WITH
ACM New Male Artist of the Year winner NATE SMITH +
ACM New Duo or Group of the Year winner
TIGIRLILY GOLD
COVER: Jordan Davis photographed by Caleb Cockrell
Country for All
f there was ever a theme for this year’s ACM Awards®, it’s that Country Music welcomes all to its stage and fans of every type.
The 59th ACM Awards was a huge success with Reba at the helm. It was a night full of unforgettable collaborations from Chris Stapleton and global popstar Dua Lipa to Kelsea Ballerini and breakthrough sensation Noah Kahan, performances from Cody Johnson to Post Malone, and so much more. Read the recap on P. 40. And with Reba returning to host the 60th ACM Awards anniversary next May, there’s no doubt it will be another can’t-miss celebration. In the meantime, I’ll be watching reruns of Reba … (If you know, you know.).
This show was extra special to me because my brother, Alex, got to attend for the first time. For those who may not know, my brother has a rare disease called Central Core Disease that has left him wheelchair-bound since the age of 2. Having my dad and brother able to make the trip down to Texas this past May made me take a step back and reflect.
It made me think about the fans from all over the world, with different backgrounds, who traveled to Texas and packed in the Ford Center at The Star to celebrate and support this genre. It’s rare you find a place where everyone is there for the same reason — to enjoy the music they love; even sporting events have two sides. And in a world so divided, I think that says a lot.
Jelly Roll describes his music as “real music for real people with real problems,” which I believe encapsulates the essence of Country Music as a whole. We at the Academy, the artists, and industry, all continue to strive to make sure that it keeps its authenticity.
In this issue, Jordan Davis, first-time ACM Awards winner, reigning ACM Song of the Year winner, and upcoming ACM Honors™ co-host, graces the cover and speaks about how his music and messages have resonated with fans and how he continues to foster growth in his songwriting. Read about it and more on P. 66.
As we look forward to ACM Honors in just a few weeks, I want to remind everyone, whether you’ll be in attendance or not, to notice the power this genre has when it opens its arms. Country Music is for everyone.
Cheers,
Libby Gardner
ACM Tempo Editor
E ditor
Libby Gardner
A ssistA nt E ditor
Brittany Uhniat
C ontributors
Kennedy Brady, Lydia Farthing, Craig Shelburne
d E sign
Randi Karabin, Karabin Creative
Printing
Graphic Visions Commercial Printing
Photos
ACM, Matthew Berinato, Caleb Cockrell, Jared Olson, Terry Wyatt
ACADEMY STAFF
CEo
Damon Whiteside
E
Lyndsay Cruz
Lori Kraft
d ir EC tor/ d igitAL M A rk E ting
Matt Brum-Taylor
d ir EC tor/ i ndustry r ELAtions & AwA rds
Haley Montgomery
d ir EC tor/P ub L i C ity & M E di A r ELAtions
Jesse Knutson
s E nior M A n Ag E r/C o MM uni CAtions A nd str At Egi C i
Lexi Cothran
s E nior M A n Ag E r/Ev E nts
Jennifer Davis
s E nior M A n Ag E r/ str At Egi C PA rtn E rshi P s Becca Fisher
s E nior M A n Ag E r/C ont E nt A nd E ditori AL Libby Gardner
s E nior M A n Ag E r/ACM L ifting L iv E s Taylor Wolf
M A n Ag E r/Progr AMM ing & C o MM unity E ng Ag EME nt Kortney Toney
M A n Ag E r/C r EAtiv E & C ont E nt Produ C tion
Brittany Uhniat
C oordin Ator/Ev E nts
Alexis Bingham
C oordin Ator/ s o C i AL M E di A
Katie Casserly
C oordin Ator/ fin A n CE A nd o PE r Ations
Kendra Williams
C oordin Ator/ str At Egi C PA rtn E rshi P s Maggie Feyrer
A ssistA nt/ACM L ifting L iv E s Brooke Boyd
A ssistA nt/M A rk E ting
Heather Howard
A ssistA nt/ i ndustry r ELAtions & AwA rds
Delaney Loughran
E x EC utiv E A ssistA nt to th E CEo Kristan Pridgen
M A n Ag E r/o ffi CE
Michael Stern
i nt E rns :
Kennedy Brady: Media Archives
Karenna Cox: Artist and Industry Relations
Kylyn Healy: Events
Jamea Kollie: Community Engagement
Lexie LaPlante: Publicity
Karson Leighton: Finance and Operations
Reese Manning: Marketing
Mollie Schumaker: ACM Lifting Lives
Molly Tetterton: Graphic Design
Gianna Thomas: Creative & Content Production
Mason Welch: Partnerships
Dear ACM Members,
Well, once again, the ACM Awards proved to live up to its title, Country Music’s Party of the Year®! Back in Texas for the second year and once again hosted by the iconic Reba, this year’s show pulled out all the stops with breathtaking performances and unique collaborations as you’ve come to expect from the ACM Awards. That included Chris Stapleton and Dua Lipa, Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan, Nate Smith and Avril Lavigne, and, of course, the impromptu tribute to the Allman Brothers sung by Reba and Post Malone! From the glamourous red carpet to the gigantic ACM Awards show to the high-energy official After Party Presented by Amazon Music, it was a night to remember. Thanks to our partners at Prime Video and Amazon Music, all the excitement was streamed live to fans in 240-plus countries and territories around the world.
The days leading up to the show were a full Frisco takeover, which included events such as ACM Country Kickoff, ACM Lifting Lives LIVE, ACM Songs & Stories powered by the Bluebird Cafe, Media Row, ACM Radio Award Winners Celebration, and lots of great opportunities for our industry to just hang out together. You’ll see all the greatest moments in this issue of Tempo
We are very excited about our recent announcement that our landmark 60th anniversary ACM Awards show will return to its location in Texas and stream live for a third year on Prime Video on May 8, 2025 — all helmed by our longest-running host, Reba, along with many more special surprises to be announced at a later time.
As we look ahead this summer, we also are pleased to return to the Mother Church of Country Music for the 17th ACM Honors, co-hosted by ACM Awards winners Carly Pearce and Jordan Davis, along with Tyler Hubbard, who will celebrate our Industry and Studio Recording Awards winners. This event is affectionately known as the Country Music industry’s favorite night, and with the stellar list of special award honorees and performers, it is no surprise why this evening is so beloved. We hope you will join us for this epic night of music.
July is a bittersweet time for me as we say goodbye to Ebie McFarland as our Chair and welcome the incoming Chair, Randy Bernard. I can’t thank Ebie enough for her three years of dedicated and visionary service to the Academy as an Officer. And I’m thankful we have Randy to lead us through our 60th anniversary celebration. Simply put, this organization would not exist without the commitment of our Board Members and, of course, the continued engagement of all our ACM Members.
Cheers,
Damon Whiteside Chief Executive Officer
Dear ACM Members,
It has been a pleasure to serve on the ACM Board of Directors, and I am truly grateful and excited to become Chair on the 60th year of the Academy.
It’s exciting to see the growth of Country Music and to see the appeal among all ages. Country Music has never been so hot! From HARDY to Jelly Roll and from Zach Bryan and Cody Johnson to Lainey Wilson, we see different fan bases for subgenres that continue to thrive and bring new fans to the Country format.
Country Music has two great associations promoting it: the Academy of Country Music® and the Country Music Association (CMA). One of the biggest questions we always get asked is, “What is the difference between the two organizations?” I believe it’s more important to ask, “What are the similarities?” It’s important to note both organizations are here to promote Country Music! The CMA has a huge awards show in the fall and, of course, the Academy has a huge awards show in the spring. Both do an amazing job of bringing Country Music to the forefront and keeping it mainstream. Think about this for one moment: Where could the rock genre be if they had two organizations for the past 60 years promoting it? Instead of trying to differentiate ourselves, I would prefer that, as the Academy, we ask how we can continue to bring more value to the genre. How do we continue to develop and promote Country Music internationally? How do we help our industry understand the future of technology? How can we communicate to our industry the importance of the strengths and weaknesses of AI, or help write the laws that strengthen our industry? How can we be a conduit for new artists to welcome them to our city? The Academy must be a voice and a marketing arm for the format.
As Chair, my job is not that important because we have so many great Board Members who sit on committees and talented Staff working on improving Country Music. I am excited for Damon Whiteside and his team to further Country Music and the Academy. I also look forward to working with our philanthropic partner, ACM Lifting Lives, to help raise money. But I would like to end with this ... If we, as the Academy, can do our job, we can lift all lives in Country Music.
Randy Bernard Incoming Chair of the Board
SESAC feels like a real family to me and I’m so happy to have them by my side!
SESAC is Family
NEW ALBUM
REBA RETURNS FOR THE 60TH ACM AWARDS
ACM unveiled the date for its milestone 60th anniversary, set for May 8, 2025, live from The Star in Frisco, Texas. To share the news, entertainment icon Reba McEntire shared a video announcing the date, making this her 18th time at the helm, the most of any artist in the Academy’s history. Tickets will go on sale later this year, so be sure to start planning your trip to witness Country Music’s Party of the Year.
AUGUST 21 | RYMAN AUDITORIUM GET READY FOR THE 17TH ACM HONORS
In just a few weeks, the 17th ACM Honors, frequently described as the “Country Music industry’s favorite night,” will take place at the historic Ryman Auditorium on August 21. Carly Pearce will return as host for the fourth year in a row, alongside Jordan Davis, for an unforgettable evening of live music and tribute performances. The Special Award recipients will be honored along with the previously announced winners including ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year Chris Stapleton and ACM Songwriter of the Year Jessie Jo Dillon. Additionally, the Studio Recording and Industry Awards winners from the 59th ACM Awards will be recognized. These awards will be presented by Tyler Hubbard. Performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks, and VIP packages and limited tickets remain on sale at AXS.com.
FOR FULL STORY ON THE ACM SPECIAL AWARDS HONOREES SEE P. 24.
STUDIO RECORDING AWARD WINNERS
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jimmie Lee Sloas
DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Jerry Roe
ACOUSTIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Charlie Worsham
ELECTRIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Rob McNelley
PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
(TIE) Jim “Moose” Brown and David Dorn
SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Paul Franklin
AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Jim Cooley
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Dann Huff
INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS
CASINO OF THE YEAR - THEATER
Choctaw Grand Theater — Durant, Oklahoma
CASINO OF THE YEAR - ARENA
Mohegan Sun Arena — Uncasville, Connecticut
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Tortuga Music Festival — Fort Lauderdale, Florida
FAIR/RODEO OF THE YEAR
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo — San Antonio, Texas
CLUB OF THE YEAR
Joe’s Live — Rosemont, Illinois
THEATER OF THE YEAR
Ryman Auditorium — Nashville, Tennessee
OUTDOOR VENUE OF THE YEAR
Red Rocks Amphitheatre — Morrison, Colorado
ARENA OF THE YEAR
Bridgestone Arena — Nashville, Tennessee
DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR
Ed Warm
PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Adam Weiser — AEG
From L-R: Tiera Kennedy, Michelle Tigard-Kammerer, Gil Beverly, BRELAND, Rozene Pride, Dion Pride, Latasha Gillespie, Damon Whiteside, Kortney Toney, Reyna Roberts
Celebrating Inclusion in Country Music
Members of the ACM Lifting Voices council, Staff, and Board, along with Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Music, came together in May, at the Omni Frisco PGA for the inaugural “I’m Just Me: Charley Pride, A Celebration of Inclusion.” This event, a testament to the groundbreaking achievements of the legendary artist, Country Music’s first African-American superstar, was a powerful celebration of his legacy and the barriers he broke down despite facing racial adversity. Pride’s legacy — 29 No. 1s on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and the first African-American artist to reach No. 1 in the genre — continues to inspire and guide us.
The event’s 16 selected honorees were chosen for their diverse contributions to the Country Music industry, each representing a unique facet of Pride’s legacy. From artists to executives, they embody the spirit of hope, advocacy, and innovation that Pride
stood for. The honorees included BRELAND; Reyna Roberts; The War and Treaty’s Michael and Tonya Trotter; Tiera Kennedy; Wendy Moten; Recording Academy Nashville Chapter executives Alicia Warwick and two-time GRAMMYnominated producer and Nashville GRAMMY Chapter President, Armand Hutton; Black Music Action Coalition President/CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers; three-time GRAMMY-award winning producer and BMI Nashville Executive Director of Creative, Shannon Sanders; Color Me Country Radio host and Country Music artist, Rissi Palmer; history-breaking Country Music songwriter and New York Times bestselling author Alice Randall; ACM Executive Kortney Toney; award-winning music industry executive and journalist Naima Cochrane; and Pride’s widow, Rozene Pride, and son, Dion Pride.
The Grand Finale
Last month, the Academy closed out the first year of its heralded OnRamp professional development program , a partnership with the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), with a celebratory performance showcase at 3rd and Lindsley in Nashville, Tennessee.
Hosted by singer-songwriter Wendy Moten, the showcase featured performances by many of the artist members of the inaugural OnRamp class, including Jasmine Bavaro, Tylar Bryant, Larysa Jaye, The Kentucky Gentlemen, “The Voice” season 25 contestant Tae Lewis, Roz Malone, Daisha McBride, Qualls, and Nick Tabron. Spotlighting the range of talent within the group, class members Kim Albritton, Chasidy Lauderdale, Nina Owens, DeDe West, and Amari Young also worked behind the scenes on the evening’s production.
LEVEL-ING UP
The 2024 LEVel Up cohort has journeyed to its halfway mark with its session at WME for the program’s “Artist and Representative Day.” Joined by ACM LEVel Up alumni and WME agent, Morgan Kenney, as well as Big Loud/ Back Blocks Music/Mercury Records artist Lily Rose, the cohort took part in an in-depth discussion about the world of agents and promoters, balancing careers, mental health, and opportunities to remove disparities that marginalized communities have faced. In addition, the group connected with Rose on her passion for songwriting, touring with Sam Hunt and Country Music icon Shania Twain, and her overall musical journey.
Back Row: Jasmine Bavaro, Nick Tabron, Brandon Campbell (The Kentucky Gentlemen), Tylar Bryant, Derek Campbell (The Kentucky Gentlemen), Qualls, Tatyana Carter, Chasidy Lauderdale, Wendy Moten, Kim Albritton, Kortney Toney, Tommy Moore
Front Row: Roz Malone, Dede West, Willie "Prophet" Stiggers, Larysa Jaye, Daisha McBride, Nina Teapot Owens, Stephanie Davenport, Tae Lewis
Back row L-R: Gator Pizer, Morgan Kenney, Lily Rose, David Hawkins, Haley Fairman, Bryan Webb
Front row L-R: Kenyon Glenn, Lizzy Stone, Alexes Aiken, Lacey Hayes, Jackie Ebnet, and Kortney Toney
ACM LIFTING VOICES COUNCIL GIVES BACK IN FRISCO
In a heartwarming gesture, the ACM Lifting Voices Council celebrated the 59th ACM Awards early by giving back to Birdie Alexander Elementary in Dallas, Texas. To help foster the arts for students at Birdie Elementary, the council collaborated with Principal David Welch and his staff to provide musical instruments to its students. Joined by Warner Music Nashville artist Tyler Braden and in proud partnership with Gibson Guitars, the ACM Lifting Voices Council delivered a special donation of instruments to the school's band, orchestra, and musical theatre programs, supporting their fine arts initiatives. The council hopes this donation catalyzes a wave of change and fosters new opportunities for these Dallas-based students.
From L-R: Erika Wollam-Nichols, Chuck Aly, Kortney Toney, Birdie Elementary Music Teacher, David Welch, Tyler Braden, Fletcher Foster, Stephanie Davenport, James Marsh, Shannon Sanders
IT'S SHOW TIME
ACM Lifting Lives® recently hosted the annual SENSE Theatre® ACM Lifting Lives 2024 Summer Camp. Conducted in partnership with SENSE Theatre, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, and Vanderbilt University Department of Theatre, the unique, two-week program is designed to improve the social and emotional functioning of people with autism spectrum disorder through theatrical intervention. Gathering in Nashville, 13 youth participants with autism spectrum disorder joined trained peers and counselors as the group rehearsed for the program’s finale —
two public performances of “HATS”, a musical journey of self-discovery — which took place at Vanderbilt University’s Langford Auditorium. Adding to the excitement, participants also were treated to a surprise acoustic performance from rising Country duo, The Band Loula.
The SENSE Theatre research program is led by founder Blythe Corbett, Ph.D., and the show was directed by Leah Lowe, Ph.D., with support from accompanist Drew Basham and music directors, Katie Webb and Rachel Calvosa.
Academy Of Country Music Announces Promotions And New Hires Across Several Departments
Tommy Moore Promoted to Chief of Staff & VP, Industry Relations & Awards, Board Administration and Governance
Atlanta-born and Chicago-raised, Tommy Moore attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he graduated with a degree in Broadcasting and Electronic Communications. His lifelong love for Country Music dovetailed professionally with an early job in Country radio at WMIL-FM in Milwaukee, where he worked as a morning show production assistant. Moore joined the Academy in 2011, and most recently served as Vice President, Artist & Industry Relations, Board Administration & Governance. He is a Leadership Music alumnus (class of 2022), appeared on the 2021 Billboard Pride List, was named to the “2019
Next Big Thing Rising Executives List” in MusicRow magazine, and is a SOLID alumnus (class of 2014).
In his role as Chief of Staff & VP, Moore will continue spearheading artist communication and engagement within the Academy. He also directs the overall Board communication of ACM, in addition to managing ticketing for all ACM events. He supervises all Academy membership operations as well as Awards voting and processes. Finally, he was a founding member of the Academy’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force, and now oversees all of the Academy’s DEI initiatives. He reports to Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy.
Kris Reyes Elevated to Senior Director, Finance, Operations, and HR
Kris Reyes joined the Academy as Director, Finance & Operations in 2023, having previous experience in Operations Accounting at TravelCenters of America, where she worked for the past two decades. Originally from El Paso, Texas, Reyes has an education in MicroComputer Applications and Business Management and received her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Phoenix.
In her role as Senior Director, Reyes will continue to focus on process improvements, team building, and policies and procedures, as well as lead the Academy’s human resources efforts, amongst other responsibilities across the finance and operations of the Academy. Reporting to Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy, Reyes will work across the ACM team to help implement and identify opportunities.
Jesse Knutson Promoted to Director, Publicity & Media Relations
A Seattle native with a background in TV News, where he won multiple Emmy Awards, Jesse Knutson joined the Academy in January 2022 as Manager, Publicity & Media Relations. He has since led the Academy’s publicity efforts for major live event tentpoles, including the 57th, 58th, and 59th ACM Awards on Prime Video, and the 15th and 16th ACM Honors shows, as well as Academy and ACM Lifting Lives organizational and programmatic initiatives. Knutson previously served as a TV reporter at Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 (WTVF), Seattle’s KING 5, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s WHP-TV, and also served as a producer at Los Angeles’ KNBC.
In his role as Director, Knutson will continue to lead publicity and media relations efforts for the Academy. Those responsibilities include publicity, promotional campaigns and strategies for raising awareness and coverage of the ACM Awards, Academy initiatives, programs and events, and ACM Lifting Lives philanthropic work. Knutson will draft press materials and work closely with the ACM Marketing and Events teams on logistics of red carpets and liaising with photographers and media, as well as organizational and programmatic priorities for the Academy.
Haley Montgomery Elevated to Director, Industry Relations & Awards
Haley Montgomery joined the Academy in 2020 as Manager, Awards & Membership, after holding a variety of roles across the industry including brand partnerships, merchandise, brand development, touring, and industry relations. She is one of the founders of the Family Alliance in Music, which provides community and support to members of the industry who currently have families, serve as caretakers, or plan on building a family in the future.
In her role as Director, Montgomery will work to ensure a strong connection between the ACM and the music industry at large and will serve as the Academy’s talent manager on ACM events, artist visits, and partnership initiatives. In addition to these added responsibilities, she will continue to focus on a wide array of award processes including nomination reviews, category definitions, expert category panels, voting processes and timing, and winner celebrations outside of the main award categories. On the membership side, she will continue to oversee recruitment of new members, programming, benefits, member communications, and marketing, as well as the development of a more inclusive and international membership base, building on her successful work leading the Academy to historic membership numbers. Montgomery reports to Tommy Moore, Chief of Staff & VP, Industry Relations & Awards, Board Administration and Governance.
Jennifer Davis Elevated to Senior Manager, Events
Born and raised in Westchester, New York, Jennifer Davis attended Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Marketing. Upon graduation, she went on to work in the events industry, planning various non-profit and corporate galas throughout New York City with event firm Buckley Hall Events. Davis then joined the special events team at Madison Square Garden (MSG), coordinating a portfolio of network television upfronts, the American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards, television and film shoots, NYU graduations, and more at MSG venues. Prior to joining the Academy in 2022 as Manager, Events, she led VIP & Fan Experience and Events for FirstBank Amphitheater’s inaugural concert season in Franklin, Tennessee. In her role as Senior Manager, Davis will continue to manage venue logistics and event operations for the ACM Awards and ACM Honors events. She reports to Ben Carter, VP of Live Events & Production.
Brittany Uhniat Promoted to Manager, Content & Creative Production
Raised in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Brittany Uhniat attended Belmont University and began her career in the music industry at Words and Music, under Big Deal Music, as a publishing administration coordinator. Before joining the Academy in 2022 as Coordinator, Content & Creative Production, she served as a creative coordinator at Resin8 Music. She is an alumna of SOLID and served on the board of directors as the social co-chair in 2019. In her role as Manager, Uhniat will continue assisting in scheduling and managing video shoots and other content productions. She reports to Steve Mekler, Director of Creative & Content Production.
Maggie Feyrer Joins the Academy as Coordinator, Strategic Partnerships
Born and raised in Garden City, New York, Maggie Feyrer moved to Nashville in 2017 to attend Vanderbilt University, where she majored in Organizational Development. She held internships at Live Nation Entertainment, Music City Media, and Essential Broadcast Media. Prior to her time at the Academy, Maggie worked at iHeart Media as a Digital Solutions Coordinator, managing strategic partnerships across iHeart Media’s digital catalogue, and at Please & Thank You/Fog City Presents as a Partnerships & Activations Manager. In her role as Coordinator, Feyrer will aid in managing and activating partnerships for the Academy, maintaining relationships with key strategic partners, communicating sponsorship needs internally, and securing new respective ACM brand partners. She reports to Gil Beverly, EVP & Chief Business Officer.
Katie Casserly Joins the Academy as Coordinator, Social Media
Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Katie Casserly graduated from the University of Florida with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Marketing. Prior to joining the Academy, she most recently served as Senior Account Coordinator at Bauer Entertainment Marketing and interned at Allied Global Marketing. In her role as Coordinator, Casserly will support the Academy’s high-functioning Marketing department, specifically assisting with daily publishing, media development and review, and community engagement across branded owned media channels. She reports to Matt Brum-Taylor, Director, Digital Marketing.
Delaney Loughran Joins the Academy as Assistant, Industry Relations & Awards
Born and raised in the Hudson Valley, Delaney Loughran graduated from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, in May 2023 with dual bachelor’s degrees in Public Relations and Advertising, and a master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications in May 2024. She moved to Nashville in January 2024 to join the Academy as Artist & Industry Relations Intern. In her role as Assistant, Loughran will assist in industry communications and relations, membership, and more. She reports to Haley Montgomery, Director, Industry Relations & Awards.
Inside the Boardroom
Former ACM Board Chair and longtime ACM supporter Ebie McFarland reflects on her time with the organization
BY LIBBY GARDNER
TEMPO: When and why did you start to become involved with the ACM?
EBIE McFARLAND: I joined the Academy of Country Music Board of Directors in 2012 as I’ve always deeply valued how proactive the organization is in continuing the promotion and visibility of Country Music globally. An entire staff dedicated to thinking up ways to make our music and artists matter is such an incredible resource. As [I have] a firm who works with so many artists from developmental levels-on, we’ve also always loved how new-artist centric they are — from the varying awards to the ability to program their involvement in real activations and performances throughout the year.
TEMPO: Why is serving as an officer and Chair of the Board of the ACM important to you?
EBIE M c FARLAND: When I was first coming up in the business, there were some incredible individuals who mentored me (and so many
others). So, as I’ve gotten older and had more experiences to share, I’ve wanted to find meaningful partners to do that through and with, and the Academy provides a lot of those through LEVel Up and other programs. The people you meet and get to work with in such collaborative capacities are unlike any other collective team environment thanks to the diversity of our ACM Staff, Membership, and Board.
TEMPO: What’s your proudest accomplishment as Chair? What have you learned?
EBIE M c FARLAND: Collectively having a staff that feels empowered and equipped feels like the biggest win because we all win when we bet on good people. And make no mistake, we have the best folks on our ACM Staff. Erv Woolsey used to raise a glass and say, “To the good guys,” and I feel like when I exit as Chair, I’ll be well within my right to raise a glass with that toast to this team. I’ve learned that when you have the right team assembled, anything is possible (and fun)!
WE PROUDLY CONGRATULATE OUR ACM AWARD WINNERS AND ACM HONORS RECIPIENTS.
2024 ACM HONORS
TRIPLE CROWN AWARD LAINEY WILSON
MILESTONE AWARD LAINEY WILSON
ICON AWARD TRISHA YEARWOOD
LIFTING LIVES AWARD LUKE BRYAN
POET’S AWARD ALAN JACKSON
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR CHRIS STAPLETON
2024 ACM AWARDS
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR LAINEY WILSON
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR LAINEY WILSON
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR CHRIS STAPLETON
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR TIGIRLILY GOLD
ALBUM OF THE YEAR HIGHER CHRIS STAPLETON
SINGLE OF THE YEAR “FAST CAR” LUKE COMBS
SONG OF THE YEAR “NEXT THING YOU KNOW” JORDAN DAVIS, GREYLAN JAMES
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR “BURN IT DOWN” PARKER MCCOLLUM
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR “SAVE ME” LAINEY WILSON
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR CHRIS STAPLETON
TEMPO: How have you seen the Academy change and evolve over the last few years?
EBIE M c FARLAND: We’ve always been scrappy and nimble as an organization, and I think that comes from our cool, West Coast roots. I love an organization that can give money to its members on a dime and also put on the highest-viewed awards show at the same time. We can serve multiple goals simultaneously — from artists and songwriters to industry and newcomers — and that’s evolution everyone in the industry should be thankful to the Academy for shepherding.
TEMPO: What is your favorite ACM memory?
EBIE M c FARLAND: There have been so many laughs with fellow Board members when traveling together for site visits or attending events together. I love people and I keep going back to “the best
memories are made when you’re with your people.” I feel grateful to have a community of people on this Board I love and am thankful for every day. It’s tough to sit in this chair as it’s a full-time job on top of the jobs we have. However, it’s so incredibly rewarding. Whether road-tripping with Randy Bernard or dinners with Damon, my memories are the conversations with folks I’m so much closer to now that we’ve experienced so much together.
TEMPO: How have you seen the Country Music genre evolve?
EBIE M c FARLAND: A client used to remind me: “There are a lot more little towns than big cities,” and it used to be that Country was only thought to appeal to those in the small towns. However, what a lot of folks forget is that those kids grow up ... whether they move on or stay in their hometowns … they grow and live and share the music that makes up their lives. As a format, we’ve been evolving on a global scale as our fans have taken the music they live their lives to as they live their lives everywhere. Also, because the songs are so good, the connection and investment in our artists match that commitment to truth, and so I think you’ll see even more expansion and connection happen.
TEMPO: Where do you think it’s headed?
EBIE McFARLAND: I hope we maintain our credibility, integrity, and spirit as a format and that organizations like the Academy, NARAS, the CMA, and institutions like the Opry continue to be valued for the role they play in the awareness of the format and its artists. I hope those coming up in the industry look to organizations like ours and give back to an industry that affords them these incredible experiences and that the act of service is not forgotten. ●
Clockwise from top left: Ebie and Koe Wetzel; Damon Whiteside, Ebie and Randy Bernard at the 16th ACM Honors; ACM OnRamp Mixer
SPECIAL AWARD HONOREES
“It was such a thrill and a privilege to call this year’s ACM Special Awards honorees to let them know how much we appreciate their work and share the news of this well-deserved recognition! From the Country Music icons to the incredible songwriters and powerhouse executives, we can’t wait to celebrate you in August at one of my favorite nights
ACM TRIPLE CROWN AWARD
LAINEY WILSON
Lainey Wilson will receive the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award following her win for ACM Entertainer of the Year at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2024. Wilson qualified for the Triple Crown Award after winning ACM New Female Artist of the Year, ACM Female Artist of the Year, and ACM Entertainer of the Year — an honor only nine other artists have been awarded. Wilson is the first solo woman to achieve the ACM Triple Crown Award in a threeyear span and the first artist since The Chicks (1998–2000) to qualify for the ACM Triple Crown in that timeframe. Wilson won ACM New Female Artist of the Year and ACM Song of the Year at the 57th ACM Awards, following up those wins with numerous others, including ACM Female Artist of the Year at the 58th ACM Awards and ACM Entertainer of the Year at the 59th ACM Awards, qualifying her for the ACM Triple Crown Award and bringing her ACM Awards count to 10 trophies.
Previous recipients of the ACM Triple Crown Award include Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Mickey Gilley, Merle Haggard, Miranda Lambert, Barbara Mandrell, Chris Stapleton, and Carrie Underwood.
ACM ICON AWARD
TONY BROWN AND TRISHA YEARWOOD
Tony Brown and Trisha Yearwood have both been chosen to receive the ACM Icon Award, honoring the contributions of Cliffie Stone, who was known for his producing work along with his Country Music career. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group, or industry leader who, throughout their career, has advanced the popularity of the genre through their contributions in multiple facets of the industry, such as songwriting, recording, production, touring, film, television, literary works, philanthropic contributions, and other goodwill efforts.
Brown has a storied career in the music industry, from playing piano with Elvis Presley, as part of the TCB Band, and Emmylou Harris, to producing more than 100 No. 1 Country songs, including hits for Reba McEntire, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, and more. He also served as president of MCA Records Nashville. He has previously won seven ACM Awards, including Producer of the Year.
Yearwood emerged as one of the top voices in Country Music in the ‘90s, winning ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year in 1991 and ACM Female Vocalist of the Year in 1997. Along with a win for ACM Video of the Year in 2016, Yearwood has taken home three ACM Awards in her career.
ACM HONORS, HOSTED BY CARLY PEARCE AND JORDAN DAVIS, WILL CELEBRATE THE SPECIAL AWARD HONOREES ON AUGUST 21 AT RYMAN AUDITORIUM
Past recipients of the ACM Icon Award include Alabama, Connie Bradley, Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Mike Dungan, Joe Galante, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Alan Jackson, George Jones, The Judds, Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr., and Dwight Yoakam, among others.
ACM LIFT EVERY VOICE AWARD
SHANNON SANDERS
Shannon Sanders has been chosen to receive the ACM Lift Every Voice Award. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group, industry leader, or affiliate/partner who plays a pivotal role in elevating underrepresented voices throughout the Country Music genre, transcending demographics and geography. The nominee for this category is proposed by the rising leaders in the Academy’s LEVel UP: Lift Every Voice professional development and enrichment program, a two-year curriculum designed to empower participants to play a pivotal role in expanding the horizons of Country Music into new audiences that transcend demographics and geography.
Sanders is a respected member of Nashville’s music industry with multiple awards under his belt as a songwriter, producer, and musician. He currently serves as executive director of creative at BMI, and he is an advocate for music creators, serving on the ACM Board of Directors and as well as chairing the ACM Lifting Voices Council.
Past recipient BRELAND received the first-ever ACM Lift Every Voice Award in 2023.
ACM MILESTONE AWARD
LAINEY WILSON
Lainey Wilson has been chosen as the recipient of the ACM Milestone Award, honoring the contributions of Gene Weed, who directed and produced the ACM Awards for more than 30 years. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group, or industry leader for a specific, unprecedented or outstanding achievement in the field of Country Music during the preceding calendar year.
Past recipients of the ACM Milestone Award include Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, George Burns, Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Merle Haggard, Sam Hunt, Miranda Lambert, Loretta Lynn, Little Big Town, Willie Nelson, Jennifer Nettles, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Morgan Wallen.
ACM LIFTING LIVES AWARD
LUKE BRYAN
Luke Bryan has been chosen to receive the ACM Lifting Lives Award, honoring the contributions of Gary Haber, known as a business manager and past president of ACM Lifting Lives. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group, or industry professional who is devoted to improving lives through the power of music, has a generosity of spirit, and is committed to serving others. It is voted on by the ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors.
Bryan has placed 30 singles at No. 1, winning ACM Entertainer of the Year three times and taking home a total of 10 ACM Awards to date. While Bryan’s music has brought him worldwide acclaim, he’s also well-known for his philanthropy, especially through his Farm Tour, which is entering its 15th year. The son of a peanut farmer, Bryan brings his shows to farms across the country. Since the tour’s inception in 2009, he has awarded more than 80 scholarships, and the Farm Tour has raised enough money to, along with sponsors, donate more than 8 million meals.
Past recipients of the ACM Lifting Lives Award include Paul Barnabee, Ross Copperman, Gayle Holcomb, Lady A, Dolly Parton, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Troy Vollhoffer, and Dwight Wiles.
acmcountry.com/honors for more information.
ACM POET’S AWARD
WALT ALDRIDGE AND ALAN JACKSON
Walt Aldridge and Alan Jackson have each been chosen as recipients of the ACM Poet’s Award. This award is presented to a Country Music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of Country Music.
Aldridge is the recipient of more than 20 gold and platinum RIAA certifications and wrote or co-wrote 56 top-40 songs on the Billboard Country charts. He was twice named one of Billboard’s top writers of the year and has written songs for everyone from Lou Reed to Reba McEntire, including No. 1 hits for Ronnie Milsap, Earl Thomas Conley, Travis Tritt, and Heartland. Aldridge spent nearly 20 years in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, working at Fame Recording Studio and is also an accomplished musician, singer, and producer.
Jackson is a 20-time ACM Award winner, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and one of the most successful singer-songwriters in music. During his career, Jackson has sold nearly 60 million albums worldwide and has charted 50 top-10 hits and 35 No. 1s.
Previous recipients of the ACM Poet’s Award include Bill Anderson, Clint Black, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rodney Crowell, Dean Dillon, Kye Fleming, Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, K.T. Oslin, Buck Owens, Eddie Rabbitt, Fred Rose, Don Schlitz, Billy Joe Shaver, Shel Silverstein, Sonny Throckmorton, Shania Twain, Cindy Walker, and Hank Williams, among others.
ACM ARTISTSONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD
CHRIS STAPLETON
As previously announced, Chris Stapleton was awarded the 59th ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year Award, his fourth ACM Award this year and his 20th ACM Award to date. This award is presented to an individual known both as an artist and a songwriter, selected by a professional panel of judges including songwriters, publishers, producers, and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. The panel submits five nominees, and ACM Members in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Songwriter, Music Publisher/PRO and Record Company categories vote for the winner.
Previous recipient HARDY received the first-ever ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year
ACM SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD
JESSIE JO DILLON
As previously announced, Jessie Jo Dillon was awarded the 59th ACM Songwriter of the Year Award. This award is presented to an individual known predominately as a songwriter, selected by a professional panel of judges composed of songwriters, publishers, producers, and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. The panel submits five nominees, and ACM Members in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Songwriter, Music Publisher/PRO and Record Company categories vote for the winner. This is Dillon’s first ACM Award.
Past recipients of the ACM Songwriter of the Year Award include Ross Copperman, Dallas Davidson, Ashley Gorley, HARDY, Luke Laird, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally, Lori McKenna, and Roger Miller.
KICKING OFF THE
PARTY OF THE YEAR
BY KENNEDY BRADY
What better way to launch Country Music’s Party of the Year than with a free, fan-filled two-day festival? During this year’s ACM Country Kickoff, fans from all walks of life partied with their favorite Country Music artists.
Throughout the event, the outdoor Carhartt Stage featured performances by nearly every artist or group nominated in the ACM New Artist categories including Kassi Ashton, Ashley Cooke, Hannah Ellis, Kameron Marlowe, Kylie Morgan, Megan Moroney, Neon Union, Restless Road, Dylan Scott, Conner Smith, Nate Smith, and Tigirlily Gold, as well as sets from Chayce Beckham, Annie Bosko, Tyler Braden, Tiera Kennedy, Jenna Paulette, Alana Springsteen, Matt Stell, Jake Worthington, and special festival-closer performer, Scotty McCreery.
During the festival, “Country Heat Weekly” podcast hosts Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson presented ACM Awards to winners in the New Artist categories during the special Live from the ACM Awards: ACM New Artist Winners Celebration. Megan Moroney was crowned the ACM New Female Artist of the Year, Nate Smith the New Male Artist of the Year, and Tigirlily Gold the New Group or Duo of the Year. The winners each delivered heartfelt speeches upon receiving their award, along with fiery performances of the packed-out crowd’s favorite songs.
The Coors Light Beer Garden and Dance Floor kept the beverages flowing and the party going. The Lucas Oil VIP Area provided guests with premium views of the outdoor stage, a Jack Daniel’s whiskey tasting, food and drinks, along with a dedicated bar service. Artist meet-andgreets took place in the ACM Red Barrel Lounge, sponsored by Princess Cruise Lines. Across the festival were photo opportunities, food trucks, ACM Awards Show merchandise, and activations from partner-companies, such as ACM Lifting Lives, Ashley, Choctaw Casinos and Resorts, Coors Light, Debbie’s Dream Foundation, North Texas Ford, Fritos, Kendra Scott, Korbel, Lucas Oil, and Princess Cruise Lines.
Thank you to all partners, performers, volunteers, and fans who made the second ACM Country Kickoff such a rockin’ success!
PAR-TEE
OF THE YEAR AT
TOPGOLF
BY KENNEDY BRADY
ACM Lifting Lives LIVE: Parker McCollum & Friends was truly a one-of-a-kind par-tee!
Presented by Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, the celebrity golf tournament held at Topgolf at the Colony in Frisco, Texas, was a hole in one. Country Music artists, industry members, and fans flooded the green to raise funds and awareness for ACM Lifting Lives and its mission to improve lives through the power of music. ACM Lifting Lives supports Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Music Health Alliance, Porter’s Call, the Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund, and many other organizations that use music therapy as a way of healing.
During the reimagined golf tournament, celebrities went from swinging to singing. Hosted by television and radio personality Storme Warren, the concert included performances from Ashley Cooke, Jordan Davis, Kameron Marlowe, Parker McCollum,
Old Dominion, Koe Wetzel, and Warren Zeiders. During the performances, ACM Group of the Year winner Old Dominion presented the ACM Visual Media of the Year award to Parker McCollum for the “Burn It Down” music video. McCollum was visibly shocked at receiving the award. He later told red carpet hosts Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson that for a moment, he was concerned he had forgotten to rehearse a duet with Old Dominion. Additionally, McCollum, from the stage, expressed the important work of ACM Lifting Lives and announced he’d be donating $10,000. He later got Lucchese and Raising Cane's to match his donation.
ACM Lifting Lives LIVE: Parker McCollum & Friends brought in a recordbreaking crowd. This monumental feat could not have been accomplished without all the sponsors (P. 65), industry guests, artists, volunteers, and fans.
RED CARPET
READY
The Official ACM Awards Red Carpet Show presented by Amazon Music and Amazon Live and hosted by Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton (cohosts of the “Country Heat Weekly” podcast), Makho Ndlovu (host of “Amazon Live”), and ACM Award winners Elaina D. Smith (host of “Nights with Elaina”) and Katie Neal (host of “Katie & Company”) kicked off the 59th ACM Awards in style. The show, which streamed live for free on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, included a special performance by ACM New Female Artist of the Year Megan Moroney and gave fans exclusive access to hear from some of their favorite Country Music stars moments before they stepped into the Ford Center at The Star.
RED CARPET READY
STARS AND HITS SHINE AT THE
With Reba McEntire at the helm and electrifying performances and collaborations from some of the genre’s biggest stars, the 59th ACM Awards delivered an unforgettable night
BY LYDIA FARTHING
After last year’s exciting return to Frisco, Texas — and with co-hosting duties being seen after by legends like Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton — the Academy of Country Music had a tall order to fulfill when it came to the highly anticipated 59th ACM Awards. Ahead of the show, a handful of awards had already been doled out, including Parker McCollum’s Visual Media win for “Burn It Down,” all three New Artist categories, including Megan Moroney for ACM New Female Artist of the Year, Nate Smith for ACM New Male Artist of the Year, and Tigirlily Gold for ACM New Group or Duo of the Year, as well as Artist-Songwriter and Songwriter of the Year, which went to Jessie Jo Dillon and Chris Stapleton respectively.
With the 59th ACM Awards being shepherded by the 16-time ACM Award-winning icon, Reba McEntire, the energy inside The Ford Center at The Star was undeniable as Country fans far and wide geared up for what would be another authentic celebration of the genre and its many creators. That energy hit a fever pitch within seconds of the show’s start as Lainey Wilson — who was in contention for a staggering five ACM Awards — ushered in the evening with a fitting rendition of Little Texas’ “God Blessed Texas.” Making her way to the main stage, she delivered the live performance debut of her just-released single, “Hang Tight Honey,” setting the tone for what was to come during the high-voltage ceremony.
Meeting the night’s honorable host, McEntire took the stage to gush on Wilson and her many career achievements, noting that she was “giving Dolly Parton a run for her money.” With Parton on the brain, the “Fancy” hitmaker took a moment to address the goat-sized vacancy in the room. “I was thinking about how I was going to top Dolly Parton when she brought out a goat last year, and then it hit me! I’ll bring out my donkeys!” she teased. “I’ve got two of the cutest little old donkeys in the world, but recently, because of a TikTok video that I did with them that went viral, my donkeys have become very famous. Now they’ve got their own publicist, their own manager, their own agent … I can’t even book my own donkeys anymore! They’ve had one hit, and they turn into total asses,” she added, showing off her quick-as-a-whip humor. Underlining that the night would be honoring Country Music’s welcoming spirit and how everyone is invited into its fold — name checking the likes of Post Malone, Noah Kahan, and Avril Lavigne — McEntire passed the microphone to revered entertainers Randy Travis and Clay Walker to give out the night’s first
award, ACM Song of the Year. Jordan Davis received the award for his slice-of-life tune, “Next Thing You Know.”
Marking his first-ever ACM win, Davis graciously offered, “I grew up watching these shows. I love songwriting because of songs that won Song of the Year, so to be holding this right now is crazy.”
Jelly Roll continued the excitement with his powerful unreleased anthem, “Liar,” bringing a little bit of church to The Star. Jumping to the other side of the stage, Country starlet Kelsea Ballerini supplied her shimmering vocals on standout tune, “Mountain With A View,” before joining folk sensation Noah Kahan for a mashup of his smash hit, “Stick Season.”
Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football hosts, Richard Sherman and Charissa Thompson, awarded the Duo of the Year trophy to beloved pairing Dan + Shay, who shared, “We’ve been on quite a wild journey over the last 10 years. We’ve seen a lot of highs and a lot of lows, but the one thing that has remained the same is the love and support of this Country Music community. Y’all are family to us.”
Shortly after, eight-time ACM Award winners, Little Big Town, invited the newly crowned New Duo or Group winners, Tigirlily Gold, to the stage for a performance of their heart-wrenching “I Tried A Ring On,” before TV personality Tyler Cameron awarded Old Dominion their seventh consecutive Group of the Year trophy.
Clockwise from top left: Tigirlily Gold; Jelly Roll; Bobby Bones; Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan
The show-stopping performances continued as Cody Johnson delivered his evocative “Dirt Cheap” and 38-time ACM Award winner Miranda Lambert treated fans to the television premiere of her fiery new single, “Wranglers.”
One of the most entertaining presenter pairings came as Ashley McBryde and Outer Range star Noah Reid joined forces for a comical mashup of this year’s Single of the Year nominees with lyric changes fitting for the ceremony. The signature hat trophy went to Luke Combs’ countrified rendition of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.”
Genre-bending husband-and-wife duo, The War and Treaty, introduced the next performer, explaining that 40 years ago, soul pioneer Ray Charles took to the ACM Awards stage. To honor the anniversary, Entertainer of the Year nominee, Kane Brown, serenaded the crowd and viewers alike to his version of Charles’ iconic hit, “Georgia On My Mind.” Meanwhile, hitmaker Thomas Rhett performed his newly released single, “Beautiful As You,” for the very first time.
Moving on to the Male Artist of the Year category, Jordan Davis re-emerged, alongside two-time Latin Grammy award-winner Carin León, to present Chris Stapleton with his fourth trophy in the category. Elsewhere in the night, the Kentucky native was also awarded honors in Album of the Year for his 2023 project, Higher, bringing his total career ACM Award count to an impressive 20.
Clockwise from top left: Miranda Lambert; Kane Brown; Chris Stapleton; Cody Johnson; Thomas Rhett
Clockwise from top left: Chris Stapleton and Dua Lipa; Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton; Post Malone; Jason Aldean
With plenty of music still in store, Country stalwart Blake Shelton teamed up with his wife and pop standard Gwen Stefani for their borderline saccharine duet, “Purple Irises,” before Shelton turned the focus to one of the genre’s most celebrated modern figures. “As a friend, a fan, and a fellow Okie, I feel heartbroken yet honored to be standing here tonight to remember a man who became one of the biggest Country Music stars of all time: the late, great Toby Keith.” Listing off some of the Country Music Hall of Famer’s biggest achievements, including his 14 ACM Award wins, Shelton set the stage for Jason Aldean’s stripped-back take on the classic Keith hit, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy.” A truly moving moment in the evening, the entirety of The Star sang along in chilling unison as photos from across Keith’s life and career flashed on the screens.
Tallying her first of three wins at the ceremony, Lainey Wilson went on to nab the Female Artist of the Year honor. “There are so many women in Country Music who have guided me without even knowing it. Before I ever even got a chance to shake their hand and get to know
them, they have taught me so much.” Sharing some of the details of her beautiful friendship with fellow star Wynonna Judd, Wilson added: “It’s about lifting each other up and speaking life over each other … Iron sharpens iron, so this one is for all those women that do that.”
Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year, Chris Stapleton, later shocked viewers everywhere as he and a surprise duet partner, pop superstar Dua Lipa, thrilled with a masterful, string-backed take on his current single, “Think I’m In Love With You.”
After Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson secured their win for Music Event of the Year, thanks to their pleading duet, “Save Me,” one of the most buzzed-about artists in Country Music and beyond was set to make his ACM Awards debut. Starting with the unreleased tearjerker, “Never Love You Again,” Post Malone quickly turned up the heat with his history-making collaboration, “I Had Some Help,” originally featuring Morgan Wallen. It wasn’t curtains closed for Posty yet, though, as McEntire joined him for a spirited, acapella duet of the Allman Brothers Band’s “Ramblin’ Man” in honor of the late Dickey Betts.
Offering up his smoldering single, “Burn It Down,” Parker McCollum gave a compelling, acoustic performance before New Male Artist of the Year winner, Nate Smith, came out guns blazing with his current single, “Bulletproof.” Welcoming rocker Avril Lavigne to the stage, the pair brought the house down with their high-octane duet, leaving the crowd buzzing as the final award of the night was handed out.
Fifteen-time ACM Award-winners, Alabama, took the stage to present the highly contentious Entertainer of the Year award to Country Music’s leading lady, Lainey Wilson, who has now qualified for the coveted ACM Triple Crown Award. Visibly emotional, she accepted the award saying, “These past few years for us have just been a complete whirlwind. I’ve been in Nashville for 13 years doing this … I remember being a little girl and climbing out on the top of our roof to count the stars. I would look up and see the planes flying over my little town of 200 people, and I would dream about being up there in one of those planes.” She concluded, “The funny thing is, I still feel like that little girl. I feel like I still climb out and look at the stars, except I feel like I’m a little more eye-level with them now.”
The cherry on top of a stellar evening of Country Music, Reba McEntire graced the stage to perform her brand-new single, “I Can’t,” backed by a mesmerizing 20-person choir. Closing out Country Music’s Party of the Year, McEntire gave her final remarks, announcing that she would be back again next year to host the 60th ACM Awards. ●
Clockwise from top left: Parker McCollum; Reba McEntire; Avril Lavigne and Nate Smith; Lainey Wilson
WINNERS
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Lainey Wilson
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lainey Wilson
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Chris Stapleton
DUO OF THE YEAR
Dan + Shay
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Old Dominion
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Megan Moroney
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Nate Smith
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Tigirlily Gold
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/ Record Company–Label(s)
HIGHER
Chris Stapleton
PRODUCERS: Chris Stapleton, Dave Cobb, Morgane Stapleton
RECORD COMPANY-LABEL: Mercury Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/ Record Company–Label(s)
“FAST CAR”
Luke Combs
PRODUCERS: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
RECORD COMPANY-LABEL: River House Artists / Columbia Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR
Awarded to Songwriter(s)/ Publisher(s)/Artist(s)
“ NEXT THING YOU KNOW ”
Jordan Davis
SONGWRITERS: Chase McGill, Greylan James, Jordan Davis, Josh Osborne
PUBLISHERS: Anthem Entertainment; Family Farm Songs; Hold On Can I Get A Number 1 Music; Songs of Universal Inc.
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR
Awarded to Producer(s)/ Director(s)/Artist(s)
BURN IT DOWN
Parker McCollum
PRODUCERS: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry
DIRECTOR: Dustin Haney
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jessie Jo Dillon
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Chris Stapleton
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR
Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/ Record Company–Label(s)
“ SAVE ME ”
Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson)
PRODUCERS: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
RECORD COMPANY-LABEL: Stoney Creek Records / BMG Nashville
WINNER HIGHLIGHTS
of
the 59TH ACM Awards
This is LAINEY WILSON’S first win for ACM Entertainer of the Year, and her win qualifies her for the coveted ACM Triple Crown Award, celebrating artists who have won New Female/Male Artist/Duo or Group of the Year, Female/ Male Artist/Duo/Group of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year. Lainey Wilson is the first woman to achieve the ACM Triple Crown Award in a three-year span (2021 ACM New Female Artist of the Year, 2022 & 2023 Female Artist of the Year, and 2023 Entertainer of the Year) and the first artist since The Chicks (1998-2000). Her three wins bring her ACM Awards count to 10.
CHRIS STAPLETON was the most awarded artist of the evening with four wins, including his eighth win for ACM Album of the Year, four as an artist and four as a producer, making him the artist with the most wins in the category (passing George Strait with six wins). His win for ACM Male Artist of the Year brings his total in the category to four. Stapleton’s win for ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year marks his first win in the category. His four wins bring his ACM Awards count to 20.
OLD DOMINION ’s win for ACM Group of the Year marks their seventh consecutive win in the category, tying Rascal Flatts for the most consecutive wins in the category. Their win tonight brings Old Dominion’s ACM Awards count to nine.
MEGAN MORONEY, NATE SMITH, and TIGIRLILY GOLD secured their first ACM Awards wins for their respective wins in the three New Artist categories, along with Jordan Davis who took home his first two ACM Awards with an Artist and Songwriter credit on the ACM Song of the Year, “Next Thing You Know.”
The Radio Awards winners were announced with the help of numerous artists, including ACM Award nominees and past winners including Danielle Bradbery, BRELAND, Ashley Cooke, Russell Dickerson, Lady A, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Conner Smith, and Tigirlily Gold.
Winners announced include ties in two categories (Major Market On-Air Personality of the Year and Medium Market Radio Station of the Year) and multiple first-time honorees. In the OnAir categories, first-time winners include KATIE NEAL of Katie & Company for National Daily On-Air Personality of the Year, ANGIE WARD of Angie Ward and JASON PULLMAN of The Jason Pullman Show for Major Market On-Air Personality of the Year (tie), ANNIE FOX and COLE DUNBAR of Annie & Cole for Large Market On-Air Personality of the Year, and DOC MEDEK and SEAN “CHEWY” MEDEK of The Doc Show for Medium Market On-Air Personality of the Year. B-DUB of B-Dub Radio Saturday Night receives his second ACM Award for National Weekly On-Air Personality of the Year, and STEVE, BEN , AND NIKKI of Steve, Ben, and Nikki took home their second ACM Award for Small Market OnAir Personality of the Year.
In the Radio Station categories, WXTU in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, took home its second win for Major Market Radio Station of the Year, and WUBE in Cincinnati, Ohio, took home its fourth win for Large Market Radio Station of the Year. WBEE in Rochester, New York, and WGGY in Scranton, Pennsylvania, both took home their first wins for Medium Market Radio Station of the Year (tie), and WFLS in Fredericksburg, Virginia, took home its first win for Small Market Radio Station of the Year.
RADIO AWARD WINNERS
NATIONAL ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (Daily)
Katie Neal
Katie & Company
NATIONAL ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
(Weekly)
B-Dub
B-Dub Radio Saturday Night
ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
(Major Market)
Angie Ward
Angie Ward – WUBL –Atlanta, Georgia AND Jason Pullman
The Jason Pullman Show –KPLX – Dallas, Texas
ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
(Large Market)
Annie Fox and Cole Dunbar
Annie & Cole – WLHK –Indianapolis, Indiana
ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
(Medium Market)
Doc Medek and Chewy Medek
The Doc Show – WGGY –Scranton, Pennsylvania
ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
(Small Market)
Steve, Ben, and Nikki Steve, Ben and Nikki – WXBQ –Bristol, Virginia
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
(Major Market)
WXTU – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
(Large Market)
WUBE – Cincinnati, Ohio
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
(Medium Market)
WBEE – Rochester, New York, AND WGGY – Scranton, Pennsylvania
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
(Small Market)
WFLS – Fredericksburg, Virginia
MAKE WAY FOR
MEDIA [ROW]
Media Row, sponsored by Fritos and Wrangler, made its return to Frisco. Roughly 40 Country Artists were able to meet with 12 media outlets from all over the country and build anticipation for the ACM Awards week. Between creating customized Wrangler pieces thanks to Fort Lonesome chainstitch embroidery and snacking on Fritos, participating artists and radio and media personalities discussed all things ACM Awards week.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: TJ Osborne, Lauren Jo Black (Country Now), and John Osborne; Tigirlily Gold; Storme Warren (The Big 615) and Thomas Rhett; Mary and Randy Travis; Chayce Beckham; Dasha, Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson (Country Heat Weekly)
PRESS ROOM FROM THE
“First ACM, baby, right here. This was the one I prayed for. Out of all four nominations, this is the one I genuinely prayed for. I said, ‘God, if I have a chance at anything, let it be about this song.’ This song changed my life. This song saved me.” — JELLY ROLL
“[I’m feeling] just blessed. Blessed to be in Country Music. Blessed to be here. Blessed to be holding these two things [trophies] ... Seven years ago, I was bartending. 11 years ago, I was a guy that was a weed eater for a landscaping company and chased a dream to Nashville to write songs because of watching this show and singing songs that won this award.
— JORDAN DAVIS
“First of all, I’ll just say I’m so proud to be a part of this industry. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. That’s all. I just wanted to sing and write, and I wanted to be friends with the people in this industry because I knew that I was like them, and I knew they were like me.”
— LAINEY WILSON
“I’m so happy to be here. The energy in the room was amazing. Everybody loves to get up and dance, and I just feel like I’ve been welcomed, with arms wide open, so I feel very, very lucky to be here.”
— DUA LIPA
"I try to be very low key and stay out of the spotlight and just sing my songs, and every now and then, they shine a little bit on us and I’m really grateful for it, but the big win for me at these award shows is just attending. If these award shows and the Academy of Country Music think that I am good, talented enough, and deserving enough to play on the same stages and walk the same halls as Reba and Stapleton and COJO and legendary Country Music artists — if they think I’m good enough to be here, that’s what makes me feel like I’m doing something right.” — PARKER MCCOLLUM
"I’m really just trying to wrap my brain around what’s just happened. You said a nomination, a win, and a performance. That’s a lot ... We’re going to just enjoy this for a couple days, and then we’ll set our goals for the next race.”
— TIGIRLILY GOLD
“I think sometimes we think of ourselves as the new guys, and we’re certainly not at this point ... I feel like maybe that’s because we feel like we have something inside of us that feels like we need to prove something, or we want to prove something and to hear that we have tied that record [for the most consecutive ACM Group of the Year wins], that’s an incredible stat. What an accomplishment that we have all done together just by being us. It’s pretty amazing.”
— OLD DOMINION
THE PARTY DON’T STOP
No ACM Awards is complete without an after party! The ACM Awards After Party Presented by Amazon Music built on the excitement of the 59th ACM Awards, gathering artists, fans, partners, and more to dance the night away with more live music. The night featured performances from Dasha, LANCO, and Sam Williams, along with DJ VAVO — and a customizable cowboy hat station — the perfect end to the celebration.
BY LIBBY GARDNER
Davis reflects on the life of his song
‘Next Thing You Know’ and shares the path to authenticity, success, and growth in Country Music
Davis Jordan
Celebrates His First ACM Awards Win
“
Ithink you probably saw it on my face,” Jordan Davis remarked, reminiscing about the shock he felt after his first ACM Awards win this past May. Davis took home ACM Song of the Year, for his heartfelt, life-happens-fast hit “Next Thing You Know.”
“You don’t expect to win that category. Ever. No matter how much you believe in a song,” said Davis. “But it was a really cool way to kind of end the — I don’t wanna say life of that song — but it was a great way to cap that song off.”
The win isn’t just a celebration of the song and the dedication it took to get there. It transports Davis back in time to writing it alongside his buddies, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne, and Greylan James.
“As a songwriter, you get to really relive the entire life of that song. You get to remember, who threw the idea out, how you got it to where it was, and the changes you made to make the song what it was.”
And, of course, for any songwriter or artist, there’s pressure that comes along after winning awards — thoughts like, “How am I going to top this hit?” or instead, quickly moving from song to song searching for that hit. For Davis, the win has affirmed that it’s OK to slow down and honor the song’s life cycle.
“This award has shown me that it’s OK to dwell on a song that means a lot to [you] and is special to you,” explained Davis. “And, if it wins an award, great. But if not, I think, as a songwriter, you write enough bad songs to when we come across one that that means a lot to you, it’s OK to spend a little bit more time being proud of that one.”
But it’s not just about what the song means to the songwriters. Davis is well aware it’s about the message, how it connects to fans, relatability, and, of course, vulnerability — a songwriter buzzword we may hear quite frequently but one that we shouldn’t take for granted.
“I’ve had some songs that have done well in the past that have shown that the more honest and real you are, the more relatable it is,” Davis said. “And it makes you think back on the songs that meant a lot to you. And they were songs that you related to and had some type of connection with.”
Songs and the stories behind them never become obsolete — they’re woven into the musical fabric that will, in turn, inspire and shape the songs of the future. For Davis, it’s the greats like John Prine and Kris Kristofferson that he credits for his introduction to Country Music and vulnerability in his songwriting.
“I think, as a songwriter, you write enough bad songs to when we come across one that that means a lot to you, it’s OK to spend a little bit more time being proud of that one.”
“I always go back to the stuff that made me fall in love with Country Music … John Prine was a big one that I’ve spoken a lot about,” said Davis. “I feel like he was about as honest as it gets in songwriting. My dad was a big Kris Kristofferson fan. He is one of the best to ever do it. I always lean back on artists like that. How do I write songs the way they wrote songs, but in the way that I make music? That’s something that that I’ve really tried honing in on for these last couple albums.”
Aside from vulnerability, when asking Davis what he thinks it takes to be a hit songwriter, he responded initially, saying, “Oh, gosh, how long do you got?”
Although we didn’t have enough time to cover his “10-year town” songwriting philosophy, Davis summed it up with one key word.
“Perseverance is definitely the one thing that I think any songwriter in Nashville will tell you, you have to have. For me, it was coming to terms that I had to get better at songwriting when I first moved to town. And I kind of take the ‘10-year town’ saying as like, you know, it usually does take you a few years to realize that there’s a lot of places that you can grow as a songwriter.”
Amidst a busy season of life on the road, Davis has been working on new music. His latest single “I Ain’t Saying,” which he laughs while explaining, “I’m sitting here talking about being a songwriter, but this will be my first song that I was not a writer on.”
In the music industry, it’s common for artists to lean on their songwriting crew for their next cut. Great artists know when this is necessary and, more importantly, know the importance of effectively communicating their vision. Great songwriters know how to execute it.
“I knew what I was looking for in this next angle,” said Davis. “And I wanted something upbeat and going back to the ‘Take It From Me’ and ‘What My World Spins Around’ singles that I put out in the past. I thought my show needed that. And I was trying to write it for months. Luckily, Mark [Holman], Travis [Wood], and Steve [Moakler], they did that for me, which is what makes Nashville so special. You have other people that are trying to help you out as much as they can.”
“I hope I never get the feeling that I’ve reached the best songwriter I could be. There’s always room for growth in anything you’re doing, especially songwriting.”
Davis explained further, saying, “They did about as good as they could have done without me in the room ... I think that that shows their dedication to it to call me before to ask me like, ‘Man, what are you looking for?’ and that was them doing their homework and being great songwriters of their own.”
Songwriter, artist, father, husband, friend … that’s a lot for Davis to balance. He said he’s still figuring it all out.
“Family is always gonna come first. The touring and songwriting are something that I’m struggling to balance now. A lot of it is writing on the road right before shows or taking writers out on the weekends. I need the days in town to either spend with family or just to recharge.”
Coming to Nashville in 2012 with the hopes of being a songwriter and toying with the idea of also being an artist, he recalls an interaction with a close friend that makes more sense to him now.
“I remember, when I first started this, a dear friend of mine saying, ‘Are you sure you want to do this? You really need to take some time and think about whether you want to do the artist thing or if you want to do the songwriting thing.’ At the time, I really didn’t realize what he was asking … And, you know, a couple years in here, I am realizing why he made me take some time and really think about that.”
He’s grateful he made the decision he made and is still learning how to push himself and face the challenges of this career head on.
“Songwriting is a muscle. I’ve noticed in my career, the busier I get on the road, the tougher it is for me to write songs. The more shows I play going into the year, I already know that I’m gonna have to work really hard at the songwriting muscle and keeping that sharp.”
In a few weeks, Jordan Davis also will be hosting ACM Honors alongside Carly Pearce, who kickstarted her career at a similar time.
“ACM has been so great to me, and not to mention ACM Honors is such a special night to celebrate not just the artists but a lot of people behind the scenes. It takes an army for any artist or songwriter to have success … Being asked to host by the ACM — I was shocked. I’m super grateful and excited for that. But to do it with Carly, somebody that I grew up playing writers’ rounds with — one of my first-ever writers’ rounds was with Carly. It’s going to be really cool to stand up there with her and, before walking on stage to host, reminisce on the early days of us being in Nashville.”
Davis leaves us with some wise words.
“I hope I never get the feeling that I’ve reached the best songwriter I could be. There’s always room for growth in anything you’re doing, especially songwriting.” ●
FBMM WELCOMES OUR NEWEST OWNERS
Erica rosa jen conger
ACM LIFTING LIVES
MUSIC CAMP
For the past 15 years, ACM Lifting Lives has partnered with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp, a weeklong residential camp for individuals with Williams syndrome. The camp has the dual purpose of studying Williams syndrome and providing music enrichment through both performance and education. For a week each year, the campers get to experience the life of a Country artist — writing a song with some of Nashville’s greatest, recording the song at the iconic Ocean Way Studios on Music Row, and, ultimately, performing on the beloved Grand Ole Opry stage. Here’s what the artists involved have to say about the unique experience.
SONGWRITING SESSION
“I feel like the power of music bridges gaps between people who would normally not be in a room together. But we got brought into this camp and we got to write this fun, catchy song with these campers. That’s the power of music.” RUSSELL DICKERSON
“I’ve done this camp 12 years in a row — maybe more. I remember the first time I did it, I had no idea what I was walking into. And now, I can’t imagine my life without doing this camp. It’s just such a fulfilling experience to collaborate with the campers and to hear their ideas and to bring a song to life with 40 people in a room, including such great artists and songwriters like JT Harding who bring such great ideas and energy to this. And Russell Dickerson, what a legend. It’s always an honor to be a part of this camp.” ROSS COPPERMAN
BLUEBIRD CAFE
“It was special to be here and get to be a part of the camp. I think Country Music in general is so special because of the way that [artists] reach out and try to impact their community and the people around them and use the power of music to change lives.” CONNER SMITH
SEACREST STUDIOS
“I think the one thing that we can probably all agree on is that music is an escape for all of us. We all love music. We may love different kinds, whether it’s Country Music or R&B. The genre doesn’t matter. Music is an escape, and it’s a special thing.”
JORDAN DAVIS
KARAOKE AT LOSERS BAR AND GRILL
“As musicians, we get to use our talents to help others. And that is one of the most beautiful things, because to me, music is magic. Music is healing. And I think a lot of people would agree with that.”
CAYLEE HAMMACK
OCEAN WAY STUDIOS
“I think sometimes being in the industry you can forget what it’s all about. And walking into that room, it reminded me that it is about the music and the way it makes people feel. And that’s something that I think we’ll always come back to.”
—TIERA
KENNEDY
NASHVILLE PALACE
“Today with the campers, they were the sweetest people ever. They have the kindest souls. I just started crying in there because it was so much genuine joy. And they were just so excited to be learning the line dance and just so stoked to be hanging out and talking about music and talking about Nashville ... It was just really special, so I’m really happy I got to be a part of that.”
—DASHA
GRAND
OLE OPRY
“When the campers are so encouraging of each other, they’re back there saying, ‘You’re going to do great. We’re a team. Our dreams are coming true.’ The other day, they all sat in a circle. They were all encouraging each other, and I kind of felt like if the whole world treated everyone like that, how incredible that would be. And when I drove away, I felt like I was in the Twilight zone, like it was reverse. We’re all here. Like I thought, [I was] teaching them about something, but I drove away thinking like, ‘Oh, they’re teaching me how to be a better person.’ I guess they were lifting my life, you know. It’s a great feeling.”
—JT HARDING
“I think if I’ve learned anything from the campers it’s just that you got to go out there and have fun. I get so nervous playing the Opry every time. And they didn’t seem nervous at all, and I love that so much. It just reminded me that it’s okay to be nervous, but it’s also okay to let go and have fun.”
—ALEX HALL ●
Watch the performance on the Academy’s YouTube channel.
BY LIBBY GARDNER
TOO LATE IT’S
NEVER
TEMPO: Congrats again on winning the ACM Award for New Male Artist of the Year! Now that we’re a few months out from the show, how are you feeling?
NATE SMITH: It’s still pretty nuts. I’m still just as excited as I was then. And it’s just one of those things — it just blows your mind that people would take the time to vote for you and believe in you as an artist. It’s such a big deal.
TEMPO: You also performed at the show and brought out Avril Lavigne. How was that?
NATE SMITH: Honestly, I think it was cool for everybody. She [Avril] doesn’t realize how many people love her, even in Country. We went over to do some interviews on the red carpet, and people were literally going crazy when they saw her walk in. They were just like, “That’s Avril Lavigne!” And I’m like, “I know, I feel the same way, guys. I feel the same way.”
TEMPO: What was the recording process like for “Bulletproof”?
NATE SMITH: I had “Bulletproof,” and I could picture her singing on it. So, we put her AI vocal on it and listened to it. And it made so much sense. It was like, “Is this even a possibility?” I asked my manager, and he reached out to her team. Then she agreed to work on it with me, so we hung out, we partied, we got chased by paparazzi. Crazy things happened. But we had so much fun. It was a really natural fit and [so was] working with her. Doing this performance was great, too, because she’s done a bunch of this stuff. This was new for me. So, I was looking at her going, “You tell me what to do, because I have no idea if I’m supposed to run this way or that way.” I learned a lot just watching her. She had to record her parts in LA. So, she would text me her rough vocals, and then we would tweak them from there. She went in [to the studio] two times. She was so sweet. She was down to make it whatever we wanted.
TEMPO: Is there a chance of another collaboration in the future?
NATE SMITH: Yes, I think so. (Laughs) There’ll be something else coming.
TEMPO: How has the fan reaction been to that song?
NATE SMITH: Oh, incredible. It’s been cool for her fans to hear something new, and then it’s been cool for me because it’s widened the net of people that are aware of my music and Country Music in general. It’s been really, really positive. Everyone’s been super excited to hear her, and the performance went over well, too. Everyone was really happy about that.
Reigning ACM New Male Artist of the Year
Nate Smith reflects on his journey to the ACM Awards stage, the evolution of Country Music, and a message he believes in deeply that it’s never too late to pursue your dream
II really think that everybody in this world has something to offer that is really special, and I feel like some people think it’s too late for their dreams to come true, but it really isn’t.
TEMPO: You bring a lot of different elements aside from Country into your music. You have some rock, some soul elements. How did the “Nate Smith” sound come together?
NATE SMITH: I just like so many types of music. I love everything from EDM — you’ll definitely be seeing me do dance tracks, for sure, because I’ve just always loved it. And I love rock so much. I love pop. I love soul. My team and my producer have been nice enough to allow me to step into those worlds. And it’s fun for a live show. You’re not getting the same pepperoni pizza every single song. You’re getting something with different toppings. It makes it fun because you might have somebody who’s more into the rock stuff — they came for those songs. You have people that came for the soul songs. So, I think it’s fun for them, too.
TEMPO: Why do you think it’s important that Country Music be somewhat boundless?
NATE SMITH: It allows people that wouldn’t normally be part of Country to be a part of it, you know. It expands the genre, and it really gets to the heart of like, “What is Country?” I think in a lot of ways, it’s just real songs, real people, authentic stories. It’s really that simple.
TEMPO: Where do you see the genre going?
NATE SMITH: It’s gotten to a point where you just lean into who you are, in every way. I think that that’s where it’s heading. People are going to continue to be authentic. I think that’ll never change. I think that about Country Music — the heart of it — will never change. I think the style will change. You think about Rascal Flatts back in the day, and everybody’s like, “This is a pop group.” And you listen back, you’re like, “That was freaking so Country.” It’s going to expand to places it’s never been before.
TEMPO: Who are you listening to right now? Are there any artists who have inspired you recently?
NATE SMITH: Yeah, I love Shaboozey. I’m definitely playing his music a ton. That’s one of those examples of music stepping out into a really cool place, but it’s still like, absolutely Country.
TEMPO: You pride yourself on — even amidst chaos — that you get back up, and you keep going. How have you brought that into your music?
NATE SMITH: A lot of people know my story about the fire, but in case they don’t know it: In 2018, we had a pretty bad wildfire happen in my hometown of Paradise, California, and it happened out of nowhere. Our town was basically wiped out, and I lost everything and had to start over from scratch. But the cool thing is the community helped me, my family helped me, and I had friends that helped me out, too, and sent me a guitar in the mail when I lost my guitars. I didn’t do a whole lot of thinking to be honest. I just kind of kept going, and I was inspired to write music and for the right reasons. That’s the best thing you
could do is make music when it’s for people and not just for you … but it starts with you. You heal through it. It’s for you, but [you] understand that it’s for them [the fans] once it goes out into the world. My friends raised money for me through a GoFundMe to get me back to Nashville, I just sort of brainlessly came to town, I didn’t have a backup plan. I didn’t have any savings. I didn’t have any money at all. Just kind of went for it.
I really think that everybody in this world has something to offer that is really special, and I feel like some people think it’s too late for their dreams to come true, but it really isn’t. If you’re breathing, you’re good. You’re not too old. You’re not too young. It’s available to you. I always tell people at shows, “I don’t care if you hate every song that you heard tonight. If there’s one thing you hear tonight, hear that it’s never too late.”
TEMPO: That’s a really good point. I feel a lot of people don’t like to take chances once they get past a certain age because they’ve already made some important life and career decisions.
NATE SMITH: And it’s your life. You don’t get a second one that we know of. It’s like “Dude, take advantage of it!” If you feel in your heart that you don’t want to spend your life behind a desk or that you don’t want to live like that, then go for it. Nobody’s making you.
TEMPO: Were there ever moments where you felt like you wanted to give up, where you felt like you didn’t have the energy to do it anymore?
NATE SMITH: Yeah, I mean, I don’t think people understand how fast-paced life is as an artist. They see the fun stuff. They see that we’re onstage or they see the award shows, but they don’t see the two days of travel or the 3 a.m. lobby call. Nobody sees that stuff. That’s the stuff that’s not really glorious. It’s not easy, but my whole thing is I just shift my perspective. I start every day just being grateful. Gratefulness is what combats the stress of what’s going on. So, I start every day writing down a few things that I’m grateful for. It resets my whole brain and keeps me in a good place.
TEMPO: What advice do you have for those who feel like they’ve given it their all, maybe feel like their time’s up, or want a change?
NATE SMITH: Find your champions, first and foremost. Know who your champions are that are going to carry you through because you’re gonna need that support system to go for it. You’re gonna need them whether it’s financially, it’s prayer, or it’s just a friend that you can call where they can connect you with other people. You need people who really look at you, and they go, “You’re the future.” If they actually believe that, then there’s nothing you can’t do because they fully believe that you’re it.
TEMPO: I want to talk more about your ACM Awards win. That has to be a huge accomplishment, and probably a little bit of validation that you are doing something right. So, does that add pressure to keep the success going?
NATE SMITH: It definitely could. I do a lot of brainless thinking. (Laughs) I’m just grateful to have done that. If this is everything I’ve done, and this was it, I would be happy. I’d be totally happy. I’m so happy with everything that I’ve been able to accomplish and be a part of. It’s been so special. But yeah, I don’t think of it like, “Okay, I gotta get this hit song because I’m the ACM New Male Artist of the Year.” I’m just like, “Let’s keep it going.”
TEMPO: Is it the fans that keep you going? Or is it performing live?
NATE SMITH: Performing live is my favorite thing in the world to do. It actually is. That is my favorite place to be. I get to play rock star. And it’s so fun. I get to get up there, wear cool necklaces, and a cool jacket. It’s awesome. Rock out with people. It feels like I’m living a fantasy. It’s hard to explain. But it’s so sick ... I’m just passionate about what I do. I love making music. I love recording songs. I love creating. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do.
TEMPO: I saw your leopard print getup for one of your shows. I don’t know how you’re going to top that.
NATE SMITH: Well, I was thinking maybe for a festival, one of them is like a zebra.
TEMPO: All safari animals.
NATE SMITH: It’s just gonna be a safari festival.
TEMPO: I know you’re doing a lot of festivals right now. You’re also on tour with Morgan Wallen. How has that been? And what’s been your favorite moment so far?
NATE SMITH: We’ve been really fortunate with the festivals. They’re giving us like crazy slots, which, by the way, we’re happy to show up at the 1 p.m. slot and get there before people can start showing up. They’ve been giving us these 7 o’clock slots where everyone’s there. Just the other day, we were at a festival and there were 43,000 people there during our set. It was like, “This is so damn sick.” ... The festivals have been good. The Morgan tour has been amazing. I’m learning a lot watching his crew.
TEMPO: What do you have going on for the rest of the year aside from the tours and festivals?
NATE SMITH: I’m actually finishing up my next album right now. So, we’re deep in the process of it. I’m hoping we can put something out this fall. That’d be amazing. I’m just working really hard at it. So, I’m on the road, and then I’ll come home, and I don’t get a day off. I’m recording every one of those days and then I’m back on the road. So, I’m doing everything I can to get this damn thing done because I’m excited about it. I want it to come out.
We were talking about Country Music changing and all these kinds of things. I think that this new project will definitely push things a little bit. It’s very different, but with my brand, I always have to have anthems. So, whether there’s program beats versus live drums, they are still anthems. They are always going to be anthems.
Also, I put out a song with Alesso, the DJ. So, we’ve been collaborating together ... and I honestly really believe in this one. I honestly feel like this will be the summer song. ●
TIGIRLILY Striking Gold
At the 59th ACM Awards, sister duo Tigirlily Gold, comprised of Kendra and Krista, took home the ACM Award for New Duo or Group of the Year, making history as the first female duo to win it since The Lynns in 1998. The pair reflect on their Country Music journey, music to come, and a growing fan base cheering them on every step of the way
BY LIBBY GARDNER
TEMPO: It’s been a few months since you were named ACM New Duo or Group of the Year. How are you guys feeling now?
KRISTA: It feels like it was just yesterday. We are riding the high of that whole week, and I don’t know if it really has set in yet. We have just been trying to soak it all in and enjoy [it]. It’s been really fun, after the fact of the awards, getting to play shows, and seeing fans and how excited they are about the win and the performance. It’s been fun to share it with everyone.
TEMPO: Does the award feel like validation in a way that what you’re doing is working or that you’re on the right path?
KENDRA: It’s very validating. We’ve been a band for over 11 years. It’ll be 12 years in December. We put a lot of work into this career. We’ve had a lot of years that weren’t easy. So, to be awarded, especially from the Academy of Country Music, it just validates all the work you’ve put in, and that they recognize you as an important part of this industry.
TEMPO: Winning awards is one thing, but being able to share your music with the world has to feel fulfilling as well. Is there a part of your artistry that feels the most fulfilling?
KENDRA: I think the most fulfilling part is when we’re onstage and we’re singing songs that we loved creating, we loved writing, we loved making, and seeing the crowd react to those songs in the same way, and they’re singing them back. It’s a really special moment that you can’t quite put words to, and these people are complete strangers ... But in that moment, we’re all coming together. We’re all connecting through music, and I think that’s definitely our favorite part of all of it.
TEMPO: Does winning awards or even writing hit songs add more pressure to continue writing good music?
KRISTA: There’s always a little fear in the back of your head. We’re about to release our debut album, and we’re so proud of this album, so we’re like, “How are we going to top this album?” Here’s the thing with songs: Songs always find you and you can always write more songs. Kendra and I were never gonna put out anything we’re not proud of. It might take us longer to write an album, but somehow, we just keep writing songs that we love, which is awesome. And we’re surrounded by other great writers in Nashville ... We also get better as writers, too. We’re at the point where we are just getting going, and so I think that helps our creative process to know that we still have a lot of years ahead of us doing this. We just want to keep creating better music all the time, make our show better, make our writing better. We can always be growing.
KENDRA: Obviously, we want the best for every song, but we don’t really feel so much pressure to have 10 No. 1s in any year. We’re gonna be around for a while, and our thing has always been slow and steady. And it’s places like [the] ACM that really catapult your career to the next level. But, for the most part, we’re gonna be making music that we love, and there’s gonna be more awesome moments like the ACM Awards along the way. “I Tried A Ring On” for us, though, has always been an extremely special song. And so, the fact that we got to perform that on the awards show just meant everything to us.
We just want to keep creating better music all the time, make our show better, make our writing better. We can always be growing.
TEMPO: Have you seen your fan base growing after your performance on the show?
KRISTA: Absolutely. It was fun to see a few days after just how much the streams went up from the performance and seeing more people coming to the shows — really the way the industry has reacted to us as well. Some people in the industry may not have known about us or heard about us before, and that performance really made a lot of people aware of who we are.
TEMPO: I saw a video of Kelsea Ballerini talking about “I Tried A Ring On” and you guys reacting to that.
KENDRA: We look up to Kelsea so much, and for her to shout out our song and say she loves it is the coolest thing in the world because we love her and what she’s doing and her music. Carly Pearce has been so good to us and Lainey Wilson. Seeing these women who we look up to reach out and be so kind to us and encouraging to us has been really, really special.
TEMPO: When you were breaking into the industry and playing on Broadway, did you have a mentor?
KRISTA: Really for Broadway we didn’t have a mentor. (Laughs) That was us figuring it all out ourselves. Walker Hayes was definitely one of the first artists to offer us advice to help us with questions we had about this industry. And he was really, really, really kind to us right away. He wrote songs with us when we really didn’t have anything going on yet.
TEMPO: How difficult was it to push yourself mentally and physically hustling on Broadway?
KRISTA: It definitely made us stronger. We played down there for three years of our lives. It wasn’t like a short trip. We were down there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for three years, walking the tip bucket around ... There are definitely moments down there where people can make you feel less than or smaller. It’s not their fault. They’re drinking. They’re down there to party. There might be people that will spend hundreds of dollars on drinks, but they don’t want to tip the band. And I’m not saying “poor me” about this. It’s the reality of playing Broadway and you know what you’re up against. But it made us such better performers. We had to learn 100 songs and had to be ready for all these requests. And then you start to realize, “Why do people want to hear the song over and over and over?” There is a certain energy to those songs ... Now when we’re writing an album or we have songs that we love, we always test them out live, because that is such a huge part of our career. And people will tell you right away if they’re into that or not during a live performance. You can see it on their faces.
TEMPO: Since you two are a duo, do you write together?
KENDRA: We always write together because we feel like that’s how we get the Tigirlily Gold sound. We have very different strengths. Krista is incredible with rhythm. She’s incredible with phrasing. She is incredible with lyrics. She’s strong in those areas. I sing lead, so I lead more melodically driven, as well as conceptually driven of what the song is about and making sure it goes together and makes sense ... We have very different strengths.
KRISTA: And that was because we figured it out at a very young age. The Tigirlily Gold sound we had pretty locked in when we moved to Nashville. I think that’s what’s made us very strong is because we know what our roles are, what we want to say, and have really locked it in. That didn’t happen overnight. That came from experimenting and trying new songs and new sounds. When we signed with Monument [Records] in 2021, we had it locked in. From then [on], Monument Records has done so well just amplifying what we do. And Shane McAnally has been a really big part of that for us, helping us choose the right songs. As sisters — I know people are so curious about this dynamic — we get along so well, because I tell people, “If we did not get along, there’s no way we could survive being in the band together.” We don’t have separate buses. Completely a joke. Someday. But the only time we really argue, it’s for the song ... but it’s never at each other. It’s for the better[ment] of our career.
TEMPO: You guys, obviously, are spending so much time together. So, in your free time, do you still hang out?
KENDRA: We truly are best friends. And we have a lot of the same friends. So, when we have time off, and we’re trying to get together with friends, we end up hanging together anyways. But I’m married. I will come home, hang out with my husband and our dog, and have that time at home. And Krista has a boyfriend, so she’ll hang out with him. We do have our separate space. But our family, our parents, and our younger sister also live here. So, we try to see them when we’re home.
TEMPO: What can you share about your newly released album Blonde?
KENDRA: We’re really excited about our album Blonde . It was very collaborative. Shane McAnally [is the] executive producer. And then Pete Good produced half the record and Alex Klein produced half the record. So, we have two different bands, three different producers, lots of writers. We actually have an outside cut called “Leroy” written by Jessie Jo Dillon, Nora Collins, and Forest Glen Whitehead. We also cut our version of “Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis written by Jesse McCartney and Ryan Tedder. So, we’re excited for people to hear that. But Blonde , it really is the essence of channeling that inner confidence and being able to poke fun at yourself, because we try not to take life too seriously all the time. But we still have very vulnerable moments like “I Tried A Ring On” and “Hometown Song.”
TEMPO: Finally, I wanted to touch on ACM Lifting Lives because I know you’ve been vocal about supporting ACM Lifting Lives and how it’s helped you. Why do you think it’s important to give back to the Country Music community?
KENDRA: ACM Lifting Lives has been a huge part of our journey. Four years ago, we were still playing Broadway, and when the pandemic hit, we had no record deal, no publishing deal. Our whole income was coming through playing on Broadway and other shows. That was how we made a living. That’s how we paid our rent. And when the pandemic hit, we really were low. I remember applying for the ACM Lifting Lives grant just to do anything to help us stay here in Nashville during that time. And ACM Lifting Lives granted both Krista and I and told us that we were the first Broadway musicians they had ever given that grant to because it really hadn’t been needed until then. So, ACM Lifting Lives helped us stay in Nashville, which who knows, if we [hadn’t] stayed here where we would have been. So, from getting that grant to then winning our first ACM Award four years later — it is just insane to me how fast this journey has been for us. They helped so many people in this industry stay on their feet, stay in town. You hear those stories, and we’re a part of that. ●
Joe Bonsall
1948–2024
Joe Bonsall, the tenor singer in The Oak Ridge Boys and one of Country Music’s most enthusiastic entertainers, passed away from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on July 9, 2024. He was 76.
Bonsall was born May 18, 1948, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a teenager, he sang with a gospel group called the Faith Four, and befriended Richard Sterban, another gospel singer from the area. Sterban joined the Oaks in 1972, followed by Bonsall a year later. After making a minimal impact on Columbia Records, the group switched to ABC/ Dot, where they finally broke out with 1977’s “Y’all Come Back Saloon.” The Oaks received 1978 ACM Awards for Album (for Y’all Come Back Saloon) and Top Vocal Group.
Bonsall brought an infectious energy to the quartet, which had deep roots in gospel music yet still appealed to Country listeners. Between 1977 and 1991, the Oaks charted 34 Top 10 singles, with 17 of those reaching No. 1 at Country radio. They performed one of their most eloquent singles, a rendition of Rodney Crowell’s “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight,” on the ACM Awards in 1980, the same year it reached No. 1.
The Oaks’ visibility soared with 1981’s “Elvira,” a Dallas Frazier composition that had been cut several times before the Oaks turned it into a smash for MCA Records and a pop crossover hit. Their irresistible performance netted a Grammy Award and an ACM Single of the Year trophy. With that momentum, they racked up chart-topping hits like “Fancy Free,” “Bobbie Sue,” “American Made, “Gonna Take a Lot of River,” and “No Matter How High.” Bonsall also recorded “Out Goin’ Cattin’” with Sawyer Brown, which rose to No. 11 in 1986.
Mark James
1941–2024
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and national Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Mark James, died on June 8, 2024. He was 83.
Penning more than 200 songs throughout his career, with several enduring hits sprinkled in, James’ first taste of success came with B.J. Thomas’ “The Eyes of a New York Woman,” followed shortly after by “Hooked on a Feeling” and “It’s Only Love.” After writing and releasing his own version of “Suspicious Minds,” which garnered little success, the song was later famously recorded by Elvis Presley. It became the superstar’s last No. 1 hit and led to other late-career cuts from James, including “Raised on Rock” and “Moody Blue.” Elsewhere across his career, James wrote “Always on My Mind,” originally performed by Brenda Lee. A decade later Willie Nelson turned it into a Country crossover smash, nabbing Song of the Year and Country Song of the Year at the 1983 Grammy Awards.
In recognition of their exceptional career, the Oak Ridge Boys received the ACM Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award at ACM Honors in 2007. They were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2011 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015. Bonsall’s book about the band, On the Road with the Oak Ridge Boys: Forty Years of Untold Stories and Adventures, was published in 2015. —CRAIG
SHELBURNE
With songs recorded by the likes of Dwight Yoakam, B.B. King, Eddy Arnold, Charlie McCoy, The Partridge Family, Ronnie Milsap, and more, James’ music also has been heard across a wide range of films, including Reservoir Dogs, Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Hawk Down, Kramer vs. Kramer, Honeymoon in Vegas, Breathless, Someone to Watch Over Me, Practical Magic, and Frequency
—LYDIA FARTHING
Dave Loggins
1948–2024
Grammy-nominated singersongwriter, Dave Loggins, passed away on June 10, 2024. He was 76.
A Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, his most celebrated successes were his 1974 pop hit, “Please Come to Boston,” and the No. 1 Country duet, “Nobody Loves Me Like You Do,” alongside Anne Murray.
A Tennessee native, Loggins released five studio albums as an artist, garnering modest hits with “You’ve Got Me to Hold Onto” and “Pieces of April.” The former eventually became a Top 10 Country hit for Tanya Tucker, while the latter was a Top 20 pop success for Three Dog Night. Turning his attention to songwriting, Loggins found his stride over the course of five decades, notching 14 No. 1s with Wynonna Judd’s “She Is His Only Need,” The Oak Ridge Boys’ “Every Day,” Alabama’s “Forty Hour Week (For a Living),” Reba McEntire’s “Love Will Find Its Way to You,” and Kenny Rogers’ “Morning Desire,” among others.
With songs recorded by the likes of Jimmy Buffett, Tammy Wynette, Vince Gill, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams Jr., Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, and Johnny Cash, Loggins was awarded 25 ASCAP Awards, as well as named the ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year in 1987. Nominated for the ACM Top Vocal Duet in 1984 and the ACM Song of the Year in 1985 for penning Gary Morris’ “I’ll Never Stop Loving You,” he also wrote “Augusta,” which became the longestrunning sports theme song in history for the annual Masters Golf Tournament.
—LYDIA FARTHING
Mary Martin
1939–2024
Beloved music industry veteran Mary Martin passed away on July 4, 2024. She was 85.
An inductee into the SOURCE Hall of Fame, she was a lauded talent scout, manager, and record executive who played a critical role in the careers of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, Rodney Crowell, Keith Urban, and Vince Gill, among a long list of others.
Born in 1939 in Toronto, Canada, Martin’s illustrious career began as an executive assistant to artist manager Albert Grossman, who shepherded the careers of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Peter, Paul and Mary, and more. Starting her own venture in 1966, Martin made her way to the A&R department at Warner Bros., and eventually became the vice president of RCA Records, where she oversaw the careers of acts like Vince Gill, Clint Black, Paul Overstreet, Aaron Tippin, and Lorrie Morgan. After a brief stint as the executive director of Earth Communications Office, she served as an A&R consultant for Asylum Records before being tapped as vice president of Mercury Records until 2002. With a keen eye for burgeoning talent and a fierce belief in artists and their craft, Martin was also a Grammy-winning producer, thanks to her work on the star-studded Hank Williams tribute album, Timeless, featuring Dylan, Johnny Cash, Keith Richards, Tom Petty, and others.
—LYDIA FARTHING
Joe Scaife
1956–2024
Beloved studio engineer, record producer, and music publisher, Joe Scaife, passed away on June 12, 2024. He was 68.
Scaife earned a degree in Music Engineering and Recording from Nashville’s Belmont University, getting his first taste of success with K.T. Oslin’s 1987 hit, “80’s Ladies.” This led to a long string of recording sessions with some of the genre’s top-tier vocalists, including Montgomery Gentry, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Alabama, Glen Campbell, Lionel Richie, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Shania Twain, and Toby Keith, among others. As a producer, Scaife was one of the creative masterminds behind massive projects like Billy Ray Cyrus’ debut record, Some Gave All, which included his breakout hit, “Achy Breaky Heart,” as well as Gretchen Wilson’s breakthrough Here For The Party, featuring her careerdefining “Redneck Woman.”
Across his career, Scaife sold more than 80 million records and garnered over 2 billion streams. With a sprawling list of awards and accolades to his name, he received five nominations as a producer from the ACM. Among them are three nods for Album of the Year (Here for the Party by Gretchen Wilson, 2004; It Won’t Be the Last by Billy Ray Cyrus, 1993; Some Gave All by Billy Ray Cyrus, 1992) and two Single Record of the Year nominations (“Redneck Woman” by Gretchen Wilson, 2004; “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus, 1992). —LYDIA FARTHING
Remembering Joe Bonsall
14th ACM Awards
Knott’s Berry Farm in California | April 14, 1986
The Oak Ridge Boys backstage at the 14th ACM Awards after winning ACM Vocal Group of the Year and ACM Album of the Year for Y’all Come Back Saloon. This marked their first ACM Awards appearance and first time winning.
