
CMA has revealed the nominees for the 2025 CMA Touring Awards, which will take place on Jan. 27 in Nashville. Now in its 20th year, the CMA Touring Awards honor behind-the-scenes members of the country music touring industry. The ceremony will be hosted by Keith Urban.
Up for the nights biggest award of Crew of the Year are the “All-American Road Show Tour” Crew, “Am I Okay? Tour” Crew, “Broken Branches Tour” Crew, “I’m The Problem Tour” Crew, “Jim Bob World Tour” Crew, “Live On Tour” Crew, “On The Road Tour” Crew, and “Whirlwind World Tour” Crew.
Veteran artist manager Jim Halsey will be given the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors an individual who has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout the years. The honoree has proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on country music fans and the industry, and whose presence will have a long-term positive impact.
Throughout his 60 year career, Halsey guided the careers of Roy Clark, Reba McEntire, Merle Haggard, The Oak Ridge Boys, and many others. His acts have performed at legendary venues such as Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, and Royal Albert Hall.
“Recognizing the incredible work of our touring community is one of the highlights of our year,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Our road warriors are the heart and soul of our business, bringing their spirit to audiences everywhere with creativity and passion. The growth of Country Music would not be possible without the dedication of each of our nominees, and we can’t wait to celebrate their achievements in January.”
“I love touring, always have, always will,” adds Urban. “And that only happens with so many people behind the scenes out there on the road making it happen every night. The CMA Touring Awards is where we turn the spotlight on our road families and celebrate the hard work they all do for all of us. It’s an honor to host, and I’m glad to be back.”
Final Round voting for the 2025 CMA Touring Awards opens Monday, Dec. 1 and closes Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. CT. All balloting is tabulated by Deloitte.
2025 CMA Touring Awards Nominees:
CATEGORY 1 – CREW OF THE YEAR
“All-American Road Show Tour” Crew – Chris Stapleton
“Am I Okay? Tour” Crew – Megan Moroney
“Broken Branches Tour” Crew – Dierks Bentley
“I’m The Problem Tour” Crew – Morgan Wallen
“Jim Bob World Tour” Crew – HARDY
“Live On Tour” Crew – Kelsea Ballerini
“On The Road Tour” Crew – Tyler Childers
“Whirlwind World Tour” Crew – Lainey Wilson
CATEGORY 2 – BACKLINE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR
Patrick Boyle – Tyler Childers
Dalton Ray Brown – Lainey Wilson
William Coats – Eric Church
Casey Ervin – Jelly Roll
Terry Fox – Kenny Chesney
Matt Kennedy – Morgan Wallen
Hunter Lamb – HARDY
Chris Miller – Keith Urban
CATEGORY 3 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Stephanie Alderman – Farris, Self & Moore, LLC
Renee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc.
Legina Chaudoin – O’Neil Hagaman, LLC
Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Jen Conger – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Stephanie Mundy-Self – Farris, Self & Moore, LLC
Kris Wiatr – Wiatr & Associates, LLC
Dwight Wiles – Wiles + Taylor & Co., PC
CATEGORY 4 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Chad Allison – HARDY
Tim Barrett – Kane Brown
Dustin Bringham – Parker McCollum
Steve Carmack – Megan Moroney
Greg Cook – Riley Green
Caleb Garrett – Luke Bryan
Jason Humphrey – Jason Aldean
Nick Wagner – Morgan Wallen
CATEGORY 5 – FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Dell – Lainey Wilson
Chris Diener – Kelsea Ballerini
David Loy – Kane Brown
James “Pugs” McDermott – Dierks Bentley
Jeff “Pig” Parsons – Blake Shelton
Robert Scovill – Kenny Chesney
Todd Wines – Miranda Lambert
Ian Zorbaugh – Old Dominion
CATEGORY 6 – LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Ben Bearden – Chris Stapleton
Nick Chang – Kelsea Ballerini
Zac Coren – Morgan Wallen
Justin Kitchenman – Luke Bryan
Andy Knighton – Rascal Flatts/Jason Aldean
Kevin Lichty – Old Dominion
Alex Sanchez – Parker McCollum
Alec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett
CATEGORY 7 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Narvel Blackstock – Starstruck Entertainment
Hayley Corbett – PunchBowl Entertainment
Enzo DeVincenzo – 377 Management
Kerri Edwards – KP Entertainment
Troy “Tracker” Johnson – TRACK Management
Chris Kappy – Make Wake Artists
Mandelyn Monchick – Red Light Management
Zach Sutton – Red Light Management
CATEGORY 8 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Beau Alexander – Morgan Wallen
Curt Armstead – Lainey Wilson
Brad Baisley – Blake Shelton
Cory Benson – Tyler Childers
Chris Daniels – Luke Bryan
Logan Hanna – Brothers Osborne
Chris Newsom – Kelsea Ballerini
Phil Wilkey – Keith Urban
CATEGORY 9 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Chris Alderman – Blake Shelton
John Garriott – Chris Stapleton
Jeff “Goofy” Greeninger – Jon Pardi
Adam Groeninger – Dierks Bentley
Chad Guy – Morgan Wallen
Brent Maxon – Parker McCollum
Earl Neal – Jason Aldean
Ed Wannebo – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 10 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
Janet Buck – Essential Broadcast Media
Zach Farnum – 117 Entertainment Group
Asha Goodman – Sacks & Co.
Olivia Hanceri – OH Creative
Tyne Parrish – The GreenRoom
Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt Relations
Wes Vause – Press On Publicity
Jennifer Vessio – 1220 Entertainment Publicity
CATEGORY 11 – STAGE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Shaun Carswell – Dierks Bentley
Alex Church – Megan Moroney
Sam “Sambo” Coats – Eric Church
Todd Green – Chris Stapleton
Matt Hornbeck – Luke Combs
Josh “Dude” Marcus – Jason Aldean
Allison Noah – Carly Pearce / Lainey Wilson
Lonnie Taylor – Jon Pardi
CATEGORY 12 – SUPPORT SERVICES COMPANY OF THE YEAR
ASCOT Travel Services – Nashville, TN
Bandit Lites – Nashville, TN
Clair Global – Nashville, TN
Crom Tidwell Merchandising – Nashville, TN
Moo TV – Nashville, TN
Pioneer Coach – Nashville, TN
Richards & Southern – Goodlettsville, TN
Sound Image – Nashville, TN
CATEGORY 13 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
Becky Gardenhire – WME
Chad Kudelka – CAA
Keith Levy – Wasserman Music
Braeden Rountree – WME
Adi Sharma – The Neal Agency
Elisa Vazzana – UTA
Hunter Williams – CAA
Jay Williams – WME
CATEGORY 14 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Bridget Bauer – Messina Touring Group
Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions
Patrick McDill – Live Nation Nashville
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation Nashville
Rich Schaefer – AEG Presents
Aaron Spalding – Live Nation Nashville
Stacy Vee – Goldenvoice
Ed Warm – Joe’s Bar
CATEGORY 15 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Matt Anderson – Old Dominion
Kyle Crownover – Tyler Childers
Dustin DeRosier – Kelsea Ballerini / Little Big Town
Jeff Gossett – Morgan Wallen
Mike McGrath – Keith Urban
Meg Miller – Lainey Wilson
Mark Oglesby – Post Malone
Chelsae Partosan – Megan Moroney
CATEGORY 16 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Mark “Taco” Annino (Drums) – Morgan Wallen
Jody Bartula (Fiddle) – Cody Johnson
JT Cure (Bass Guitar) – Chris Stapleton
Jenee Fleenor (Fiddle) – George Strait
Aslan Freeman (Guitar) – Lainey Wilson
Kenny Greenberg (Guitar) – Kenny Chesney
Kurt Ozan (Multi-Instrumentalist) – Luke Combs
Jesse Welles (Multi-Instrumentalist) – Tyler Childers
CATEGORY 17 – TOUR VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Mason Allen – Old Dominion
Alex Alvga – Kane Brown
Zach Belcher – Dierks Bentley
Caleb Cockrell – Jordan Davis
Sam Crabtree – Riley Green
Tanner Gallagher – HARDY
Zack Massey – Luke Combs
Catherine Powell – Kelsea Ballerini
CATEGORY 18 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Dave Bergfeld – Lainey Wilson
Houston Creswell – Dierks Bentley
Adam Cline – Morgan Wallen
Milojko Dobrijevich – Little Big Town
Ron Etters – Chris Stapleton
Jordan Karow – HARDY
Justin Stein – Parker McCollum
Jake Zobrist – Cody Johnson
CATEGORY 19 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, NH
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Fenway Park – Boston, MA
Grand Ole Opry House – Nashville, TN
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
Moody Center – Austin, TX
The Pinnacle – Nashville, TN
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
CATEGORY 20 – UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR
Holly Atherton (Production Assistant) – Chris Stapleton
Chase Butler (Road Manager) – Riley Green
Michael Corcoran (General Manager) – mtheory
Kayla Carter Greear (Production Assistant) – Luke Bryan
Jeff “Bean” Griffin (Road Manager) – HARDY
Lolo Kinser (Logistics Coordinator) – Post Malone
Diana “Lemonade” McBride (Backstage Hospitality) – Grand Ole Opry
Mel Murphy (Road Representative) – Live Nation Nashville
Spotify Holds Industry Brunch In Nashville
/by LB CantrellSpotify team. Photo: Courtesy of Spotify
Spotify celebrated the 2025 CMA Awards with an intimate networking brunch last week that brought together Nashville’s country music labels, managers and songwriter community.
The event was held at Harriet’s at 1 Hotel. Guests enjoyed an avocado toast bar with Bloody Mary’s and other cocktails.
Photo: Courtesy of Spotify
Photo: Courtesy of Spotify
Photo: Courtesy of Spotify
Photo: Courtesy of Spotify
Photo: Courtesy of Spotify
Riley Green Holds No. 1 Spot On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by Madison HahnenRiley Green. Photo: David Higgs
Riley Green continues to hold the top position on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. His solo-penned Ella Langley duet “Don’t Mind If I Do” gives him the No. 1 spot for the seventh consecutive week.
Blake Pendergrass remains at N0. 2 with “20 Cigarettes,” “Ain’t A Bad Life,” “Heart Of Stone,” “I Got Better,” “Just In Case” and “Wish You Well.” Charlie Handsome stays at No. 3 with “Hell At Night,” “Holy Water,” “I Ain’t Comin’ Back,” “I Got Better,” “I’m The Problem,” “Just In Case” and “What I Want.”
Chase McGill (No. 4) and Bruce Robison (No. 5) round out this week’s top five.
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.
Zach Bryan Slates ‘With Heaven On Tour’
/by John Nix ArledgeZach Bryan. Photo: Clay Gibson
Zach Bryan is gearing up for his biggest international tour yet with the announcement of his “With Heaven On Tour” launching Mar. 7, 2026 at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. The trek features more than 40 shows across North America and Europe, including stops in London, Berlin, Oslo, Cork, San Diego and Arlington before wrapping on Oct. 10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, AL.
Joining Bryan on select dates are Kings of Leon, Dijon, Alabama Shakes, Ben Howard, Caamp, MJ Lenderman, Gregory Alan Isakov, J.R. Carroll, Gabriella Rose, Keenan O’Meara and Fey Fili.
Bryan also recently confirmed that his next album, With Heaven on Top, is set for release Jan. 9, 2026.
“With Heaven On Tour” Dates:
March 7 – St. Louis, Mo. – The Dome at America’s Center w/ Caamp, J.R. Carroll
March 14 – Tampa, Fla. – Raymond James Stadium w/ Caamp, J.R. Carroll
March 21 – San Antonio, Texas – The Alamodome w/ Caamp, J.R. Carroll
March 28 – Baton Rouge, La. – Tiger Stadium w/ Caamp, J.R. Carroll
April 11 – Louisville, Ky. – L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium w/ Kings of Leon, J.R. Carroll
April 18 – Charlotte, N.C. – Bank of America Stadium w/ Caamp, J.R. Carroll
April 25 – Lincoln, Neb. – Memorial Stadium w/ Kings of Leon, J.R. Carroll
May 2 – Starkville, Miss. – Davis Wade Stadium w/ Dijon, J.R. Carroll
May 9 – Cleveland, Ohio – Huntington Bank Field w/ Dijon, J.R. Carroll
May 27 – San Sebastián, Spain – Donostia Arena w/ Ben Howard, Keenan O’Meara
May 31 – Berlin, Germany – Waldbühne w/ Ben Howard, Keenan O’Meara
June 3 – Oslo, Norway – Unity Arena w/ Ben Howard, Keenan O’Meara
June 6 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Parken w/ Ben Howard, Keenan O’Meara
June 9 – Eindhoven, Netherlands – Philips Stadion w/ Ben Howard, Keenan O’Meara
June 12 – Liverpool, U.K. – Anfield Stadium w/ Dijon, Fey Fili
June 14 – Edinburgh, U.K. – Scottish Gas Murrayfield w/ Dijon, Fey Fili
June 16 – London, U.K. – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium w/ Dijon, Fey Fili
June 17 – London, U.K. – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium w/ Dijon, Fey Fili
June 20 – Cork, Ireland – Páirc Uí Chaoimh w/ Dijon, Fey Fili
June 21 – Cork, Ireland – Páirc Uí Chaoimh w/ Dijon, Fey Fili
June 23 – Belfast, Northern Ireland – Boucher Playing Fields w/ Dijon, Fey Fili
June 24 – Belfast, Northern Ireland – Boucher Playing Fields w/ Dijon, Fey Fili
July 31 – San Diego, Calif. – Snapdragon Stadium w/ MJ Lenderman, Fey Fili
August 1 – San Diego, Calif. – Snapdragon Stadium w/ MJ Lenderman, Fey Fili
August 7 – Salt Lake City, Utah – Rice-Eccles Stadium w/ MJ Lenderman, Fey Fili
August 13 – Denver, Colo. – Empower Field at Mile High w/ MJ Lenderman, Fey Fili
August 14 – Denver, Colo. – Empower Field at Mile High w/ MJ Lenderman, Fey Fili
August 22 – Arlington, Texas – AT&T Stadium w/ MJ Lenderman, Fey Fili
September 5 – Glendale, Ariz. – State Farm Stadium w/ MJ Lenderman, Fey Fili
September 18 – Dover, Del. – The Woodlands w/ Kings of Leon, Gabriella Rose, Fey Fili
September 19 – Dover, Del. – The Woodlands w/ Alabama Shakes, Gabriella Rose, Fey Fili
October 2 – Foxborough, Mass. – Gillette Stadium w/ Gregory Alan Isakov, Gabriella Rose
October 3 – Foxborough, Mass. – Gillette Stadium w/ Gregory Alan Isakov, Gabriella Rose
October 10 – Auburn, Ala. – Jordan-Hare Stadium w/ Gregory Alan Isakov, Gabriella Rose
Lainey Wilson’s ‘Peace, Love, & Cowboys (Holiday Edition)’ EP Now Available on CD, Vinyl
/by Lorie HollabaughLainey Wilson‘s festive new holiday EP, Peace, Love, & Cowboys (Holiday Edition), is available now on 12-inch vinyl, 7-inch vinyl and CD.
The project includes the title track along with “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” with Bing Crosby, as well as instrumental versions of both songs. The new release is just the latest in a series of milestones for Wilson, who hosted the 59th CMA Awards last week (the first solo female host since Reba McEntire in 1991), and also took home three trophies for Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year (for Whirlwind) and performed during the broadcast.
Wilson is set to perform during this week’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and is also the cover story of US Weekly’s Humankind Issue, highlighting her Heart Like A Truck Fund. She is heading into a big 2026 as well, with three nominations at the upcoming 68th Grammy Awards for Best Country Song (“Somewhere Over Laredo”), Best Country Solo Performance (“Somewhere Over Laredo”) and Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“Trailblazer” with Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert). She’ll also make her feature film acting debut in next year’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s Reminders of Him.
Opry Country Christmas Returns For Fifth Year
/by Madison HahnenThe Grand Ole Opry will kick off its fifth annual Opry Country Christmas series on Nov. 30, with performances going through Dec. 23 for 11 total shows. Each show will combine performers’ original songs as well as renditions of Christmas classics.
Opry Country Christmas will be hosted by Larry Gatlin and feature performances from Dailey & Vincent, Lorrie Morgan, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, Chris Janson, Lainey Wilson, Kathy Mattea, Scotty McCreery, Jon Pardi, The War And Treaty, Jamey Johnson, Brandon Heath, Maddox Batson, Rhett Akins, The McCrary Sisters, Drake Milligan, Maggie Rose, The Ornaments, John Foster, Asleep At The Wheel, Jason Crabb, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart, Maddie & Tae, The Isaacs, Mickey Guyton, Ricky Skaggs, Mark Wills, John Berry, Raelynn, Darin & Brooke Aldridge and Marcus King. More performers will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
All Opry Country Christmas shows will air on WSM Radio as well as WSM and Opry digital platforms.
Additionally, A Grand Ole Opry Christmas will premiere this Saturday (Nov. 29) on Hallmark. Brad Paisley wrote the original music for the movie, and will also will perform. Portions of the movie were filmed at the Grand Ole Opry House.
Tickets for all Opry Country Christmas shows are on sale now.
Switchfoot Inks With By Design, In Partnership With BMG
/by Madison HahnenSwitchfoot
GRAMMY-winning band Switchfoot has signed a record deal with By Design, in partnership with BMG.
The alt-rock band is comprised of Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Jerome Fontamillas (keys, guitar) and Chad Butler (drums). Since their formation, they have sold over 1o million copies across 13 studio albums. They have sold-out tours globally, with 5 million concert tickets sold in over 40 countries. Their breakthrough album The Beautiful Letdown is 3x RIAA certified Platinum, and their Hello Hurricane record won a 2009 GRAMMY award.
“It’s been an incredible journey for this band of brothers, and yet it feels like we’re just getting started,” shares Jon Foreman “When we met the team at By Design, we found a common ground on purpose, creativity and the belief that music can change the world. This new partnership gives us fresh wind in our sails, and we can’t wait for what’s ahead.”
“We’ve been fans of Switchfoot not just for their music, but for who they are – their integrity, their generosity and their heart for people,” adds By Design Co-Founder, Jeremy Holley. “Jon is a poet for our generation, giving voice to both the ache and the hope of the human condition. From our first conversations, it was clear that our missions align. We’re excited to walk with them into this next season of creativity and impact.”
Lineup Announced For Tracy Lawrence’s 20th Annual Mission:Possible Benefit Concert
/by Lorie HollabaughTracy Lawrence has unveiled the lineup for his 20th annual Mission:Possible Benefit Concert on Nov. 25 at Luke Combs’ Category 10 in Nashville.
Gretchen Wilson, Eric Paslay, Chris Cagle and special guests Halfway to Hazard will perform along with Lawrence at the annual event, which continues to grow and do more good each year for the local community. Tickets for the benefit, which raised $250,000 last year, are on sale now.
New this year, fans can bring canned food items to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank to help support families and individuals facing food insecurity. For every five cans donated, participants will be entered into a raffle for a signed guitar featuring signatures from artists at Lawrence’s annual golf tournament, including Vince Gill, Zach Top, Warren Zeiders, Charles Esten and more. The raffle will take place onsite at the end of the evening.
The milestone anniversary event will be bigger than ever before, aiming to feed over 36,000 people in Middle Tennessee through the Nashville Rescue Mission, eight surrounding county school systems and boots on the ground community organizations who provide for those in need. The day will kick off early morning on Nov. 25 at the Nashville Fairgrounds., and with the help of Cargill, The Poultry Federation and Operation BBQ, the event has expanded to feed more people in the community with 2,050 cooked turkeys and 1,550 frozen turkeys distributed.
“I cannot believe we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the turkey fry,” says Lawrence. “This event started with a few of my buddies in a church parking lot and only cooking 200 birds. Now our footprint has grown, and we’re cooking 2,000+ turkeys and feeding so many throughout Middle Tennessee. Big things!”
Since its inception, Lawrence’s Mission:Possible has fried over 10,000 turkeys, provided more than 86,000 meals to the homeless across Middle Tennessee, donated over a million dollars to the Nashville Rescue Mission, and raised over $2.5 million which helps further its goals, advocate for those in need, and expand the ability to support aligned causes.
Rounder Records President Stephanie Hudacek Exits
/by Lorie HollabaughStephanie Hudacek has exited as President of Rounder Records.
During her time leading the label, Hudacek helped guide Rounder through a period marked by Sierra Ferrell’s breakthrough ascent, four Grammy wins in 2025 and four Grammy nominations for 2026, and eight new artist signings.
Hudacek was involved in the early development of artists including Anna Graves, Ken Pomeroy and Judy Blank, while supporting the careers of established artists Foy Vance, Anderson East and Breakfield and working closely with I’m With Her, Bella White, Ruston Kelly, Samantha Fish, John R. Miller and Katie Pruitt.
Before joining Rounder, Hudacek founded and led Soundly Music, which was later acquired by Thirty Tigers, where she worked with artists including Kaitlin Butts, Maggie Rose, Channing Wilson and Pony Bradshaw.
“I’m proud of what we built at Rounder,” says Hudacek. “My focus has always been to help artists tell the truth of who they are and to create the conditions where their work can thrive. The industry is in a period of real transformation. Artists today need partners who can help them build worlds around their work, grow and enrich relationships with audiences across platforms, and navigate new creative and technological landscapes. We’re entering a moment where artists can connect with audiences in more meaningful and innovative ways than ever before, and I’m genuinely excited about the opportunities ahead.”
CMA Unveils 2025 CMA Touring Awards Nominees
/by Madison HahnenCMA has revealed the nominees for the 2025 CMA Touring Awards, which will take place on Jan. 27 in Nashville. Now in its 20th year, the CMA Touring Awards honor behind-the-scenes members of the country music touring industry. The ceremony will be hosted by Keith Urban.
Up for the nights biggest award of Crew of the Year are the “All-American Road Show Tour” Crew, “Am I Okay? Tour” Crew, “Broken Branches Tour” Crew, “I’m The Problem Tour” Crew, “Jim Bob World Tour” Crew, “Live On Tour” Crew, “On The Road Tour” Crew, and “Whirlwind World Tour” Crew.
Veteran artist manager Jim Halsey will be given the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors an individual who has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout the years. The honoree has proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on country music fans and the industry, and whose presence will have a long-term positive impact.
Throughout his 60 year career, Halsey guided the careers of Roy Clark, Reba McEntire, Merle Haggard, The Oak Ridge Boys, and many others. His acts have performed at legendary venues such as Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, and Royal Albert Hall.
“Recognizing the incredible work of our touring community is one of the highlights of our year,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Our road warriors are the heart and soul of our business, bringing their spirit to audiences everywhere with creativity and passion. The growth of Country Music would not be possible without the dedication of each of our nominees, and we can’t wait to celebrate their achievements in January.”
“I love touring, always have, always will,” adds Urban. “And that only happens with so many people behind the scenes out there on the road making it happen every night. The CMA Touring Awards is where we turn the spotlight on our road families and celebrate the hard work they all do for all of us. It’s an honor to host, and I’m glad to be back.”
Final Round voting for the 2025 CMA Touring Awards opens Monday, Dec. 1 and closes Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. CT. All balloting is tabulated by Deloitte.
2025 CMA Touring Awards Nominees:
CATEGORY 1 – CREW OF THE YEAR
“All-American Road Show Tour” Crew – Chris Stapleton
“Am I Okay? Tour” Crew – Megan Moroney
“Broken Branches Tour” Crew – Dierks Bentley
“I’m The Problem Tour” Crew – Morgan Wallen
“Jim Bob World Tour” Crew – HARDY
“Live On Tour” Crew – Kelsea Ballerini
“On The Road Tour” Crew – Tyler Childers
“Whirlwind World Tour” Crew – Lainey Wilson
CATEGORY 2 – BACKLINE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR
Patrick Boyle – Tyler Childers
Dalton Ray Brown – Lainey Wilson
William Coats – Eric Church
Casey Ervin – Jelly Roll
Terry Fox – Kenny Chesney
Matt Kennedy – Morgan Wallen
Hunter Lamb – HARDY
Chris Miller – Keith Urban
CATEGORY 3 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Stephanie Alderman – Farris, Self & Moore, LLC
Renee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc.
Legina Chaudoin – O’Neil Hagaman, LLC
Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Jen Conger – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Stephanie Mundy-Self – Farris, Self & Moore, LLC
Kris Wiatr – Wiatr & Associates, LLC
Dwight Wiles – Wiles + Taylor & Co., PC
CATEGORY 4 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Chad Allison – HARDY
Tim Barrett – Kane Brown
Dustin Bringham – Parker McCollum
Steve Carmack – Megan Moroney
Greg Cook – Riley Green
Caleb Garrett – Luke Bryan
Jason Humphrey – Jason Aldean
Nick Wagner – Morgan Wallen
CATEGORY 5 – FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Dell – Lainey Wilson
Chris Diener – Kelsea Ballerini
David Loy – Kane Brown
James “Pugs” McDermott – Dierks Bentley
Jeff “Pig” Parsons – Blake Shelton
Robert Scovill – Kenny Chesney
Todd Wines – Miranda Lambert
Ian Zorbaugh – Old Dominion
CATEGORY 6 – LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Ben Bearden – Chris Stapleton
Nick Chang – Kelsea Ballerini
Zac Coren – Morgan Wallen
Justin Kitchenman – Luke Bryan
Andy Knighton – Rascal Flatts/Jason Aldean
Kevin Lichty – Old Dominion
Alex Sanchez – Parker McCollum
Alec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett
CATEGORY 7 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Narvel Blackstock – Starstruck Entertainment
Hayley Corbett – PunchBowl Entertainment
Enzo DeVincenzo – 377 Management
Kerri Edwards – KP Entertainment
Troy “Tracker” Johnson – TRACK Management
Chris Kappy – Make Wake Artists
Mandelyn Monchick – Red Light Management
Zach Sutton – Red Light Management
CATEGORY 8 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Beau Alexander – Morgan Wallen
Curt Armstead – Lainey Wilson
Brad Baisley – Blake Shelton
Cory Benson – Tyler Childers
Chris Daniels – Luke Bryan
Logan Hanna – Brothers Osborne
Chris Newsom – Kelsea Ballerini
Phil Wilkey – Keith Urban
CATEGORY 9 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Chris Alderman – Blake Shelton
John Garriott – Chris Stapleton
Jeff “Goofy” Greeninger – Jon Pardi
Adam Groeninger – Dierks Bentley
Chad Guy – Morgan Wallen
Brent Maxon – Parker McCollum
Earl Neal – Jason Aldean
Ed Wannebo – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 10 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
Janet Buck – Essential Broadcast Media
Zach Farnum – 117 Entertainment Group
Asha Goodman – Sacks & Co.
Olivia Hanceri – OH Creative
Tyne Parrish – The GreenRoom
Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt Relations
Wes Vause – Press On Publicity
Jennifer Vessio – 1220 Entertainment Publicity
CATEGORY 11 – STAGE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Shaun Carswell – Dierks Bentley
Alex Church – Megan Moroney
Sam “Sambo” Coats – Eric Church
Todd Green – Chris Stapleton
Matt Hornbeck – Luke Combs
Josh “Dude” Marcus – Jason Aldean
Allison Noah – Carly Pearce / Lainey Wilson
Lonnie Taylor – Jon Pardi
CATEGORY 12 – SUPPORT SERVICES COMPANY OF THE YEAR
ASCOT Travel Services – Nashville, TN
Bandit Lites – Nashville, TN
Clair Global – Nashville, TN
Crom Tidwell Merchandising – Nashville, TN
Moo TV – Nashville, TN
Pioneer Coach – Nashville, TN
Richards & Southern – Goodlettsville, TN
Sound Image – Nashville, TN
CATEGORY 13 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
Becky Gardenhire – WME
Chad Kudelka – CAA
Keith Levy – Wasserman Music
Braeden Rountree – WME
Adi Sharma – The Neal Agency
Elisa Vazzana – UTA
Hunter Williams – CAA
Jay Williams – WME
CATEGORY 14 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Bridget Bauer – Messina Touring Group
Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions
Patrick McDill – Live Nation Nashville
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation Nashville
Rich Schaefer – AEG Presents
Aaron Spalding – Live Nation Nashville
Stacy Vee – Goldenvoice
Ed Warm – Joe’s Bar
CATEGORY 15 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Matt Anderson – Old Dominion
Kyle Crownover – Tyler Childers
Dustin DeRosier – Kelsea Ballerini / Little Big Town
Jeff Gossett – Morgan Wallen
Mike McGrath – Keith Urban
Meg Miller – Lainey Wilson
Mark Oglesby – Post Malone
Chelsae Partosan – Megan Moroney
CATEGORY 16 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Mark “Taco” Annino (Drums) – Morgan Wallen
Jody Bartula (Fiddle) – Cody Johnson
JT Cure (Bass Guitar) – Chris Stapleton
Jenee Fleenor (Fiddle) – George Strait
Aslan Freeman (Guitar) – Lainey Wilson
Kenny Greenberg (Guitar) – Kenny Chesney
Kurt Ozan (Multi-Instrumentalist) – Luke Combs
Jesse Welles (Multi-Instrumentalist) – Tyler Childers
CATEGORY 17 – TOUR VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Mason Allen – Old Dominion
Alex Alvga – Kane Brown
Zach Belcher – Dierks Bentley
Caleb Cockrell – Jordan Davis
Sam Crabtree – Riley Green
Tanner Gallagher – HARDY
Zack Massey – Luke Combs
Catherine Powell – Kelsea Ballerini
CATEGORY 18 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Dave Bergfeld – Lainey Wilson
Houston Creswell – Dierks Bentley
Adam Cline – Morgan Wallen
Milojko Dobrijevich – Little Big Town
Ron Etters – Chris Stapleton
Jordan Karow – HARDY
Justin Stein – Parker McCollum
Jake Zobrist – Cody Johnson
CATEGORY 19 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, NH
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Fenway Park – Boston, MA
Grand Ole Opry House – Nashville, TN
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
Moody Center – Austin, TX
The Pinnacle – Nashville, TN
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
CATEGORY 20 – UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR
Holly Atherton (Production Assistant) – Chris Stapleton
Chase Butler (Road Manager) – Riley Green
Michael Corcoran (General Manager) – mtheory
Kayla Carter Greear (Production Assistant) – Luke Bryan
Jeff “Bean” Griffin (Road Manager) – HARDY
Lolo Kinser (Logistics Coordinator) – Post Malone
Diana “Lemonade” McBride (Backstage Hospitality) – Grand Ole Opry
Mel Murphy (Road Representative) – Live Nation Nashville
Carrie Underwood, Shinedown & Creed To Headline ‘Velocity At Field Of Dreams Festival’ In 2026
/by Lorie HollabaughCarrie Underwood will join Shinedown and Creed for the “Velocity at Field of Dreams Festival” in 2026, which has expanded to a three-day event Sept. 4-6 at the iconic Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa.
The lineup will include Underwood headlining on Sept. 5, with multi-Platinum rock powerhouse Shinedown taking the stage on Sept. 4, and Creed closing out the festival on Sept. 6. Tickets are available now exclusively through EASOL.
The expanded 2026 edition of the festival follows the success of 2025’s historic debut, which drew more than 35,000 fans to Dyersville for the first major, multi-day music festival ever held on the Field of Dreams site, and generated over $11.2 million in economic impact for the region. The inaugural weekend featured a sold-out “Tim McGraw Live at Field of Dreams” event that included a heartfelt tribute to his father, MLB legend Tug McGraw, and the Velocity Music Festival headlined by Nickelback.
“We knew this event would be something special, but the impact on the local economy blew our expectations out of the water,” says Nick Abate, Founder and CEO of U.S. Concert Agency. “Last year proved that Field of Dreams is not only an iconic film location, but a world class live entertainment venue. And in 2026, we’re taking this experience to an even higher level.”