Final Nominees Announced for CMA 2013 SRO Awards
The Country Music Association has named the final nominees for the CMA 2013 SRO Awards. The final ballot will be e-mailed to voters on Friday, May 24. This year a new category has been added for Talent Buyer/Promoter.
Ballots will be sent to CMA members in the following categories: Affiliated, Artist, Engineer, Entertainment Services, Musician, Personal Manager, Publicist, Record Label, Talent Agent, Talent Buyer/Promoter, TV/Video/Media and Venue. Final voting for the SRO Awards will take place online from May 24-June 12. Ballots will be tabulated by the international accounting firm Deloitte & Touche, LLP.
Finalists were determined during the first round of the balloting process when voters submitted nominations in each category.
CMA’s SRO Awards 2013 Final Nominees are as follows (in alphabetical order):
CATEGORY 1 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Jamie Cheek – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Dwight Wiles – Smith, Wiles & Co., P.C.
CATEGORY 2 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Kelley Beck – Blake Shelton
Caleb Garrett – Kenny Chesney
Tim Olson – Toby Keith
CATEGORY 3 – FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Greg Huffman – Jake Owen
Jeff Parsons – Blake Shelton
David Payne – Taylor Swift
CATEGORY 4 – LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Trevor Ahlstrand – Martina McBride
Paul Normandale – Hunter Hayes
Steve Richards – Taylor Swift
CATEGORY 5 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Robert Allen – 13 Management
Narvel Blackstock – Starstruck Entertainment
Clint Higham – Morris Artists Management
CATEGORY 6 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Kevin Canady – Blake Shelton
Greg Fowler – Jake Owen
Erica Worden – Taylor Swift
CATEGORY 7 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Brad Baisley – Blake Shelton
Jordan Kolenc – Taylor Swift
Evan Richner – Jason Aldean
CATEGORY 8 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Arthur Kemish – Taylor Swift
Meesha Kosciolek – Martina McBride
Art Rich – Blake Shelton
CATEGORY 9 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
Paula Erickson – Erickson Public Relations
Mary Hilliard Harrington – The GreenRoom
Ebie McFarland – Essential Broadcast Media, LLC
CATEGORY 10 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
Rod Essig – Creative Artist Agency
Jay Williams – William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC
Rob Beckham – William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC
CATEGORY 11 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Louis Messina – The Messina Group
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation
Debra Rathwell – AEG Live
CATEGORY 12 – TOUR CATERER OF THE YEAR
Dega Catering
TaDa! Catering
TourCats Catering
CATEGORY 13 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
David Cook – Taylor Swift – Keyboard
Robby Emerson – Jake Owen – Bass
Steve Sinatra – Hunter Hayes – Drums
CATEGORY 14 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, Tenn.
Joe’s Bar – Chicago, Ill.
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.
CATEGORY 15 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Jay Cooper – Kenny Chesney
Olivier Goulet – Taylor Swift
Michael Tinsley – Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, George Strait, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum have been added as performers during the upcoming 2013 CMT Music Awards. The event will air live from Nashville on Wednesday, June 5 at 8 p.m. ET on CMT and on CMT.com.
TobyMac will appear on ABC’s The View on Friday (May 24) at 10 a.m. CT. He will perform his single “Me Without You,” from his Billboard Top 200 chart-topping album, Eye On It.
The Hard Rock Cafe in New York will hold a birthday event that features four generations of the Nelson Family sharing the same stage for the first time ever. Guests include The Family Nelson & Willie, including Willie Nelson, Paula Nelson Band (Willie’s daughter), Raelyn Nelson Band (Willie’s granddaughter), Lukas Nelson (Willie’s son) and the Promise of the Real, Insects Vs Robots (Micah Nelson, Willie’s son), Folk Uke (Amy Nelson, Willie’s daughter), Lechuza (Martha Jewell Fowler, Willie’s granddaughter) plus Toad The Wet Sprocket, Robert Randolph and Buddy Valastro (The Cake Boss).
TKO Artist Management has promoted Michelle Garramone to the role of Brand Coordinator. Garramone graduated from Belmont University in May 2012. She worked at TKO Artist Management as a part-time receptionist and was promoted to full-time brand assistant upon graduation. She can be reached at 
IMMERSE, the Gospel Music Association’s Music Training Experience, has announced two scholarship opportunities, including the “Music Makes” scholarship to attend the upcoming IMMERSE event, as well as three $5,000 scholarships to “reVIEWyou” winners in the songwriting, singer/songwriter-female and singer/songwriter-male categories. Hosted by Plumb, the Tuesday Night Songwriter Showcase (May 28) will feature artists Matt Hammitt, Jon Steingard, Seth Mosely, Kevin Max, David Zach, Meredith Andrews, Karen Peck and others.
SOLID‘s annual yard sale will take place Saturday, June 8 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. It is an opportunity to fans from across the country to connect with their favorite stars and for industry personnel to clear out their promo closets. Donations are needed for the event. Desired items include press items from awards shows, unused promo from album releases and tours, posters, press kits, ANYTHING signed (clothing, albums, posters), T-shirts, jackets, meet & greet opportunties and much more.
Randy Owen will headline the Pickin’ for Prevention songwriters show on June 4 at the Wildhorse Saloon. Proceeds will benefit the Middle TN Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Several artists took to social media to send their thoughts and prayers to those affected by the tornado that tore through Moore, Okla. and its surrounding communities yesterday (May 20). Many artists, including Oklahoma natives Toby Keith, Reba and Carrie Underwood, shared their thoughts on the recent events.
Country Weekly magazine will host its annual celebration on Tuesday, June 4, to unofficially kick off CMA Music Festival. Easton Corbin, Dustin Lynch, Greg Bates and Chris Janson are slated to take part in the event, which will be held at the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Nashville.
