Recording Awards, along with Special Award recipients (to be announced next spring), will be honored during the 14th ACM Honors, an evening dedicated to recognizing the special honorees and off-camera category winners from both the 55th and 56th ACM Awards. There will not be 2021 Industry Award recipients as eligibility requirements were unable to be met due to the live entertainment shutdown caused by the pandemic.
The 14th ACM Honors will take place on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 at the historic Ryman Auditorium, with more details to come in early spring.
“A huge congratulations to this year’s Industry and Studio Recording Award winners. In recognition of the recent announcement of the re-opening of our ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund which has already raised $3.5 million to aid our industry, it is especially fitting to acknowledge these deserving winners this year, and we are excited to properly recognize them in person in Nashville next August 2021 at the 14th ACM Honors,” said CEO of the Academy of Country Music, Damon Whiteside. “Never has there been a more important time to recognize these individuals and highlight our industry’s on-going dedication and innovation throughout this difficult year. Our community has been devastated by the pandemic, and we can’t wait to see it come back stronger than ever in 2021.”
Below is a complete list of the Industry Awards and Studio Recording Award winners for the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards:
INDUSTRY AWARDS:
CASINO OF THE YEAR – THEATER: The Joint: Tulsa – Tulsa, OK
CASINO OF THE YEAR – ARENA: MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV
FAIR/RODEO OF THE YEAR: Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo – Houston, TX
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR: Tortuga Music Festival – Fort Lauderdale, FL
CLUB OF THE YEAR: Joe’s Live – Rosemont, IL
THEATER OF THE YEAR: The Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
OUTDOOR VENUE OF THE YEAR: Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
ARENA OF THE YEAR: Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR: Gil Cunningham – Neste Live!
PROMOTER OF THE YEAR: Brian O’Connell – Live Nation
STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS:
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Jimmie Lee Sloas
DRUMMER OF THE YEAR – Miles McPherson
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Rob McNelley
PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Gordon Mote
SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Jenee Fleenor
STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Paul Franklin
AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR – Justin Niebank
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR – busbee (Awarded Posthumously)
The Academy of Country Music Studio Recording Awards are voted on by the membership categorized in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer category. Industry Awards are voted on by the membership categorized in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Venue, Manager, Talent Agent and Talent Buyer/Promoter.
- Ella Langley Notches Sixth Week Atop The MusicRow Radio Chart - May 29, 2026
- My Music Row Story: TRACK mgmt’s Troy “Tracker” Johnson - May 20, 2026
- Ella Langley, Cody Johnson Lead New Era At 61st ACM Awards [Recap] - May 18, 2026
