
The Country Music Association has unveiled the nominees for the 2024 CMA Touring Awards.
Now in its 19th year, the awards celebrate crucial behind-the-scenes members of the country music touring industry. The CMA Touring Awards will be hosted by Keith Urban for the third year in a row on Monday, March 3 in Nashville.
Ben Farrell, longtime concert promoter, will be posthumously honored with the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes an individual who has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout the years. The individual chosen has proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on country music fans and the industry alike, and whose presence will have a long-term positive impact on country music and CMA for generations to come.
“Taking the time to honor the outstanding work of our touring community is one of our most proud nights of the year,” shares Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO. “Our road warriors are the ones who take the soul of Nashville on the road and share it with the rest of the world in creative and exciting ways. Country music’s growth simply would not be possible without each and every one of our nominees, and we are so excited to celebrate them this coming March.”
The final round of voting will take place between Monday, Jan. 6–Thursday, Jan. 16. All balloting is tabulated by professional services organization Deloitte.
2024 CMA Touring Awards Nominees:
CATEGORY 1 – CREW OF THE YEAR
“The Beautifully Broken Tour” Crew – Jelly Roll
“Country’s Cool Again Tour” Crew – Lainey Wilson
“Gravel & Gold Tour” Crew – Dierks Bentley
“Growin’ Up And Gettin’ Old Tour” Crew – Luke Combs
“No Bad Vibes Tour” Crew – Old Dominion
“One Night At A Time Tour” Crew – Morgan Wallen
“Quit!! Tour” Crew – HARDY
“Sun Goes Down Tour” Crew – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 2 – BACKLINE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR
Derek Benitez – Chris Stapleton
Dalton Brown – Lainey Wilson
William Coats – Eric Church
Allen Cothran – Jason Aldean
Terry Fox – Kenny Chesney
Dave Graef – Tim McGraw
Hunter Lamb – HARDY
Brian Love – Luke Combs
CATEGORY 3 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Stephanie Alderman – Farris, Self & Moore, LLC
Renee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc.
Julie Boos – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Kris Wiatr – Wiatr & Associates, LLC
Dwight Wiles – Wiles + Taylor & Co., PC
CATEGORY 4 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Chad Allison – HARDY
Josh Easter – Morgan Wallen
Toby Eaton – Old Dominion
Rhett Evens – Thomas Rhett
Terry Ford – Kenny Chesney
Caleb Garrett – Luke Bryan
Wendy Holt – Lainey Wilson
Chris Sims – Jelly Roll
CATEGORY 5 – FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Dell – Lainey Wilson
Ron Gardner – Jelly Roll
Todd Lewis – Luke Combs
David Loy – Kane Brown
Evan Owen – HARDY
Jeff Parsons – Blake Shelton
Robert Scovill – Kenny Chesney
Ian Zorbaugh – Old Dominion
CATEGORY 6 – LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Zac Coren – Morgan Wallen
Trevor Drawdy – HARDY
Philip Ealy – Kenny Chesney
Andy Knighton – Jason Aldean
Mitch Mueller – Lainey Wilson
Kevin Northrup – Luke Combs
Chris Reade – Dierks Bentley
Alec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett
CATEGORY 7 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Elisabeth Ashley – Borman Entertainment
Enzo DeVincenzo – 377 Management
Martha Earls – Neon Coast
Kerri Edwards – KP Entertainment
Clint Higham – Morris Higham Management
Troy “Tracker” Johnson – Big Loud Mountain Management
Chris Kappy – Make Wake Artists
CATEGORY 8 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Beau Alexander – Morgan Wallen
Brad Baisley – Blake Shelton
Cory Benson – Tyler Childers
Samuel Ferry – HARDY
Logan Hanna – Brothers Osborne
Jimmy Nicholson – Thomas Rhett
Dean Studebaker – Old Dominion
Michael Zuehsow – Luke Combs
CATEGORY 9 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Chris Alderman – Blake Shelton
Jeff Greeninger – Jon Pardi
Chad Guy – Morgan Wallen
Meesha Koscioleck – Eric Church
Earl Neal – Jason Aldean
Jerry Slone – Luke Combs
Emily Waller – Lainey Wilson
Ed Wannebo – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 10 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
Janet Buck – Essential Broadcast Media
Carla Sacks – Sacks & Co.
Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt Relations
Jensen Sussman – Sweet Talk Publicity
Wes Vause – Press On Publicity
Jennifer Vessio – 1220 Entertainment Publicity
CATEGORY 11 – STAGE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sam “Sambo” Coats – Eric Church
Donnie Floyd – Morgan Wallen
Matt Hornbeck – Luke Combs
Josh “Dude” Marcus – Jason Aldean
Tom Nisun – Kenny Chesney
Allison Noah – Carly Pearce
Richard Rossey – Old Dominion
Fred Yanda – Dan + Shay
CATEGORY 12 – SUPPORT SERVICES COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Bandit Lites
Dega Catering
Master Tour By Eventric
Moo TV
Pioneer Coach
Richards & Southern
Rising Star Travel
Spectrum Sound
CATEGORY 13 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
Mike Betterton – Wasserman Music
Rod Essig – CAA
Becky Gardenhire – WME
Meredith Jones – CAA
Austin Neal – The Neal Agency
Braeden Rountree – WME
Adi Sharma – The Neal Agency
Elisa Vazzana – UTA
CATEGORY 14 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions
Brad Garrett – Police Productions
Bradley Jordan – Peachtree Entertainment
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation Nashville
Aaron Spalding – Live Nation Nashville
Ed Warm – Joe’s Bar
Adam Weiser – AEG Presents
CATEGORY 15 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Matt Anderson – Old Dominion
David Farmer – Kenny Chesney
Jeff Gossett – Morgan Wallen
Jason Hecht – Chris Stapleton
Mike McGrath – Tim McGraw
Ethan Strunk – Luke Combs
Taylor Watson – HARDY
CATEGORY 16 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Kurt Allison (Guitar) – Jason Aldean
Nick Buda (Drums) – Kenny Chesney
Jerry Flowers (Bass Guitar) – Keith Urban
Aslan Freeman (Guitar) – Lainey Wilson
Kurt Ozan (Guitar) – Luke Combs
Mickey Raphael (Harmonica) – Chris Stapleton
Tyler Tomlinson (Guitar) – Morgan Wallen
Charlie Worsham (Guitar) – Dierks Bentley
CATEGORY 17 – TOUR VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Mason Allen – Old Dominion
Alex Alvga – Kane Brown
Andy Barron – Chris Stapleton
Becky Fluke – Little Big Town
Tanner Gallagher – HARDY
Jeff Johnson – Carrie Underwood
David Lehr – Morgan Wallen
Jill Trunnell – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 18 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Josh Clark – Miranda Lambert
Jay Cooper – Kenny Chesney
Houston Creswell – Dierks Bentley
Ron Etters – Chris Stapleton
Tyler Hutcheson – Luke Combs
Jordan Karow – HARDY
Mike Tinsley – Tim McGraw
Jake Zobrist – Cody Johnson
CATEGORY 19 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN
BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, NH
Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Grand Ole Opry House – Nashville, TN
Joe’s on Weed St. – Chicago, IL
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
CATEGORY 20 – UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR
Holly Atherton – Chris Stapleton
Kayla Carter Greear – Luke Bryan
Mindy Grabowski – Live Nation Entertainment
Jeff “Bean” Griffin – HARDY
Lolo Kinser – Tim McGraw
Robin Majors – Kenny Chesney
Mel Murphy – Live Nation Nashville
Katie Wilkinson – Chris Stapleton
Natalie Grant & Curb Records Part Ways After 23 Years
/by Liza AndersonNatalie Grant
Natalie Grant and Curb Records have parted ways after 23 years.
With more than 800 million career streams and nine Grammy nominations, Grant has continuously impacted the Christian format. While partnered with the label, she received 43 GMA Dove Award nominations, including five wins for Female Artist of the Year.
Following the release of her self-titled debut album, Grant signed with Curb Records on Dec. 21, 2001 and went on to share other projects, including Awaken (2005), Love Revolution (2010) and Hurricane (2013) and more. Last year, she unveiled her Seasons collection, which marked her third No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Christian Albums chart. Season tracks “You Will Be Found” with Cory Asbury and “Step By Step” with Dolly Parton also landed in the top 10 at adult contemporary (AC) radio.
Grant expressed her gratitude for the partnership as well as her excitement for upcoming ventures in a recent Instagram post, stating, “Though our professional chapter has closed, we are forever family.”
Blake Shelton, Hardy, More Join ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ Lineup
/by Lorie HollabaughBlake Shelton, Ernest, Dasha and Hardy
Blake Shelton, Ernest, Hardy, Dasha and more have been added to Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025 on ABC.
Additional performances on the show from the West Coast Party will include Alanis Morissette, with special guest Reneé Rapp, Dasha, DJ Cassidy’s Pass The Mic Live! starring Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh, Kesha, Laufey, Natasha Bedingfield and T-Pain. Shelton will perform from Las Vegas, Luis Fonsi from his native Puerto Rico, and TLC joins the star-studded Times Square lineup in New York.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025 will air Dec. 31 live on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. ET and streaming next day on Hulu. The show, which marks its 54th year, celebrates the year’s very best in music with hours of dynamic performances, America’s favorite personalities and a look at New Year’s celebrations around the globe.
Lineup Announced For 2025 CRS New Faces Show
/by LB CantrellThe Country Radio Broadcasters have unveiled the lineup for the New Faces of Country Music Show at CRS 2025. Next year’s class includes Drew Baldridge (Lyric Ridge/BMG/Stoney Creek), Ashley Cooke (Big Loud/Back Blocks), Dasha (Warner Records), Zach Top (Leo33) and Warren Zeiders (Warner Records).
For over five decades, the New Faces of Country Music Show has served as a platform to showcase five emerging artists who have achieved notable success on country radio during the qualification period. The period for this class spanned from Nov. 1, 2023 to Oct. 31, 2024.
Co-partnered by the Academy of Country Music and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the New Faces of Country Music Show will take place during CRS 2025, to be held from Feb. 19 to Feb. 21, 2025.
BREAKING: Ben Kline Joins Red Light Management
/by LB CantrellBen Kline
Industry veteran Ben Kline has joined the Red Light Management Executive Leadership Team in Nashville.
In his new role, Kline will help oversee Red Light’s Nashville operations as well as focus on new business opportunities for the company and its artists. He reports to the company’s founder, Coran Capshaw.
“I’m beyond excited for this incredible next chapter. What Coran and team have built is one of a kind, and I look forward to being a part of its continued evolution and success” shares Kline.
Capshaw says, “We are very happy to welcome Ben. His experience and reputation within the Nashville music community make him a great addition to the Red Light team.”
Prior to joining Red Light, Kline spent 10 years at Warner Music Nashville, where he was most recently Co-Chair and Co-President. He has held various senior leadership roles in his near 30-year career, including at Ingrooves, Rostrum Records and Universal Music Group Nashville.
Kacey Musgraves To Headline Grand Opening At The Pinnacle
/by LB CantrellThe Pinnacle, AEG Presents’ flagship Nashville venue inside the Nashville Yards development, will host its grand opening with a headlining performance from seven-time Grammy-winner Kacey Musgraves.
Musgraves recently wrapped up her “Deeper Well World Tour” with two sold-out shows at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. She is nominated for five awards at the upcoming 2025 Grammy Awards for critically-acclaimed album Deeper Well.
Artist pre-sale for the grand opening show begin Thursday (Dec. 12) at 10 a.m. CST and venue pre-sales open at 12 p.m. that day. General on-sale for the show goes live on Friday (Dec. 13) at 10 a.m. Click here for more information.
Five more shows at The Pinnacle will go on sale this week, including Santana who will perform on April 29, FISHER (April 11), Kraftwerk Multimedia Tour (March 26), Rodney Carrington (April 4) and Smino (June 19). See the current list of 2025 shows below.
The Pinnacle 2025 Shows:
Thurs., Feb. 27 | Kacey Musgraves (Grand Opening)
Wed., Mar. 5 | Killswitch Engage
Thur., Mar. 6 | COIN
Fri., Mar. 7 | Deadmau5
Sat., Mar. 8 | Turnpike Troubadours (sold out show)
Wed., Mar. 12 | Journey
Thurs., Mar. 13 | T-Pain
Fri., Mar. 14 | Russell Dickerson
Sat., Mar. 15 | Zeds Dead
Thurs., Mar. 20 | Jason Isbell
Fri., Mar. 21 | Jason Isbell
Sat., Mar. 22 | Jason Isbell
Wed., Mar. 26 | Kraftwerk
Thurs., Mar. 27 | Warren Zeiders
Fri., Mar. 28 | Jason Isbell
Sun., Apr. 6 | Adam Ray is Dr. Phil LIVE
Wed., Apr. 9 | Megan Moroney (sold out show)
Thurs., Apr. 10 | Megan Moroney (sold out show)
Fri., Apri. 11 | FISHER
Sat., Apr. 12 | Denzel Curry
Sun., Apr. 13 | Kevin Hart
Thurs., Apr. 17 | Ian Munsick
Fri., Apr. 18 | Jack White
Sat., Apr. 19 | Jack White (sold out show)
Sun., May 11 | Trivium and Bullet for My Valentine
Fri., May 16 | Gavin Adcock
Sat., May 17 | Gavin Adcock (sold out show)
Fri., Oct. 10 | Ben Rector
Sat., Oct. 11 | Ben Rector
Dylan Gossett Extends ‘The Back 40 Tour’ With 19 New Dates
/by Liza AndersonDylan Gossett. Photo: Julia Stephenson
After selling out his recent fall run, Dylan Gossett has extended “The Back 40 Tour” with 19 new dates across the U.S. and Canada.
In addition to visiting Tulsa, Portland, Tucson, Montreal, Orlando and more on the journey’s additional leg, Gossett will also make his Stagecoach and Country to Country (C2C) Festival debuts in 2025.
Presale tickets and VIP packages are available now, with public sales starting this Friday (Dec. 13) at 10 a.m. local time. For more information, click here.
The Big Loud Texas/Mercury Records artist is currently headlining sold-out shows in Australia and New Zealand, and recently released his latest single, “Tree Birds.” Additionally, he has amassed more than 322 million global streams as well as Platinum certifications in Australia, Canada and Ireland with breakout tune “Coal,” and was just named as one of MusicRow‘s 2025 Next Big Thing Artists.
Brett Young To Headline Free Jack Daniels ‘Carols By The Barrels’ Concert In Nashville
/by Lorie HollabaughBrett Young. Photo: Braden Carney
Brett Young will headline a free Jack Daniel’s “Carols by the Barrels” concert event on Dec. 17 in Nashville on Bridgestone Arena’s plaza from 4-6:30 p.m.
The holiday show will also include performances by Kelsey Hart and Harper Grace, and will be emceed by the host of TuneIn’s The BIG 615, Storme Warren. Guests can also enjoy special cocktails, custom barrel stave ornaments, branded giveaways and more next to Jack Daniel’s Barrel Tree made of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey Barrels.
The event is part of a national program from Jack Daniel’s this holiday season that will also include a concert event in L.A. featuring Grammy-nominated artist Masego and pop-up holiday karaoke activations in local bars across the country. Jack Daniel’s “Carols by the Barrels” supports Operation Ride Home, a program in partnership with the Armed Services YMCA that assists junior-enlisted service members and families travel from their military bases of service to see their loved ones. Since it began in 2011, nearly 13,000 people have made the trip home to experience the joys of this special season.
“Jack Daniel’s and music have always gone hand in hand when it comes to gathering people for great company and great times,” says Loni Gray, Jack Daniel’s Senior Brand Manager. “’Carols by the Barrels’ carries on this legacy by bringing a touch of Jack Daniel’s to the timeless holiday caroling tradition with unforgettable performances and pop-up activations.”
2024 CMA Touring Awards Nominees Revealed
/by Madison HahnenThe Country Music Association has unveiled the nominees for the 2024 CMA Touring Awards.
Now in its 19th year, the awards celebrate crucial behind-the-scenes members of the country music touring industry. The CMA Touring Awards will be hosted by Keith Urban for the third year in a row on Monday, March 3 in Nashville.
Ben Farrell, longtime concert promoter, will be posthumously honored with the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes an individual who has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout the years. The individual chosen has proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on country music fans and the industry alike, and whose presence will have a long-term positive impact on country music and CMA for generations to come.
“Taking the time to honor the outstanding work of our touring community is one of our most proud nights of the year,” shares Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO. “Our road warriors are the ones who take the soul of Nashville on the road and share it with the rest of the world in creative and exciting ways. Country music’s growth simply would not be possible without each and every one of our nominees, and we are so excited to celebrate them this coming March.”
The final round of voting will take place between Monday, Jan. 6–Thursday, Jan. 16. All balloting is tabulated by professional services organization Deloitte.
2024 CMA Touring Awards Nominees:
CATEGORY 1 – CREW OF THE YEAR
“The Beautifully Broken Tour” Crew – Jelly Roll
“Country’s Cool Again Tour” Crew – Lainey Wilson
“Gravel & Gold Tour” Crew – Dierks Bentley
“Growin’ Up And Gettin’ Old Tour” Crew – Luke Combs
“No Bad Vibes Tour” Crew – Old Dominion
“One Night At A Time Tour” Crew – Morgan Wallen
“Quit!! Tour” Crew – HARDY
“Sun Goes Down Tour” Crew – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 2 – BACKLINE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR
Derek Benitez – Chris Stapleton
Dalton Brown – Lainey Wilson
William Coats – Eric Church
Allen Cothran – Jason Aldean
Terry Fox – Kenny Chesney
Dave Graef – Tim McGraw
Hunter Lamb – HARDY
Brian Love – Luke Combs
CATEGORY 3 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Stephanie Alderman – Farris, Self & Moore, LLC
Renee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc.
Julie Boos – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Kris Wiatr – Wiatr & Associates, LLC
Dwight Wiles – Wiles + Taylor & Co., PC
CATEGORY 4 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Chad Allison – HARDY
Josh Easter – Morgan Wallen
Toby Eaton – Old Dominion
Rhett Evens – Thomas Rhett
Terry Ford – Kenny Chesney
Caleb Garrett – Luke Bryan
Wendy Holt – Lainey Wilson
Chris Sims – Jelly Roll
CATEGORY 5 – FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Dell – Lainey Wilson
Ron Gardner – Jelly Roll
Todd Lewis – Luke Combs
David Loy – Kane Brown
Evan Owen – HARDY
Jeff Parsons – Blake Shelton
Robert Scovill – Kenny Chesney
Ian Zorbaugh – Old Dominion
CATEGORY 6 – LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Zac Coren – Morgan Wallen
Trevor Drawdy – HARDY
Philip Ealy – Kenny Chesney
Andy Knighton – Jason Aldean
Mitch Mueller – Lainey Wilson
Kevin Northrup – Luke Combs
Chris Reade – Dierks Bentley
Alec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett
CATEGORY 7 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Elisabeth Ashley – Borman Entertainment
Enzo DeVincenzo – 377 Management
Martha Earls – Neon Coast
Kerri Edwards – KP Entertainment
Clint Higham – Morris Higham Management
Troy “Tracker” Johnson – Big Loud Mountain Management
Chris Kappy – Make Wake Artists
CATEGORY 8 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Beau Alexander – Morgan Wallen
Brad Baisley – Blake Shelton
Cory Benson – Tyler Childers
Samuel Ferry – HARDY
Logan Hanna – Brothers Osborne
Jimmy Nicholson – Thomas Rhett
Dean Studebaker – Old Dominion
Michael Zuehsow – Luke Combs
CATEGORY 9 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Chris Alderman – Blake Shelton
Jeff Greeninger – Jon Pardi
Chad Guy – Morgan Wallen
Meesha Koscioleck – Eric Church
Earl Neal – Jason Aldean
Jerry Slone – Luke Combs
Emily Waller – Lainey Wilson
Ed Wannebo – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 10 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
Janet Buck – Essential Broadcast Media
Carla Sacks – Sacks & Co.
Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt Relations
Jensen Sussman – Sweet Talk Publicity
Wes Vause – Press On Publicity
Jennifer Vessio – 1220 Entertainment Publicity
CATEGORY 11 – STAGE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sam “Sambo” Coats – Eric Church
Donnie Floyd – Morgan Wallen
Matt Hornbeck – Luke Combs
Josh “Dude” Marcus – Jason Aldean
Tom Nisun – Kenny Chesney
Allison Noah – Carly Pearce
Richard Rossey – Old Dominion
Fred Yanda – Dan + Shay
CATEGORY 12 – SUPPORT SERVICES COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Bandit Lites
Dega Catering
Master Tour By Eventric
Moo TV
Pioneer Coach
Richards & Southern
Rising Star Travel
Spectrum Sound
CATEGORY 13 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
Mike Betterton – Wasserman Music
Rod Essig – CAA
Becky Gardenhire – WME
Meredith Jones – CAA
Austin Neal – The Neal Agency
Braeden Rountree – WME
Adi Sharma – The Neal Agency
Elisa Vazzana – UTA
CATEGORY 14 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions
Brad Garrett – Police Productions
Bradley Jordan – Peachtree Entertainment
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation Nashville
Aaron Spalding – Live Nation Nashville
Ed Warm – Joe’s Bar
Adam Weiser – AEG Presents
CATEGORY 15 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Matt Anderson – Old Dominion
David Farmer – Kenny Chesney
Jeff Gossett – Morgan Wallen
Jason Hecht – Chris Stapleton
Mike McGrath – Tim McGraw
Ethan Strunk – Luke Combs
Taylor Watson – HARDY
CATEGORY 16 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Kurt Allison (Guitar) – Jason Aldean
Nick Buda (Drums) – Kenny Chesney
Jerry Flowers (Bass Guitar) – Keith Urban
Aslan Freeman (Guitar) – Lainey Wilson
Kurt Ozan (Guitar) – Luke Combs
Mickey Raphael (Harmonica) – Chris Stapleton
Tyler Tomlinson (Guitar) – Morgan Wallen
Charlie Worsham (Guitar) – Dierks Bentley
CATEGORY 17 – TOUR VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Mason Allen – Old Dominion
Alex Alvga – Kane Brown
Andy Barron – Chris Stapleton
Becky Fluke – Little Big Town
Tanner Gallagher – HARDY
Jeff Johnson – Carrie Underwood
David Lehr – Morgan Wallen
Jill Trunnell – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 18 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Josh Clark – Miranda Lambert
Jay Cooper – Kenny Chesney
Houston Creswell – Dierks Bentley
Ron Etters – Chris Stapleton
Tyler Hutcheson – Luke Combs
Jordan Karow – HARDY
Mike Tinsley – Tim McGraw
Jake Zobrist – Cody Johnson
CATEGORY 19 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN
BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, NH
Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Grand Ole Opry House – Nashville, TN
Joe’s on Weed St. – Chicago, IL
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
CATEGORY 20 – UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR
Holly Atherton – Chris Stapleton
Kayla Carter Greear – Luke Bryan
Mindy Grabowski – Live Nation Entertainment
Jeff “Bean” Griffin – HARDY
Lolo Kinser – Tim McGraw
Robin Majors – Kenny Chesney
Mel Murphy – Live Nation Nashville
Katie Wilkinson – Chris Stapleton
Kacey Musgraves Transforms Bridgestone Arena Into A Lush, Scenic Wonderland
/by Madison HahnenKacey Musgraves. Photo: Natasha Moustache/CMAs
Kacey Musgraves took over Bridgestone Arena this weekend for two sold-out shows, wrapping up her “Deeper Well Tour.” She turned the arena into outdoor enthusiasts’ playground.
Bluegrass trio Nickel Creek were the first to take the stage, treating fans to a string of original tunes like “Scotch & Chocolate,” “Where The Long Line Leads,” “Helena” and “This Side.” They also shared their own rendition of Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” as well as the fan-favorite “Smoothie Song.” The band wrapped up their 30 minutes with a cover of Mother Mother’s “Hayloft,” before ending with “The Fox” and “Destination.”
Indie rock band Lord Huron was on next, opening their 45-minute set with hit “Meet Me In The Woods,” as well as original tunes “Dead Man’s Hands” and “Ends Of The Earth.” For “Secret Of Life,” lead singer Ben Schneider used a payphone turned microphone, adding an exciting element into the stage. “I Lied” and “Let The Devil Come” delighted the crowd before the payphone came back out for “Wait By The River.” The band ended the night on a three-track run of “The World Ender,” “The Night We Met” and “Not Dead Yet,” exciting their fans and also making new ones before exiting the stage.
As the full arena was buzzing with anticipation, a curtain of the tour logo was lifted up and Musgrave’s band began to take the stage. From the very first moment, the production was superb, with the video wall displaying a starry sky above a moonlit structure, creating a striking outer space landscape. A silhouette of Musgraves falling from the sky flashed down the screen, as the singer stepped onto the stage herself for her opening track “Cardinal.” After drawing the crowd in from the first note to the last, Musgraves was lifted up into the air, mimicking the earlier silhouette graphic.
The video wall lit up with graphics of butterflies flying around as she graced the audience with “Butterflies” from her Golden Hour album, showcasing her vocal range right off the bat. After a roaring applause from the crowd after the fan-favorite, Musgraves reflected on her time on the road this year.
“I’m a little emo about it. If I think about it too much, I might get a little sad,” shared Musgraves. “We started this tour back in May in Ireland and now we’re here. I’m so honored to be here tonight and to have all your faces here in this sold-out room.”
Musgraves continued to show off her masterful performance skills with more tracks off her Deeper Well album including “Sway” where she led the crowd in a swaying motion, “Giver/Taker,” utilizing the video wall to show a house in the hills, and “Too Good To Be True” before displaying a colorful sunset background for “Golden Hour.”
“Do you ever feel like you’re feeling two really big, very different emotions at the same time and you just don’t know what to call it?” Musgraves asked to the crowd before “Happy & Sad,” displaying the beautifully written lyrics in the background. Musgraves wrapped up the first part of her set with “Lonely Weekend” and “Lonely Millionaire” before walking through the crowd over to her B-stage.
In the center of the arena stood Musgraves’ second stage, a lush grassy setup with Saturn suspended above it. She opened her time on the stage with the powerful “Follow Your Arrow” off her Same Trailer Different Park album, acknowledging her day-one supporters and new fans alike.
“I had a song planned, but I think I’m gonna see what you guys want to hear,” Musgraves said as she started to walk around the stage. She asked two fans dressed as giving trees which song they would like to hear, resulting in Musgraves playing “Dinner With Friends,” drawing a huge reaction from the arena. Before the next track, Musgraves’ band exited the center platform, leaving just the singer-songwriter and her guitar.
“I had time to write one more song for Deeper Well,” she began. “I wrote this next song with two of my really good friends Josh [Osborne] and Shane [McAnally]. To be honest, this song was written a couple weeks after the Covenant School shooting happened here. This song is just a big question mark, how much control do we really have?” Following the emotional story, she brilliantly performed “The Architect.” You could hear a pin drop in the room as she had the entire crowd locked in.
With the final performance on the center stage, Musgraves brought her band back out as well as Nickel Creek, where the group performed an exciting cover of SZA’s “Kill Bill,” with the whole crowd singing along. She then made her walk back through the crowd to the main stage.
“Jade Green” got things kicked back off, before fan-favorite “Slow Burn” took over the arena, with everyone swinging their arms back and forth and singing at the top of their lungs. With fog blasting through the air, Musgraves gave a flawless performance of “Space Cowboy.”
It was time to pull another album out of Musgraves’ impressive catalog, with the singer performing “Justified” off her Star-Crossed project. As Musgraves walked towards the back of the stage, a moon was displayed in the background as she sang Brooks & Dunn’s “Neon Moon.” Afterwards, Bridgestone Arena was turned into a rave for “High Horse,” with giant balloons being tossed around the pit, a disco ball hanging over a line dancing Musgraves and confetti cannons shooting off.
“I really can’t tell you how much this community means to me,” she explained. “I wouldn’t be who I am without Nashville and the songs and home its given me.” After introducing her band, Musgraves wrapped up her 90-minute enthralling show with “Deeper Well” and Rainbow” as a colorful background illuminated the star.
Rachel Purcell Signs Record & Publishing Deal With Centricity Music [Exclusive]
/by Liza AndersonRachel Purcell with the Centricity Music team
Rachel Purcell has signed an exclusive, worldwide record and publishing deal with Centricity Music.
After a season of success recording under her maiden name of Wammack, the singer-songwriter began writing more faith-focused songs that align with her authentic self. A native of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Purcell grew up singing in church, and cites Christian music as her first love.
“I felt like if I was going to partner with a label again, it had to be the right thing for me. Especially when, creatively, I feel like I’m really writing what I want to write, and I’m singing how I want to sing,” she shares. “I’m not holding back the soul at all.”
Her new work caught the attention of Centricity Music. The company invited Purcell to its independent artist retreat and offered her a contract shortly after.
“Rachel’s standout vocal carries such heart and authenticity, and that lasts long after the music stops,” says Stephen Floyd, A&R Manager, Centricity Music. “After spending time with her, we were struck by her incredible talent, genuine character and how she connects with others. It quickly became clear she was someone we wanted to partner with.”
Now fully stepping into the Christian space, with her debut Centricity Music single set for release next month, Purcell often pulls inspiration from her close friends when crafting songs.
“When I’m writing, I think about the working mom. I think of my girlfriends, who are juggling work and kids and home. They need something to lift them up. They need something to remind them how God feels about them,” she notes. “They’re balancing their own family issues, traumas and just daily identity and value. So I often ask myself, ‘What is the little bit of hope I can give a woman like that?’
“I don’t know why God has given me the opportunities He has or the platform He has,” Purcell continues, “but I really want to honor Him, and do my best to be faithful to the calling He’s placed on my life in this season to write and record Christian music.”