Norbert Nix Exits Triple Tigers, Kevin Herring & Annie Ortmeier Named Co-Presidents

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Kevin Herring, Annie Ortmeier and George Couri. Photo: Jesse Lendzion

Norbert Nix has exited his position as President of Triple Tigers, the label home to Scotty McCreery, Russell Dickerson and Jordan Fletcher.

Triple Tigers’ Kevin Herring and former UMG exec. Annie Ortmeier have become Co-Presidents of the label, reporting to George Couri, Triple Tigers Co-Founder and Triple 8 Management Co-Founder.

“Triple Tigers 2.0 is here,” Couri shares. “I look forward to stepping into a more active role, as well as having Kevin and Annie form a dual attack in the worlds of both radio and streaming & digital. Kevin’s radio singles batting average here is unmatched in the industry, and Annie comes from leading streaming and digital strategies at the biggest label in the business. With our company intentionally focused on maintaining a very small group of artists who benefit from dedicated attention, there will be tremendous impact on our roster.”

Herring took his post at Triple Tigers in 2017, overseeing all radio promotion efforts for the label. He previously served as Sr. VP of Promotion at Warner Music Nashville, and VP of Promotion at Lyric Street Records. “I am very proud and honored to be entrusted with a leadership role at Triple Tigers,” he says. “This is an amazing group of people and artists who are dedicated to making world class country music and lifting up the artists, songwriters, format and community.”

Ortmeier formerly served as Sr. VP of Streaming Marketing at UMG, where she was responsible for both audio and video streaming marketing strategy for all the label’s artists. She joined UMG in 2013. She shares, “I am excited to be joining George, Kevin and the team at Triple Tigers. I have admired Triple Tigers and the incredible success they have had thus far, and am looking forward to being able to build upon that success with Scotty, Russell, Jordan and the team!”

Nix has launched an artist development company, VISCYRL. He announced his signing of Wisconsin-native Sawyer Utah in July.

Congratulate Herring via kevin@tripletigers.com and Ortmeier via annie@tripletigers.com. Reach Couri via george@triple8mgmt.com and Nix at norbert@viscyrl.com.

SMACKSongs Promotes Lee Krabel To Sr. VP Of Publishing

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Lee Krabel. Photo: Lance Wilson

SMACKSongs has promoted Lee Krabel to Senior Vice President of Publishing, effective immediately.

Since joining the company in 2016 as Creative Director, Krabel has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s creative direction and fostering an environment where songwriters can thrive over the years.

At SMACK, Krabel runs point on an array of talented songwriters, including Josh Jenkins, Ross Copperman, Scott Stepakoff, Tigirlily Gold, McCoy Moore and Clara Park. In his new role, he will continue to oversee SMACK’s entire roster of songwriters, manage the creative staff, book writing sessions, pitch songs, and identify and sign new and promising writers.

“This is well deserved! Lee has been a huge part of the success of SMACK for the past 7 years and helped grow the team to what it is today,” says SMACK President, Robert Carlton. “I’m excited to see what this next chapter has in store. With Lee here, I know our writers will always be in good hands.”

Krabel shares, “The writers and staff at SMACK continue to build one of the best independent publishers in the world. I’m very thankful that Shane [McAnally], Robin [Palmer] and Robert continue to believe in me to be a part of this great team. It feels like we are just getting started and I can’t wait to see where SMACK grows from here.”

Congratulate Krabel at lee@smacksongs.com.

35th Annual MusicRow Awards Winners [Full List]

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MusicRow Magazine revealed the winners of the 35th annual MusicRow Awards today (Sept. 12) in a series of videos on all MusicRow online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

City National Bank is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 MusicRow Awards.

Now in its 35th year, the MusicRow Awards are Nashville’s longest running music industry trade publication honors and celebrate the achievements of songwriters, artists, producers, and more. Winners are voted on by MusicRow’s subscribers.

All the MusicRow Award nominees are profiled in the recently released MusicRow Awards print issue.

MusicRow Magazine Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson, and respected television host, entertainment journalist, writer and producer, Alecia Davis serve once again as “hosts” on each winner video.

The winners for the 35th annual MusicRow Awards are (winners marked in red):

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Zach Crowell
Dann Huff
Jay Joyce
Shane McAnally
Joey Moi – WINNER
Alysa Vanderheym

LABEL GROUP OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
BBR Music Group/BMG
Big Loud Records – WINNER
Big Machine Label Group
Sony Music Nashville
UMG Nashville
Warner Music Nashville

TALENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
CAA
Kinkead Entertainment Agency
The Neal Agency
UTA
Wasserman Music
WME – WINNER

BREAKTHROUGH SONGWRITER [WINNER]
Trannie Anderson – WINNER
Rian Ball
Cameron Bedell
Jimi Bell
Rocky Block
Will Bundy
John Byron
Jamie Davis
Jordan Dozzi
David Fanning
Joe Fox
Jaxson Free
Jacob Hackworth
Jet Harvey
Styles Haury
Tate Howell
Reid Isbell
Gavin Lucas
Austin Shawn
Christian Stalnecker
David Ray Stevens
Heath Warren
Ben Williams

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST-WRITER OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Zach Bryan
Jackson Dean
Megan Moroney
Jelly Roll – WINNER
Nate Smith
Bailey Zimmerman

MALE SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Ross Copperman
Ashley Gorley – WINNER
Chase McGill
Jon Nite
Josh Thompson
Ryan Vojtesak

FEMALE SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Jessi Alexander – WINNER
Trannie Anderson
Kelly Archer
Nicolle Galyon
Hillary Lindsey
Emily Shackelton

SONG OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
“Light On In The Kitchen” – Songwriter(s): Jessi Alexander, Ashley McBryde, Connie Harrington
“Tennessee Orange” – Songwriter(s): Ben Williams, David Fanning, Megan Moroney, Paul Jenkins
“Wait In The Truck” – Songwriter(s): Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Renee Blair – WINNER
“’98 Braves” – Songwriter(s): John Byron, Josh Miller, Travis Wood
“Memory Lane” – Songwriter(s): Brad Tursi, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen
“Standing Room Only” – Songwriter(s): Craig Wiseman, Patrick Murphy, Tommy Cecil

DISCOVERY ARTIST OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Ashley Cooke – WINNER
Chapel Hart
Kameron Marlowe
Kylie Morgan
Conner Smith
Warren Zeiders

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Jackson Dean
Megan Moroney
Jelly Roll – WINNER
Nate Smith
Hailey Whitters
Bailey Zimmerman

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Carrie Underwood
Lainey Wilson – WINNER

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Jordan Davis
Chris Stapleton
Cole Swindell
Morgan Wallen – WINNER

GROUP/DUO ARTIST OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Brothers Osborne
Little Big Town
Maddie & Tae
Old Dominion – WINNER
Parmalee
The War And Treaty

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR [VIDEO]
Kane Brown
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Morgan Wallen – WINNER

MusicRow also honors the Top 10 Album All-Star Musicians at the 2023 MusicRow Awards, recognizing the studio players who performed on the most albums reaching the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart during the eligibility period. The honorees are:

[VIDEO]

Bass
Jimmie Lee Sloas

Drums
Jerry Roe

Engineer
Tie – Drew Bollman & Jim Cooley

Fiddle
Jenee Fleenor

Guitar
Tie – Ilya Toshinskiy & Derek Wells

Keyboards
Dave Cohen

Steel
Justin Schipper

Vocals
Wes Hightower

Zach Bryan Claims No. 1 Spot On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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With his self-titled album yielding hit after hit, Zach Bryan claims the No. 1 position on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week.

All 16 tracks from Zach Bryan are charting this week, 11 of which are solely written by Bryan.

Ashley Gorley shifts down to No. 2 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week with nine charting songs, followed by Tracy Chapman who maintains her No. 3 spot. Oliver Anthony Music (as Christopher Anthony Lunsford) falls to No. 4 from the chart’s top spot. Jordan Schmidt rounds out the leaders, sitting in the No. 5 position.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Weekly Register: Jimmy Buffett Ascends The Country Albums Chart

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Jimmy Buffett. Photo: Julie Skarratt

Jimmy Buffett‘s Songs You Know By Heart has landed at No. 3 on the country albums chart this week, following the iconic creator’s passing, with 52K in total consumption (15K album only/39 million song streams) according to Luminate data.

Zach Bryan‘s self-titled collection takes No. 1 again with 115K (3.4K album only/142 million song streams), and Morgan Wallen‘s One Thing At A Time remains at No. 2 with 84K (2.6K album only/103 million song streams). His Dangerous: The Double Album stays at No. 4 with 41K (596 album only/52 million song streams), while Taylor Swift‘s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) moves to No. 5 with 37K (9.8K album only/35 million song streams).

Bryan also tops the country streaming songs chart again this week alongside Kacey Musgraves as “I Remember Everything” amasses 28 million new streams, adding to 60 million ATD. Wallen’s “Last Night” continues at No. 2 with 18 million streams, adding to 878 million ATD, and Oliver Anthony‘s “Rich Men North Of Richmond” follows at No. 3 with 16 million new streams, adding to 75 million ATD.

Luke Combs‘ “Fast Car” cover returns to the top five at No. 4 with 14 million streams, adding to 391 million ATD, alongside Bryan’s “Something In The Orange,” which secures No. 5 with 13 million new streams, adding to 932 million ATD.

Tune In: 2023 MusicRow Awards Winners Revealed Tomorrow

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MusicRow will reveal the industry-voted winners of the 35th annual MusicRow Awards in a series of videos on all MusicRow online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, starting at 8:30 a.m. TOMORROW (Sept. 12).

The Top 10 Album All-Star Musicians Awards will also be announced on Sept. 12, recognizing the industry’s most in-demand studio players for Bass, Drums, Engineer, Fiddle, Guitar, Keyboards, Steel, and Vocals.

MusicRow Awards Schedule of Announcements:
8:30 a.m.: Top 10 Album All-Star Musicians Awards
9:00 a.m.: Producer of the Year
9:30 a.m.: Label Group of the Year
10:00 a.m.: Agency of the Year
10:30 a.m.: Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
11:00 a.m.: Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year
11:30 a.m.: Male Songwriter of the Year
12:00 p.m.: Female Songwriter of the Year
12:30 p.m.: Song of the Year
1:00 p.m.: Discovery Artist of the Year
1:30 p.m.: Breakthrough Artist of the Year
2:00 p.m.: Female Artist of the Year
2:30 p.m.: Male Artist of the Year
3:00 p.m.: Group/Duo Artist of the Year
3:30 p.m.: Entertainer of the Year

Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank.

Click here to read about the nominees up for each category. The nominees are also profiled in the recently released MusicRow Awards print issue.

Lainey Wilson Returns To The Top Of The MusicRow Radio Chart

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Lainey Wilson returns to the top of the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with “Watermelon Moonshine.”

Wilson wrote the summer-love tune with Jordan Schmidt and Josh Kear. It appears on her Bell Bottom Country album, the ACM Album of the Year that just received the same nod when the CMA Award nominations were announced this week.

Wilson was the most nominated artist for this year’s CMA Awards. In addition to Album of the Year, she is nominated for Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Musical Event of the Year, Music Video of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.

“Watermelon Moonshine” currently sits at No. 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and No. 5 on the Mediabase chart.

Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Billy Currington Takes Listeners ‘Beyond The Reef’

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It’s “baby acts” day in country music for this edition of DISClaimer.

Colby Acuff, Neon Union, Kylie Morgan, Randall King, Track45 and HuneyFire are all looking to take the next step up in their careers. But they’ll have to get by such established hitmakers as Reba McEntire, Maddie & Tae and our Disc of the Day winner, Billy Currington.

I can’t wait for you to hear this week’s DISCovery Award winner. It goes to Taylor Goyette for his crazy-good, marvelously creative “Show Goes On.”

TAYLOR GOYETTE / “Show Goes On”
Writers: Taylor Goyette/Joe Haydel/John Caldwell/Mark Addison Chandler; Producer: John Caldwell; Label: TG
– This is an uber-cool sound. There’s a funky stomp beat going on and off-kilter carnival audio beneath a raspy folk-soul vocal. The lyric is jam packed with vivid, doomsday, breaking-news imagery. Whoever this guy is, I’m a fan. So are some other folks, because this is blowing up on iTunes Country. 

BILLY CURRINGTON / “Anchor Man”
Writers: Paul Overstreet/Scotty Emerick; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Label: Mercury Nashville
– Wistful and yearning. It will take you out beyond the reef onto the open sea with a breeze in your face. The song’s protagonist is a former news anchor who has chucked it all to ignore headlines and deadlines and spend his days fishing. It wasn’t intended as such, but it kinda sounds like an audio homage to the late and much mourned Jimmy Buffett. 

TANNER USREY / “Who I Am”
Writers: none listed; Producer: Beau Bedford; Label: Atlantic Records
– The production rocks nicely. The singing has urgency and force. The song and its unattractive lyric do nothing for me.

MADDIE & TAE / “Heart They Didn’t Break”
Writers: Ryan Beaver/Benjy Davis/Anna Vaus; Producer: Corey Crowder; Label: Mercury Nashville
– As usual, their vocal harmonies are perfection. The song about friendship carrying you through heartbreak has power and truth. I have always loved these ladies. 

RANDALL KING / “The One You’re Waiting On”
Writers: Adam Wright/Shannon Wright; Producers: Randall King/Jared Conrad; Label: Warner Music Nashville
– King remains one of my very favorite current country singers. And I do mean country, not warmed-over ’70s rock. This man stands proudly in the tradition of Keith Whitley, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson and Merle Haggard. On this gentle barroom ballad, he winningly wishes he were the object of her affection. It pushes every honky-tonk button on the jukebox of your heart. 

KENDALL TUCKER, JELLY ROLL & STATE OF MINE / “Dragging Me Down”
Writers: Kendall Tucker/Jason DeFord/Randy Foucha; Producers: Bernard James Perry/John A. Pregler; Label: KT
– Tucker is a white rapper and State of Mine is a rock band. In this audio battle between genres, rock wins and country never even fires a shot. 

HUNEYFIRE / “Breaking Necks”
Writers: Cheaza Figueroa/Marriana Nevarez-Barlow/Jason Pennock; Producers: Cheaza Figueroa/Jason Pennock; Label: HF
– This mother-daughter, Afro-Latino country duo returns with a strutting, sassy, empowering outing. The reason she’s “breaking necks” is because when she walks by, the boys snap their heads around. Flirty fun. By the way, Figueroa’s mother was an Ikette, and Nevarez-Barlow’s dad was in All-4-One. 

NEON UNION / “This Side of the Dirt”
Writers: Hunter Phelps/Nicollette Hayford/Ben Johnson/Jerry Flowers; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Red Street Records
– Rousing and energetic, this ditty says you should live every day by loving your special someone like it’s your last day on earth. The tracks rocks and the men sing heartily. Good to see that this duo are still in there swinging for the fences. 

REBA McENTIRE / “Till You Love Me (Acoustic Version)”
Writers: Gary Burr/Bob DiPiero; Producer: Dave Cobb; Label: MCA Nashville
– For her new Not That Fancy collection, McEntire teamed with producer Dave Cobb to record stripped-down versions of some of her best hits. Its lead track selects one of the most gorgeous melodies she’s ever sung and presents it to you in the throat of one of our greatest vocalists ever. Worthy to polish the reputation of this Country Music Hall of Fame member to a brilliant new shine. 

TRACK45 / “Drinkin and Thinkin”
Writers: Ben Johnson/Ashley Gorley/Hunter Phelps/Michael Hardy; Producers: Track45/Jason Hall; Label: Stoney Creek Records
– Caught in a dangerous whirlpool of heartbreak. The sibling trio’s harmonies are chiming amid a churning, blasting track that makes trying to drink away his memory sound like a dangerous proposition. Extremely well done. 

COLBY ACUFF / “Movin'”
Writers: Colby Acuff/Ben Roberts/Ben Chapman; Producer: Eddie Spear; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Strummy and jaunty, this is a super dandy road song. Acuff’s boyish country tenor exudes optimism, promise and better days. The fiddler saws away in upbeat sympathy. Extremely listenable. 

KYLIE MORGAN / “Making It Up As I Go”
Writers: Kylie Morgan/KK Johnson/Jordan Minton; Producer: KK Johnson; Label: EMI Nashville
– Winsome and winning. When do you ever really feel grown up? Probably never, says Morgan, and we can all relate to that. “Gettin’ older don’t make you wiser,” she sings. Can I get an “Amen?” Sweetly pensive with a thumpy backbeat. 

THE WAR AND TREATY / “Stretch Out”
Writers: Michael Trotter Jr./Tanya Trotter/Joel Taylor; Producer: Joel Taylor; Label: UMG Nashville
– There are lots of open spaces in the percussive track. When you’re dealing with singers this powerful, that’s a very, very good thing since it gives them room to emote. Or, rather, to “stretch out.” A dynamic change of pace. 

Eric Church, Miranda Lambert & Morgan Wallen To Headline Stagecoach Festival 2024

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Pictured (L-R): Eric Church, Miranda Lambert and Morgan Wallen

Stagecoach announced its 2024 lineup with headline performances from country superstars Eric Church, Miranda Lambert and Morgan Wallen on April 26-28, 2024.

Post Malone (performing a set of country covers) also joins the lineup with Jelly Roll, Hardy, Willie Nelson & Family, Megan Moroney, Bailey Zimmerman, Leon Bridges, Dwight Yoakam, The Beach Boys, Elle King, and more. The festival will see iconic late-night performances by Stagecoach mainstay Diplo with newcomers Wiz Khalifa and Nickelback.

“I can’t wait to get back to the desert to play Stagecoach in 2024. It’s going to be one hell of a party,” says Church.

Lambert shares, “There is something so special about playing music when the sun goes down in the middle of the desert. The fans, the setup, the location— there really is no other festival like it. My band and I have had the chance to experience the magic that is Stagecoach a few times now, and we can’t wait to be back in 2024!”

“Stagecoach is such a legendary festival, and I am honored to be headlining the final night,” says Wallen. “I have so many friends who never miss it and I know this will be a monumental weekend for all of us. Can’t wait to see everybody there.”

Guy Fieri’s Stagecoach Smokehouse will come back again for its fifth year to reveal new chefs, pit bosses and BBQ vendors. Fieri and friends will be showcasing their pits and rigs and offering taste tests to fans throughout the weekend. The lineup for food vendors and artist cooking demos lineup will be announced at a later date.

Returning to the festival for a third consecutive year are California’s homegrown, Compton Cowboys. They are a crew of ten Black horseback riders whose ranch is one of the very last in a semi-rural town in Compton called Richland Farms. They are bringing their horses to Stagecoach to tell their compelling story of community engagement and share in the experience.

The Stagecoach 2024 lineup will be highlighted on SiriusXM’s The Highway in an interview with SiriusXM host Buzz Brainard featuring Jelly Roll and Stagecoach organizer Stacy Vee.

Stagecoach passes go on sale starting Friday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. PT. For more information, click here.

Nominees Announced For 57th Annual CMA Awards

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The final nominees for the 57th annual CMA Awards have been revealed. Lainey Wilson leads the list with nine nominations, becoming the only artist in CMA Awards history to top the nominations list in their first two appearances on final ballot.

Other top nominees include first-time nominee Jelly Roll with five nominations, while Luke Combs and Hardy collect four nominations each. Jordan Davis, Ashley McBryde, producer/mix engineer Joey Moi, songwriter/producer Jordan Schmidt, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and musician/producer Derek Wells secure three nominations a piece.

Vying for the night’s highest honor, reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Combs is nominated again in the category alongside Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Wallen and Wilson.

The 57th CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will broadcast live from Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 8-11 p.m. ET on ABC.

First-time CMA Awards nominees include Jelly Roll, Mason Allen, Trannie Anderson, Renee Blair, Michael H. Brauer, Katelyn Brown, Zach Bryan, Tracy Chapman, Josh Ditty, David Fanning, Nicki Fletcher, Greylan James, Paul Jenkins, Gena Johnson, Chase McGill, Cameron Montgomery, Megan Moroney, Austin Nivarel, Eivind Nordland, John Osborne, Hunter Phelps, David Ray Stevens, Patrick Tohill, Alysa Vanderheym, The War And Treaty, Hailey Whitters, Ben Williams, Dallas Wilson and Charlie Worsham.

Winners of the 57th annual CMA Awards will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible CMA members. The third and Final Ballot will be emailed to CMA Professional members on Monday, Oct. 2. Voting for the CMA Awards Final Ballot ends Friday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. CT.

Final Nominees for the 57th annual CMA Awards are below:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
– Luke Combs
– Chris Stapleton
– Carrie Underwood
– Morgan Wallen
– Lainey Wilson

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
– “Fast Car” – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
– “Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
– “Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll
Producer: Austin Nivarel
Mix Engineer: Jeff Braun
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
– “Wait In The Truck” – Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
Mix Engineer: Joey Moi

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
– Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde
Producers: John Osborne, John Peets
Mix Engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne
– Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
– Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews
– One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen
Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery
Mix Engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind Nordland
– Rolling Up the Welcome Mat – Kelsea Ballerini
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym
Mix Engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa Vanderheym

SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Songwriter(s)
– “Fast Car”
Songwriter: Tracy Chapman
– “Heart Like A Truck”
Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson
– “Next Thing You Know”
Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne
– “Tennessee Orange”
Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams
– “Wait In The Truck”
Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Kelsea Ballerini
– Miranda Lambert
– Ashley McBryde
– Carly Pearce
– Lainey Wilson

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Luke Combs
– Jelly Roll
– Cody Johnson
– Chris Stapleton
– Morgan Wallen

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Lady A
– Little Big Town
– Midland
– Old Dominion
– Zac Brown Band

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
– Brooks & Dunn
– Brothers Osborne
– Dan + Shay
– Maddie & Tae
– The War And Treaty

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artists and Producer(s)
– “Save Me” – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
– “She Had Me At Heads Carolina (Remix)” – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina
Producer: Zach Crowell
– “Thank God” – Kane Brown (with Katelyn Brown)
Producer: Dann Huff
– “Wait In The Truck” – Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
– “We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce (featuring Chris Stapleton)
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
– Jenee Fleenor
– Paul Franklin
– Rob McNelley
– Derek Wells
– Charlie Worsham

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)
– “Light On In The Kitchen” – Ashley McBryde
Director: Reid Long
– “Memory Lane” – Old Dominion
Directors: Mason Allen, Nicki Fletcher
– “Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll
Director: Patrick Tohill
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Director: Running Bear
– “Wait In The Truck” – Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson)
Director: Justin Clough

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Zach Bryan
– Jelly Roll
– Parker McCollum
– Megan Moroney
– Hailey Whitters

Finalists for the CMA Broadcast Awards were also announced today. The winners will be determined by a final round of judging this month. Entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions. The winners will be revealed in October and recipients will be honored at the CMA Awards.

2023 CMA Broadcast Awards – Finalists For Broadcast Personality Of The Year (by market size):

Weekly National
– American Country Countdown (Kix Brooks) – Cumulus/Westwood One
– Country Countdown USA (Lon Helton) – Compass Media Networks
– Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence (Tracy Lawrence and Patrick Thomas) – Silverfish Media
– On The Horizon with Buzz Brainard (Buzz Brainard) – SiriusXM
– Y’all Access with Kelly Sutton (Kelly Sutton) – Firefly Media/Silverfish Media

Daily National
– Angie Ward – iHeartMedia
– The Big D and Bubba Show (Derek “Big D” Haskins, Sean “Bubba” Powell, Patrick Thomas, and Carsen Humphreville) – Silverfish Media
– Katie & Company (Katie Neal) – Audacy
– Nights with Elaina (Elaina Smith) – Westwood One
– The Sam Alex Show (Sam Alex) – Sam Alex Productions, LLC

Major Market
– Chris Carr & Company (Chris Carr, Kia Becht, and Sam Sansevere) – KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
– Frito & Katy (Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey) – KCYY, San Antonio, Texas
– Hawkeye in the Morning with Hawkeye and Michelle (“Hawkeye” Mark Louis Rybczyk and Michelle Rodriguez) – KSCS, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
– Josh, Rachael & Grunwald (Josh Holleman, Rachael Hunter, and Steve Grunwald) – WYCD, Detroit, Mich.
– Scotty Kay (Scotty Kay) – WUSN, Chicago, Ill.

Large Market
– The Big Dave Show (“Big Dave” Chandler, Ashley Heiert, and Jason “Stattman” Statt) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
– The Morning Drive with Mike Kellar and Jenny Matthews (Mike Kellar and Jenny Matthews) – KBEQ, Kansas City, Missouri
– Scott and Shannen (Scott Dolphin and “Shannen O” Oesterreich) – WMIL, Milwaukee-Racine, Wisconsin
– Tim & Chelsea In The Morning (Tim Leary and Chelsea Taylor) – WIRK, West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Florida
– The Wayne D Show (“Wayne D” Danielson and Tay Hamilton) – WSIX, Nashville, Tennessee

Medium Market
– Cait & Bradley Morning Show (Cait Fisher and Matt Bradley) – KWEN, Tulsa, Oklahoma
– Clay & Company (Clay Moden, Rob Banks, and Kadie Daye) – WYRK, Buffalo-Niagara Falls, New York
– Ellis and Bradley Show (Bill Ellis and Beth Bradley) – WSSL, Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina
– Mo & StyckMan (Melissa “Mo” Wagner and Greg “StyckMan” Owens) – WUSY, Chattanooga, Tennessee
– Steve & Gina In The Morning (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska-Iowa

Small Market
– The B100 Morning Show with Brittney Baily (Brittney Baily) – WBYT, South Bend, Indiana
– The Eddie Foxx Show (Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx) – WKSF, Asheville, North Carolina
– Officer Don & DeAnn (“Officer Don” Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
– Steve & Tiffany in the Morning (Steve Waters and Tiffany Kay) – WFLS, Fredericksburg, Virginia
– Steve, Ben and Nikki (Steve Stroud, Ben Walker, and Nikki Thomas) – WXBQ, Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia

2023 CMA Broadcast Awards – Finalists For Radio Station Of The Year (by market size):

Major Market
KCYY – San Antonio, Texas
KEEY – Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota
KKBQ – Houston, Texas
KSCS – Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
WXTU – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Large Market
WIRK – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Florida
WKDF – Nashville, Tennessee
WMIL – Milwaukee-Racine, Wisconsin
WUBE – Cincinnati, Ohio
WWKA – Orlando, Florida

Medium Market
KUZZ – Bakersfield, California
KXKT – Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska-Iowa
WGGY – Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Pennsylvania
WPCV – Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida
WQMX – Akron, Ohio

Small Market
KCLR – Columbia, Missouri
WBYT – South Bend, Indiana
WKML – Fayetteville, North Carolina
WXBQ – Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia
WYCT – Pensacola, Florida