ACM Unveils Industry & Studio Recording Award Winners

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The Academy of Country Music unveiled the winners of the Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards for the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards today (June 17) through video announcements featuring Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Vince Gill, Cody Johnson, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore, Thomas Rhett, Tigirlily Gold and Keith Urban as well as local media personalities from across the nation.

All winners and the soon-to-be-announced Special Award recipients will be celebrated during the 17th Annual ACM Honors on Wednesday, Aug. 21 at the historic Ryman Auditorium.

The ACM Studio Recording Awards recognize the creators behind the music. To be eligible, each artist, musician, producer and engineer must have played a part in a commercially-released single or album embodying the creator’s performance that achieves top 20 chart position or better during the eligibility period. Nominees are then selected by a professional panel of judges approved by the ACM Officers before being voted on by members classified in the Artist-Entertainer/Musician-Bandleader-Instrumentalist categories and the Producer-Engineer-Studio Manager categories.

Paul Franklin won his second ACM Specialty Instrument Player of the Year award, marking his 18th ACM Award overall while tying fellow steel guitar player J.D. Maness for most ACM Studio Recording Award wins. Dann Huff scored his fifth win for ACM Producer of the Year, bringing his total ACM Award count to 11. Huff is the most-nominated non-artist in ACM Awards history with 57 nominations, surpassed only by artists Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw and George Strait.

Jimmie Lee Sloas took home his fifth win for ACM Bass Player of the Year. Rob McNelley won his first ACM Electric Guitar Player of the Year award, bringing his ACM Award total to four. His previous three awards fell in the ACM Guitar Player of the Year category, which was split into standalone Electric and Acoustic categories in 2021.

Jim “Moose” Brown scored his third ACM Piano/Keys Player of the Year award. Audio engineer Jim Cooley, piano/keys player David Dorn and guitar player Charlie Worsham each received their second career ACM Award for Audio Engineer of the Year, Piano/Keys Player of the Year and Acoustic Guitar Player of the Year, respectively. Lastly, Jerry Roe earned his first ACM Award with the Drummer of the Year title.

The ACM Industry Awards honors venues and talent buyers/promoters who have bought or promoted a predetermined number of country music concerts and helped to promote country music ticket sales. Nominees are selected by a professional panel of judges approved by the ACM Officers, with ACM members classified in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Venue, Manager, Talent Agent, Talent Buyer/Promoter categories voting to determine the winners.

Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and Bridgestone Arena, which are one block away from each other, were named ACM Theater of the Year and ACM Arena of the Year, respectively. This marks the Ryman Auditorium’s eighth win, and Bridgestone Arena’s sixth. Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut took home its eighth ACM Award as well in the Casino of the Year – Arena category.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado earned its third ACM Outdoor Venue of the Year title and fifth overall ACM Award. Joe’s Live in Rosemont, Illinois received its third ACM Award for Club of the Year, and the club’s owner Ed Warm notched his first win for ACM Talent Buyer of the Year, bringing his total personal trophy count to six.

Tortuga Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale, Florida took home its third ACM Award for Festival of the Year, and Choctaw Grand Theater in Durant, Oklahoma scored its third ACM Award with Casino of the Year – Theater. San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo won its second ACM Award for Fair/Rodeo of the Year, and AEG Presents’ Adam Weiser marked his first ACM Award for Promoter of the Year.

Liza Anderson
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