The CMA Touring Awards 2024, held in Nashville and hosted by Keith Urban, celebrated the outstanding achievements of professionals in the country music touring industry. Let’s delve into the event and its highlights.
Highlight of Winners and Categories
Louis Messina of The Messina Group clinched the Talent Buyer/Promoter of the Year award, while Jay Williams from WME earned the title of Talent Agent of the Year. Meg Miller, renowned for her work with Lainey Wilson, secured the Tour Manager of the Year accolade, and Mandelyn Monchick from Red Light Management was recognized as Manager of the Year. Additionally, the late Ron Baird received the posthumous CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award.
Special Recognition and Tribute
The tribute to Ron Baird, former CAA Nashville head, was a poignant moment, with his stepson Marc Dennis accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award on his behalf. This heartfelt gesture acknowledged Baird’s immense contributions to the industry.
Celebrity Attendance and Support
Renowned artists like Chris Stapleton and Thomas Rhett graced the event to support their teams, exemplifying the camaraderie within the country music community. Their presence underscored the significance of the awards in recognizing the behind-the-scenes talent that fuels successful tours.
Introduction of the Touring Mentorship Program
The CMA introduced the Touring Mentorship Program, a six-month initiative aimed at nurturing emerging talent in key roles such as Tour Manager and Lighting Director/Designer. This program reflects the association’s commitment to fostering the next generation of touring professionals.
Recap of the CMA Touring Awards Ceremony Date and Venue
The annual CMA Touring Awards took place on Monday night, February 12th, at Marathon Music Works in Nashville. Organized by the Country Music Association, the event provided a platform to honor the industry’s trailblazers and innovators.
Overview of the Country Music Association Awards
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMAs, have been a cornerstone of the genre since their inception in 1967. This televised ceremony celebrates the achievements of country music artists and industry professionals, serving as a testament to the genre’s enduring legacy.
Evolution and Significance of the CMA Awards
Over the years, the CMA Awards have evolved into a highly anticipated event, showcasing dynamic performances and recognizing excellence across various categories. From its humble beginnings to its current status as a global phenomenon, the CMA Awards continue to shape the landscape of country music.
Cma Touring Awards Winners
Award Category |
Winner |
Nominees |
| 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 |
| Backline Technician of the Year | Joel “Tico” Jimenez – Thomas Rhett | Jason Baskin – Zac Brown Band, Melvin “Melvis” Fults – Kenny Chesney, Carlos Gutierrez – Dierks Bentley, Jason Herndon – Blake Shelton, Jeremiah Langdon – Jelly Roll, Chris Miller – Keith Urban, Zach Rickard – Brothers Osborne |
| Business Manager of the Year | Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc. | Renee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc., David Boyer – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc., Catherine Moore – Farris, Self & Moore, LLC, Caleb See – Curo Financial, LLC, Michael Vaden – Vaden Group/Elliott Davis, Kris Wiatr – Wiatr & Associates, LLC |
| Coach/Truck Driver of the Year | Erin Siegfried – Lainey Wilson | Ronnie Brown – Zac Brown Band, Josh Easter – Morgan Wallen, Rhett Evens – Thomas Rhett, Caleb Garrett – Luke Bryan, Justin Pullin – Old Dominion, Chris Sims – Jelly Roll, Wayne “Wayno” Sullivan – Blake Shelton/Keith Urban |
| FOH Engineer of the Year | Arpad Sayko – Chris Stapleton | Brendan Hines – Jelly Roll, Aaron Lain – Morgan Wallen, Todd Lewis – Luke Combs, Ben Rigby – Eric Church, Trey Smith – Thomas Rhett, Ian Zorbaugh – Old Dominion |
| Lighting Director of the Year | Mac Mosier – Chris Stapleton | Zac Coren – Morgan Wallen, Philip Ealy – Kenny Chesney, Kevin Lichty – Old Dominion, Kevin Northrup – Luke Combs, Taylor Price – Miranda Lambert, Austin Strain – Jelly Roll, Alec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett |
| Manager of the Year | Mandelyn Monchick – Red Light Management | 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, John Peets – Q Prime South |
| 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 |
| Production Manager of the Year | John Garriott – Chris Stapleton | Chris Alderman – Blake Shelton, Meesha Kosciolek – Eric Church, Erik Leighty – Miranda Lambert, Chris Nathan – Jake Owen, Earl Neal – Jason Aldean, Kevin Twist – Thomas Rhett, Ed Wannebo – Kenny Chesney |
| Publicist of the Year | Tyne Parrish – The GreenRoom PR | Janet Buck – Essential Broadcast Media, Paul Freundlich – PFA Media, Quinn Kaemmer – Big Machine Label Group, Carla Sacks – Sacks & Co., Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt Public Relations, Wes Vause – Press On Publicity, Jennifer Vessio – 1220 Entertainment Publicity |
| Stage Manager of the Year | Todd Green – Chris Stapleton | Sam “Sambo” Coats – Eric Church, Donnie Floyd – Morgan Wallen, Matt Hornbeck – Luke Combs, Josh “Dude” Marcus – Jason Aldean, Tom Nisun – Kenny Chesney, Richard Rossey – Old Dominion, Justin Sumrall – Thomas Rhett |
| Support Services Company of the Year | Clair Global | 4 Wall Entertainment, Dega Catering, Master Tour by Eventric, Moo TV, Richards & Southern |
| Talent Agent of the Year | Jay Williams – WME | Meredith Jones – CAA, Joey Lee – WME, Jonathan Levine – Wasserman Music, Darin Murphy – CAA, Adi Sharma – The Neal Agency, Aaron Tannenbaum – WME, Elisa Vazzana – UTA |
| Talent Buyer/Promoter of the Year | Louis Messina – The Messina Group | Bradley Jordan – Peachtree Entertainment, Patrick McDill – Live Nation Nashville, Rich Schaefer – AEG Presents, Aaron Spalding – Live Nation Nashville, Ed Warm – Joe’s Concerts, Adam Weiser – AEG Presents |
| Tour Manager of the Year | Meg Miller – Lainey Wilson | Matt Anderson – Old Dominion, Jason Hecht – Chris Stapleton, Luke Holton – Brothers Osborne, Chuck Hull – Keith Urban, Ethan Strunk – Luke Combs, Chris Thacker – Dierks Bentley, Jon Townley – Thomas Rhett |
| Touring Musician of the Year | Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar) – Chris Stapleton/Vince Gill | Rob Byus (Bass Guitar) – Blake Shelton, 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 |
| Tour Videographer/Photographer of the Year | CeCe Dawson – Lainey Wilson | Mason Allen – Old Dominion, Andy Barron – Chris Stapleton, Zach Belcher – Dierks Bentley, David Bergman – Luke Combs, Tanner Gallagher – HARDY, Grayson Gregory – Thomas Rhett, Andy Pollitt – Jelly Roll |
| Tour Video Director of the Year | Chris Jones – Jelly Roll | Josh Clark – Miranda Lambert, Jay Cooper – Kenny Chesney, Houston Creswell – Dierks Bentley, Ron Etters – Chris Stapleton, Nate Fountain – Zach Bryan/Blake Shelton, Ricky Krohne – Thomas Rhett, Michael Todd “M.T.” Stembridge – Eric Church |
| Venue of the Year | Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO | 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 |
| Unsung Hero of the Year | Kelsey Maynard – Old Dominion | Dallas Bowshier – Eric Church, Josh Castle – Dierks Bentley, RJ Estrella – Luke Combs, Kayla Carter Greear – Luke Bryan, Todd Molle – Jake Owen, Mel Murphy – Live Nation Nashville, Tyler Rhodes – Thomas Rhett |
Conclusion
The CMA Touring Awards 2024 was a memorable event that celebrated the unsung heroes behind the scenes of country music tours. From talented musicians to dedicated managers, each individual plays a vital role in bringing live music experiences to fans worldwide. As the industry continues to evolve, the CMA remains committed to honoring excellence and fostering talent in country music touring.
FAQs
- When were the CMA Touring Awards held?
The CMA Touring Awards took place on Monday night, February 12th, at Marathon Music Works in Nashville. - What is the purpose of the CMA Touring Awards?
The awards honor top professionals in country music touring for their outstanding achievements in the industry. - Who hosted the CMA Touring Awards ceremony?
Country legend Keith Urban hosted the prestigious event in Nashville. - How were winners recognized at the CMA Touring Awards?
Winners were announced across various categories, including Crew of the Year, Talent Agent of the Year, and Tour Manager of the Year. - What new initiative did the CMA introduce during the ceremony?
The CMA unveiled the Touring Mentorship Program, designed to support early-career professionals in the touring industry through mentorship and guidance.