NASHVILLE\u2014The Country Music Association will honor the Messina Touring Group\u2019s CEO Louis Messina with this year\u2019s CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award. Messina received the news personally from Country legend George Strait, who made a surprise phone call last Friday morning. Final voting for the CMA Touring Awards, which highlight vital behind-the-scenes members of the touring industry, closes Thursday, Dec. 13. The CMA Touring Awards will take place Monday, Jan. 28 at Nashville\u2019s Marathon Music Works. Jerrod Niemann will return to host the ceremony.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m incredibly humbled by this honor from CMA and its membership,\u201d said Messina. \u201cHaving George Strait call and tell me the news was so powerful, so meaningful, so special and a moment I will always cherish. I’m especially proud of the team we’ve built and the clients we work for, and this distinction caps off an incredible year for us all. I remain thankful to so many people. You have now rendered me speechless.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe touring industry is a vibrant part of our business and Louis is very deserving of this recognition,\u201d said Brandi Simms, CMA Senior Director of Awards & Industry Relations. \u201cHis vision and passion for the artists and the touring community is an inspiration to those fortunate enough to have worked with him. He is a world-class promoter and it\u2019s no surprise to me that he was chosen to receive the honor of CMA\u2019s Touring Lifetime Achievement Award.\u201d<\/p>\n

As CEO of Messina Touring Group, Messina promotes the tours of heavy-hitters such as Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (Soul2Soul), Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran, Blake Shelton, Strait, Taylor Swift, and The Lumineers. Over his 50-year career, he has promoted a variety of acts including the Dixie Chicks, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and Nickelback.<\/p>\n

Messina began booking small shows as a high school student. Building a solid reputation, he moved onto club and theatre acts in and around New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. In 1975 Messina moved to Houston and (with longtime friend and mentor, Allen Becker) co-founded PACE Concerts. Under his direction, PACE Concerts gained regional and national acclaim among artists, agents, artist management and competing promoters. As the company evolved from PACE Concerts to SFX then to Clear Channel Entertainment, Messina established himself as one of the country\u2019s preeminent promoters. In addition to promoting club, arena and stadium acts, Messina conceived and created the George Strait Country Music Festival, Ozzfest (along with Sharon Osborne), Texxas Jam, Van Halen\u2019s Monsters of Rock and the Fleetwood Mac reunion tours. Since establishing The Messina Group, Messina has been the exclusive concert promoter for Chesney, Strait and Swift.<\/p>\n

Messina is known for special events and record-setting stadium concerts such as the Jimmy Buffett\u2014George Strait\u2014Alan Jackson triple headliner at Texas Stadium and the opening event at Cowboys Stadium featuring Strait. Strait\u2019s final sellout show at AT&T Stadium, The Cowboy Rides Away, set record numbers with over 104,000 tickets sold in 2014. Swift\u2019s 1989 World Tour saw five sold-out shows at Staples Center, setting a record for the artist with the most sold-out shows at the venue (16) and all of them sold out instantly. Chesney has played 135 stadiums during his career and is ranked in the Top Ticket Sellers of the past 25 years, while only headlining the last 14. Messina has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career from the Academy of Country Music, Billboard, International Entertainment Buyers Association, Performance Magazine, Pollstar, the T.J. Martell Foundation, and Venues Today.<\/p>\n

The announcement was made the same day that CelebrityAccess’ Top Box Office Scores appeared as follows:<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award is for an individual who has accomplished the highest level in the Country Music field of touring. The Award was established to recognize an individual who has achieved both prominence and stature at the highest level. The individual receiving this Award has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout a course of years that have proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on Country Music fans and the industry alike, and whose presence will have a long-term positive impact on Country Music and CMA for generations to come.<\/p>\n

CMA members in the following membership groups are eligible to vote on the 15 categories up for awards: Advertising\/Public Relations\/Media, Affiliated, Artist, Entertainment Services, Marketing\/Digital, Musician, Personal Manager, Record Label, Talent Agent, Talent Buyer\/Promoter, Touring, and Venue. Each category contains five nominees. Ballots are tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.<\/p>\n

Final nominees for the 2018 CMA Touring Awards are as follows (in alphabetical order):<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 1 \u2013 BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Renee Allen \u2013 Arnie Barn, Inc.
\n\u2022 Julie Boos \u2013 Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
\n\u2022 Legina Chaudoin \u2013 O\u2019Neil Hagaman, PLLC
\n\u2022 Jamie Cheek \u2013 Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
\n\u2022 Dwight Wiles \u2013 Wiles + Taylor & Co., PC<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 2 \u2013 COACH\/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Ron Easley \u2013 Jason Aldean
\n\u2022 Caleb Garrett \u2013 Luke Bryan
\n\u2022 Larry \u201cBig\u201d Garten \u2013 Lee Brice
\n\u2022 Larry Phye, Jr. \u2013 Chris Stapleton
\n\u2022 John Stalder \u2013 Kenny Chesney<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 3 \u2013 FRONT OF HOUSE (FOH) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Kirk Kelsey \u2013 Keith Urban
\n\u2022 Billy Moore \u2013 Eric Church
\n\u2022 Chris Rabold \u2013 Kenny Chesney
\n\u2022 Chris Stephens \u2013 Jason Aldean
\n\u2022 Ian Zorbaugh \u2013 Old Dominion<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 4 \u2013 LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Philip Ealy \u2013 Kenny Chesney
\n\u2022 Justin Kitchenman \u2013 Luke Bryan
\n\u2022 Gavin Lake \u2013 Eric Church
\n\u2022 Will Lowdermilk \u2013 Darius Rucker
\n\u2022 Mac Mosier \u2013 Chris Stapleton<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 5 \u2013 MANAGER OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Virginia Davis \u2013 G-Major Management
\n\u2022 Kerri Edwards \u2013 KP Entertainment
\n\u2022 Clint Higham \u2013 Morris Higham Management
\n\u2022 Jason Owen \u2013 Sandbox Entertainment
\n\u2022 Chris Parr – Maverick
\n\u2022 John Peets \u2013 Q Prime South<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 6 \u2013 TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Steve Bryan \u2013 Florida Georgia Line
\n\u2022 David Farmer \u2013 Kenny Chesney
\n\u2022 Jason Hecht \u2013 Chris Stapleton
\n\u2022 Jake LaGrone \u2013 Jason Aldean
\n\u2022 Jan Volz \u2013 Rascal Flatts<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 7 \u2013 MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Bryan Baxley \u2013 Kenny Chesney
\n\u2022 Cam Beachley \u2013 Miranda Lambert
\n\u2022 Johnnie Branham \u2013 Chris Stapleton
\n\u2022 Joel Stickrod \u2013 Darius Rucker
\n\u2022 Phil Wilkey \u2013 Keith Urban<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 8 \u2013 PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Jay Ballinger \u2013 Dierks Bentley
\n\u2022 Randy \u201cBaja\u201d Fletcher \u2013 Keith Urban
\n\u2022 Todd Ortmeier \u2013 Florida Georgia Line
\n\u2022 Jay Schwartz \u2013 Rascal Flatts
\n\u2022 Ed Wannebo \u2013 Kenny Chesney<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 9 \u2013 PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Erin Burr \u2013 Big Machine Label Group
\n\u2022 Ebie McFarland \u2013 Essential Broadcast Media
\n\u2022 Tyne Parrish \u2013 The GreenRoom
\n\u2022 Jensen Sussman \u2013 Sweet Talk Publicity
\n\u2022 Wes Vause \u2013 Warner Music Group<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 10 \u2013 TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Becky Gardenhire – WME
\n\u2022 Kevin Neal – WME
\n\u2022 Nate Ritches \u2013 Paradigm
\n\u2022 Risha Rodgers \u2013 WME
\n\u2022 Jay Williams \u2013 WME<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 11 \u2013 TALENT BUYER\/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Ben Farrell \u2013 Lon Varnell Enterprises
\n\u2022 Ali Harnell \u2013 AEG Presents
\n\u2022 Patrick McDill \u2013 Live Nation Nashville
\n\u2022 Brian O\u2019Connell \u2013 Live Nation Nashville
\n\u2022 Stacy Vee – Goldenvoice<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 12 \u2013 TOUR CATERER OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Dega Catering
\n\u2022 Concert Kitchen
\n\u2022 Hightopps Backstage Grille
\n\u2022 HSG Catering
\n\u2022 Taste Events Catering<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 13 \u2013 TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Wyatt Beard \u2013 Kenny Chesney
\n\u2022 Dan Hochhalter \u2013 Dierks Bentley
\n\u2022 Mike Kennedy \u2013 George Strait
\n\u2022 Tully Kennedy \u2013 Jason Aldean
\n\u2022 Travis Toy \u2013 Rascal Flatts<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 14 \u2013 VENUE OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Alabama Theatre \u2013 North Myrtle Beach, SC
\n\u2022 Ascend Amphitheater \u2013 Nashville, TN
\n\u2022 Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion \u2013 Gilford, NH
\n\u2022 Red Rocks Amphitheatre \u2013 Morrison, CO
\n\u2022 Ryman Auditorium \u2013 Nashville, TN<\/p>\n

CATEGORY 15 \u2013 TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
\n\u2022 Zack Clevenger \u2013 Rascal Flatts
\n\u2022 Jay Cooper \u2013 Kenny Chesney
\n\u2022 Houston Creswell \u2013 Dierks Bentley
\n\u2022 Ryan Rushing \u2013 Luke Bryan
\n\u2022 Mark Willcox \u2013 Chris Stapleton<\/p>\n

The CMA Touring Awards, originally called the SRO Awards, were created by the CMA Board of Directors in 1990 to honor outstanding professional achievement within the touring industry. The first awards were presented at a black-tie gala hosted by K.T. Oslin and Roger Miller during CMA\u2019s Entertainment Expo, also known as the Talent Buyers Entertainment Marketplace. Ten awards were presented at the first gala and the number swelled to 19 over the years before settling at the current 15. The SRO Awards were renamed the CMA Touring Awards in 2016.
\nAbout the Country Music Association<\/p>\n

Founded in 1958 and celebrating its 60th Anniversary in 2018, the Country Music Association is the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. In 1961, CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Music\u2019s highest honor. More than 7,400 music industry professionals and companies from around the globe are members of CMA. The organization\u2019s objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advance the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA\u2019s core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; CMA Fest, which benefits the CMA Foundation and music education and is taped for a three-hour network television special, \u201cCMA Fest\u201d; and \u201cCMA Country Christmas.” All of CMA\u2019s television properties air on the ABC Television network.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NASHVILLE\u2014The Country Music Association will honor the Messina Touring Group\u2019s CEO Louis Messina with this year\u2019s CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award. Messina received the news personally from Country legend George Strait, who made a surprise phone call last Friday morning. Final voting for the CMA Touring Awards, which highlight vital behind-the-scenes members of the touring<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":60499,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stc_notifier_status":"sent","_stc_notifier_sent_time":"2018-12-06 13:45:30","_stc_notifier_request":false,"_stc_notifier_prevent":false,"_stc_subscriber_keywords":"","_stc_subscriber_search_areas":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[51,22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-industry_news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n