CMA TOURING AWARDS
After 15 years, the CMA Touring Awards returned in 2012 to celebrate the Country Music touring industry and the people who continue to promote and sustain America’s favorite live entertainment format!
Previously known as the SRO (Standing Room Only) Awards, the CMA Touring Awards were originally created by the CMA Board of Directors in 1990 to honor outstanding professional achievement within the touring industry. Only CMA members in the Advertising/Public Relations/Media, Affiliated, Artist, Entertainment Services, International, Marketing/Digital, Musician, Personal Manager, Record Company, Talent Agent, Talent Buyer/Promoter, Touring Personnel, and Venue categories vote for the CMA Touring Awards.
The final five nominees in each category are selected after the nomination round. The winners are announced at the CMA Touring Awards. The eligibility period is from July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the current year.
2019 CMA TOURING AWARDS FINALISTS & WINNERS
CATEGORY 1 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Mary Ann McCready – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Renee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc.
David Boyer – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Dwight Wiles – Wiles + Taylor & Co., PC
CATEGORY 2 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Larry Phye, Jr. – Chris Stapleton
Kelley Beck – Blake Shelton
Caleb Garrett – Luke Bryan
Ronnie Goodwin – Eric Church
Rob Shepherd – Darius Rucker
CATEGORY 3 – FRONT OF HOUSE (FOH) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Arpad Sayko – Chris Stapleton
Jared Blumenberg – Florida Georgia Line
Billy Moore – Eric Church
Chris Rabold – Kenny Chesney
Ian Zorbaugh – Old Dominion
CATEGORY 4- LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Chris Reade – Dierks Bentley
Michael “Sparky” Anderson – Blake Shelton
Scott Cunningham – Florida Georgia Line
Gavin Lake – Eric Church
Alec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett
CATEGORY 5 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Mary Hilliard Harrington – Red Light Management
Clint Higham – Morris Higham Management
Jason Owen – Sandbox Entertainment
Chris Parr – Maverick
John Peets – Q Prime South
CATEGORY 6 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Todd Bunch – Eric Church
Kevin Canady – Blake Shelton
Tommy Garris – Old Dominion
Jason Hecht – Chris Stapleton
Mike Kelly – Darius Rucker
CATEGORY 7 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Bryan “Opie” Baxley – Kenny Chesney
Wesley Crowe – Thomas Rhett
Stuart Delk – Rascal Flatts
Marc Earp – Eric Church
Scott Tatter – Dierks Bentley
CATEGORY 8 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Jay Ballinger – Dierks Bentley
Todd Ortmeier – Florida Georgia Line
Jason Parkin – Darius Rucker
Kevin Twist – Thomas Rhett
Ed Wannebo – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 9 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Tyne Parrish – The GreenRoom
Carla Sacks – Sacks & Co.
Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt Relations
Jensen Sussman – Sweet Talk Publicity
Wes Vause – Warner Music Nashville
CATEGORY 10 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Jay Williams – WME
Marc Dennis – CAA
Darin Murphy – CAA
Aaron Tannenbaum – CAA
Nate Towne – WME
CATEGORY 11 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Louis Messina – Messina Touring Group
Ben Farrell – Lon Varnell Enterprises
Ali Harnell – Live Nation Nashville
Patrick McDill – Live Nation Nashville
Ed Warm – Joe’s Bar
CATEGORY 12 – TOUR VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Jill Trunnell – Kenny Chesney
Zach Belcher – Dierks Bentley
Jeff Johnson – Chris Young / Carrie Underwood
Michael Monaco – Luke Bryan
Matt Paskert – Jake Owen
CATEGORY 13 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Chris Jones – Eric Church
Brian Carico – Blake Shelton
Milojko Dobrijevich – Jason Aldean
Ryan Rushing – Luke Bryan
Mark Willcox – Chris Stapleton
CATEGORY 14 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Wyatt Beard – Kenny Chesney
Tyler Chiarelli – Florida Georgia Line
Dan Hochhalter – Dierks Bentley
Bennett Lewis – Maren Morris
Pete Sternberg – Brothers Osborne
CATEGORY 15 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN
Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH
Joe’s Bar – Chicago, IL
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
CMA TOURING LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
This award is for an individual who has accomplished the highest level in the Country Music field of touring. The award was established to recognize an individual who has achieved both prominence and stature at the highest level. The individual receiving this award has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout a course of years that have proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on Country Music fans and the industry alike.
It is to be noted that their presence will have a long-term positive impact on Country Music and CMA for generations to come.
This award is not intended for an artist.
Past Recipients:
2016 Randy “Baja” Fletcher
2017 Brian O’Connell
2018 Louis Messina
2019 Tony Conway