CMA Announces Nominees for 2023 CMA Touring Awards

The Country Music Association has announced the nominees for the 2023 CMA Touring Awards, which highlight vital behind-the-scenes members of the Country Music touring industry. Final Round voting for the 2023 CMA Touring Awards opens Wednesday, Dec. 13 and closes Thursday, Dec. 28. This year's CMA Touring Awards will again be hosted by Country superstar Keith Urban and will take place Monday, Feb. 12 in Nashville, TN.   

Additionally, Ron Baird, industry veteran and former head of Creative Arts Agency's (CAA) Nashville office, will be posthumously honored with the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is given to an individual who has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout the years. It honors an individual that 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. 

“Honoring our touring community is something I look forward to every year,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Each time I attend a show, hear a new tour being announced, or see footage from an unforgettable night, I am reminded again of the importance, dedication and resilience of our touring community. I am also especially excited to add five additional categories this year, including a Crew of the Year honor. They are the road warriors that keep Country Music alive all over the world, and I can't wait to celebrate them on February 12!”  

"As someone who spent years not only setting up all my own equipment at shows, but was also for a time a lighting guy and crew member for a band, I know the hard work that goes in to keeping shows on the road," says Urban. "I'm honored to once again be asked to host the CMA Touring Awards and acknowledge and shower some love on all the hard workers behind the scenes that make it all happen." 

New this year, the 2023 CMA Touring Awards will add five categories to its 15 categories. CMA members will have the opportunity to vote for Backline Technician, Stage Manager, Support Services Company, Unsung Hero and Crew of the Year.  

All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.    

As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte & Touche LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see http://www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of Deloitte's legal structure. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.  

2023 CMA Touring Awards Nominations

CATEGORY 1 – CREW OF THE YEAR  

• "All American Road Show Tour" Crew – Chris Stapleton 
• "The Outsiders Revival Tour" Crew – Eric Church  
• “I Go Back Tour” Crew – Kenny Chesney 
• "Country On Tour" Crew – Luke Bryan 
• "2023 World Tour" Crew – Luke Combs 
• "One Night At A Time World Tour" Crew – Morgan Wallen 
• "No Bad Vibes Tour" Crew – Old Dominion 
• "Home Team Tour 23" Crew – Thomas Rhett  

CATEGORY 2 – BACKLINE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR  

• Jason Baskin – Zac Brown Band  
• Melvin “Melvis” Fults – Kenny Chesney  
• Carlos Gutierrez – Dierks Bentley  
• Jason Herndon – Blake Shelton 
• Joel “Tico” Jimenez – Thomas Rhett 
• Jeremiah Langdon – Jelly Roll 
• Chris Miller – Keith Urban 
• Zach Rickard – Brothers Osborne 

CATEGORY 3 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR 

• Renee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc.  
• David Boyer – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc. 
• Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.  
• Catherine Morris – Farris, Self & Moore, LLC 
• Caleb See – Curo Financial, LLC 
• Michael Vaden – Vaden Group/Elliott Davis 
• Kris Wiatr – Wiatr & Associates, LLC 

CATEGORY 4 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR 

• Ronnie Brown – Zac Brown Band 
• Josh Easter – Morgan Wallen 
• Rhett Evens – Thomas Rhett  
• Caleb Garrett – Luke Bryan 
• Justin Pullin – Old Dominion 
• Erin Siegfried – Lainey Wilson 
• Chris Simms – Jelly Roll 
• Wayne “Wayno” Sullivan – Blake Shelton/Keith Urban 

CATEGORY 5 – FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR 

• Brendan Hines – Jelly Roll  
• Aaron Lain – Morgan Wallen 
• Todd Lewis – Luke Combs 
• Ben Rigby – Eric Church  
• Arpad Sayko – Chris Stapleton 
• Trey Smith – Thomas Rhett 
• Ian Zorbaugh – Old Dominion 

CATEGORY 6 – LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR 

• Zac Coren – Morgan Wallen 
• Philip Ealy – Kenny Chesney 
• Kevin Lichty – Old Dominion 
• Mac Mosier – Chris Stapleton 
• Kevin Northrup – Luke Combs 
• Taylor Price – Miranda Lambert 
• Austin Strain – Jelly Roll  
• Alec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett 

CATEGORY 7 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR 

• Narvel Blackstock – Starstruck Entertainment 
• Virginia Bunetta – G-Major Management  
• Martha Earls – Neon Coast 
• Kerri Edwards – KP Entertainment  
• Clint Higham – Morris Higham Management 
• Marion Kraft – ShopKeeper Management  
• Mandelyn Monchick – Red Light Management  
• John Peets – Q Prime South 

CATEGORY 8 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR 

• Bryan “Opie” Baxley – Kenny Chesney 
• Mark Davis – Jelly Roll  
• Logan Hanna – Brothers Osborne  
• Andy Hill – Zac Brown Band  
• Nathan Lowe – Eric Church  
• Jimmy Nicholson – Thomas Rhett  
• Dean Studebaker – Old Dominion  
• Scott Tatter – Dierks Bentley  

CATEGORY 9 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR 

• Chris Alderman – Blake Shelton 
• John Garriott – Chris Stapleton  
• Meesha Kosciolek – Eric Church  
• Erik Leighty – Miranda Lambert 
• Chris Nathan – Jake Owen  
• Earl Neal – Jason Aldean  
• Kevin Twist – Thomas Rhett 
• Ed Wannebo – Kenny Chesney 

CATEGORY 10 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR 

• Janet Buck – Essential Broadcast Media 
• Paul Freundlich – PFA Media  
• Quinn Kaemmer – Big Machine Label Group  
• Tyne Parrish – The GreenRoom PR 
• Carla Sacks – Sacks & Co.  
• Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt Public Relations  
• 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  
• Todd Green – Chris Stapleton 
• Matt Hornbeck – Luke Combs  
• Josh “Dude” Marcus – Jason Aldean  
• Tom Nisun – Kenny Chesney  
• Richard Rossey – Old Dominion 
• Justin Sumrall – Thomas Rhett  

CATEGORY 12 – SUPPORT SERVICES COMPANY OF THE YEAR 

• 4 Wall Entertainment  
• Clair Global  
• Dega Catering 
• Master Tour by Eventric 
• Moo TV  
• Richards & Southern  

CATEGORY 13 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR 

• Meredith Jones – CAA 
• Joey Lee – WME 
• Jonathan Levine – Wasserman Music  
• Darin Murphy – CAA  
• Adi Sharma – The Neal Agency  
• Aaron Tannenbaum – WME  
• Elisa Vazzana – UTA  
• Jay Williams – WME    

CATEGORY 14 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR 

• Bradley Jordan – Peachtree Entertainment  
• Patrick McDill – Live Nation Nashville  
• Louis Messina – The Messina Group  
• Rich Schaefer – AEG Presents 
• Aaron Spalding – Live Nation Nashville  
• Ed Warm – Joe's Concerts 
• Adam Weiser – AEG Presents  

CATEGORY 15 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR 

• Matt Anderson – Old Dominion  
• Jason Hecht – Chris Stapleton  
• Luke Holton – Brothers Osborne 
• Chuck Hull – Keith Urban  
• Meg Miller – Lainey Wilson  
• Ethan Strunk – Luke Combs 
• Chris Thacker – Dierks Bentley  
• Jon Townley – Thomas Rhett 

CATEGORY 16 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR 

• Rob Byus (Bass Guitar) – Blake Shelton 
• Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar) – Chris Stapleton/Vince Gill 
• Ben Helson (Guitar) – Dierks Bentley  
• Lee Hendricks (Bass Guitar) – Eric Church 
• Harmoni Kelley (Bass Guitar) – Kenny Chesney 
• Chris Kimmerer (Drums) – Thomas Rhett 
• Danny Mitchell (Piano) – Miranda Lambert  
• Kurt Ozan (Guitar) – Luke Combs  

CATEGORY 17 – TOUR VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 

• Mason Allen – Old Dominion 
• Andy Barron – Chris Stapleton 
• Zach Belcher – Dierks Bentley 
• David Bergman – Luke Combs 
• CeCe Dawson – Lainey Wilson 
• Tanner Gallagher – HARDY 
• Grayson Gregory – Thomas Rhett 
• Andy Pollitt – Jelly Roll  

CATEGORY 18 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR 

• Josh Clark – Miranda Lambert  
• Jay Cooper – Kenny Chesney  
• Houston Creswell – Dierks Bentley 
• Ron Etters – Chris Stapleton  
• Nate Fountain – Zach Bryan/Blake Shelton 
• Chris Jones – Jelly Roll  
• Ricky Krohne – Thomas Rhett  
• Michael Todd “M.T.” Stembridge – Eric Church  

CATEGORY 19 – VENUE OF THE YEAR 

• Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN 
• BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, NH 
• Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN  
• Choctaw Casino Resort – Durant, OK 
• Grand Ole Opry House – Nashville, TN 
• Joe's on Weed Street – Chicago, IL  
• Paycom Center – Oklahoma City, OK 
• Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO 

CATEGORY 20 – UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR  

• Dallas Bowsier – Eric Church  
• Josh Castle – Dierks Bentley  
• RJ Estrella – Luke Combs  
• Kayla Carter Greear – Luke Bryan  
• Kelsey Maynard – Old Dominion 
• Todd Molle – Jake Owen  
• Mel Murphy – Live Nation Nashville  
• Tyler Rhodes – Thomas Rhett  

About the CMA Touring Awards  

The CMA Touring Awards, originally called the SRO (Standing Room Only) Awards, were created by the CMA Board of Directors in 1990 to honor outstanding professional achievement within the touring industry. The first awards were presented at a black-tie gala hosted by K.T. Oslin and Roger Miller during CMA's Entertainment Expo, also known as the Talent Buyers Entertainment Marketplace. Ten awards were presented at the first gala and the number swelled to 19 over the years before settling at the current 20. The SRO Awards were renamed the CMA Touring Awards in 2016.   

About the Country Music Association  

Founded in 1958, CMA is the premier trade association of the Country Music industry. Representing professionals making a living in Country Music globally, the organization serves as a critical resource of support and information, honors excellence in the genre and provides a forum for industry leadership.

CMA is dedicated to expanding Country Music around the world through a number of core programs and initiatives including the organization's three annual television properties—the CMA Awards, “CMA Fest” and “CMA Country Christmas,” all of which air on ABC. The organization's philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation, works tirelessly to provide equitable access to music education in order to create impactful change for students and teachers across the United States. 

Keith Urban will host the 2023 CMA Touring Awards that are set to take place on
Monday, Feb. 12 in Nashville, TN.  

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