FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

2023 TEXAS COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Another Spectacular Event in the Fort Worth Stockyards at Billy Bob’s Texas

 

TCMA Energizes the Texas Country Music Industry Once Again with Live Performances and 27

Awards at the Biggest Event in Texas Country Music

 

FORT WORTH, TX (Sunday, November 12, 2023) – For Texas Country Music fans from all over, the Fort Worth Stockyards was the place to be on Sunday November 12 as the Texas Country Music Association once again presented another spectacular event with the 2023 Texas Country Music Awards at Billy Bob’s Texas. This was the event’s seventh year and fifth year at Billy Bob’s according to Linda Wilson, President, and Founder of TCMA. The event once again proved why the Texas Country Music industry has exploded.

The event included a host of top Texas artists including TCMA Spokesperson Brandon Rhyder hosting the event for the 7th year in a row. Co-hosting with Brandon once again was popular on-air radio personality Malone Ranger of 95.9 The Ranch Fort Worth. “The Brandon-Malone team is outstanding. They bring the awards ceremony to an epic level and made the event high energy and fun.” Says Linda Wilson.

 

The 2023 Texas Country Music Awards was brought to you once again by Title Sponsor, Stockyards Heritage Development Co., and its entities, The Hotel Drover, Mule Alley, Stockyards Station, Hyatt Place, Stockyards Hotel and Cowtown Coliseum.

 

Radio Stations 95.9 THE RANCH was the event’s media sponsor. Other sponsors include Pendleton Whisky, La Pulga Spirits, American Hat Company, Cavender’s, CDX Nashville, Chaser Crouch, Cinch Jeans, Coffey Anderson Cut Beef, Flint Thompson, Lake Paradise Records, G289 and Cynthia Garcia, Gilligan Promotions, Grand Prairie Ford, Iron Oak Apparel, Jennifer & Ray Redding at Jenerayte Promotions, KNES FM Texas 99 Fairfield TX, Launch Music Lab, Mythic Guitar Company, NextGen, Rachel Stacy, Raising Canes, Ranch Texas, Rattlesnake Roadhouse, RayNicole, Rayne Road, Sammy Sadler, Sandee June Music, Shoepf’s BBQ, Secure Storage Sheds, Shiner Bock, Silver Saddle Saloon, SkyPine Roofing, The Stateline Band, Steel Records, Texas Music Reviews, Texas Toast Podcast, Toasted Yolk Cedar Park & Clay Pool Top Shelf Radio, Valencia Hotel Group, Will Carter, and 1^st Rodeo Limousine Service (the official transportation provider for TCMA).

 

Top fan and industry-voted Awards were presented in twenty-six categories related to Texas Country Music and Christian Country Music. The Texas Country Music Awards is under the direction of Executive Producer Monty Dawson, Vice President of Texas Country Music Association. The Texas Country Music Awards presentations were organized for the seventh year in a row by well-known record producer and awards Executive Director Chad Mauldin of Mauldin Productions. The performances, sound and staging were produced under the direction of Billy Bobs’ John Zaskoda and his team. Filming by Billy Bob’s Texas, additional filming and post-production provided by Bob Mauldin with 31 West Productions, “We are so grateful for all of the producers, coordinators and staff who worked so hard to pull together this event. Billy Bob’s Texas’ John “JZ” Zaskoda and his team have worked closely and tirelessly with us to bring this annual event to you for the past 5 years and they are the best in the business. We are looking forward to working with everyone again in 2024,” says Executive Producer and TCMA VP Monty Dawson.

 

The event kicked off with the Red-Carpet interviews at 2:00pm and hosted by TCMA Vice President Kris Young, Jim Nash of Shooter-FM, Ashli Dansby, on-air personality, and program director for KMHT Radio in Marshall TX. Musician and Songwriter of the Year awards took place during the pre-show at 5:00pm and included performances by the Chad Cooke Band, 2023 Christian Songwriter of the Year RayNicole, and 2023 Country Songwriter of the Year Trey Calloway singing their winning songs. TCMA President Linda Wilson along with TCMA Vice President presented the 2023 Artist Scholarship to Texas Country artist Chip Darby of Sour Lake, TX.

 

The main Awards ceremony began at 6:00pm with greetings from TCMA Founders, President and Executive Vice President Linda and Richard Wilson, and the opening prayer was offered by Pastor Randy Weaver of Lone Star Cowboy Church in Montgomery, TX, and Billie Jo Jones sang the National Anthem. Managing the trophies and directing participants on stage were Jada Young and Abigail Young.

 

Project Manager April Mauldin served as Media Coordinator. “There were many volunteers and TCMA Members to help put this amazing event together and we could not have done it without each and every one.” says Linda Wilson.

 

Many of the top Award categories included not only the designation and trophy but unique gifts provided by event sponsors including a custom engraved tumbler from TCMA, jewelry from Kendra Scott, and gift certificates from Silver Saddle Saloon, Cinch Jeans and American Hat Company. All finalists received swag bags filled with gift items and certificates from many various sources.

 

Along with the 27 Awards presented at the 2023. Texas Country Music Awards,

TCMA’s prestigious “Trailblazer Award” was presented to Cody Canada for his long-standing career and the unprecedented songwriting and success he has obtained in the Texas and Red Dirt music scene. "TCMA is extremely excited and pleased to have presented Cody the 2023 Trailblazer Award as part of the Awards Ceremony. He certainly ‘blazed the trail’ for others and he’s very deserving to be honored." says Linda Wilson, President, and Founder of the Texas Country Music Association. Presenting the award was Mike McClure, long time Canada friend and producer.

A new award was introduced in 2023 – the Moe Bandy Icon Award and was presented to Moe Bandy himself. Future years will also include this award and it will be presented to various industry professionals.

The spectacular evening was filled with top talent including Coffey Anderson, who kicked off the main ceremony. Also performing were Sarah Hobbs, Rachel Stacy, and Monty Dawson, and four of the Emerging Artist Finalists, Jaret Ray Reddick, Case Hardin, Payton Howie, and Ryder Grimes. Finalist Jacob Stelly was unable to attend to perform.  Next was an unforgettable finale performance by Cody Canada and the Departed.

 

The 2023 Texas Country Music Awards were covered by media from all over Texas as well as other states. The Red-Carpet Interviews were live streamed by Texas Toast podcast. Video footage of the Texas Country Music Awards will be edited for television and scheduled to air on the Texas Country Network’s online, ROKU, AppleTV and FireTV channels at a date to be announced.

 

The Award Winners in each of the categories came as a result of nominations and final round voting that took place between April and August of 2023. 

 

The Award categories and the respective winners are:

 

Entertainer of The Year:

Kin Faux

Male Artist of the Year:

Jake Worthington

 

Female Artist of the Year:

Summer Dean

 

Country Band of the Year:

The Great Divide

 

Western Swing or Bluegrass Artist or Band of the Year

Billy Mata & The Texas Tradition

 

Roots/Alternative Artist of the Year:

Dale Watson

 

Young Artist (18 & Under):

Payton Riley

 

Emerging Artist:

Ryder Grimes

 

Country Album of The Year:

“Jake Worthington” (self-titled), Jake Worthington

Country Single of the Year:

“Good side,” The Great Divide

 

Terrestrial Radio Station of the Year:

99.1 FM KNES Texas 99, Fairfield, TX

 

Broadcast Personality of The Year:

Shayne Hollinger – 95.9 FM KFWR The Ranch - Fort Worth

 

Internet Radio Station of the Year:

Real Texas Radio – Michael White, Owner

 

Live Music Venue of the Year:

The Kenney Store – Kenney, TX

 

Christian Country Artist of the Year:

Crystal Yates

 

Bassist of the Year:

Kevin Pool

 

Fiddler of the Year:

Ben McPherson

 

Guitarist of the Year:

Jake Mears

 

Keyboard/Pianist of the Year:

Bryce Conway

 

Steel Guitarist of the Year:

Adam Goodale

 

Drummer of the Year:

Dan Currier

 

TCMA Artist Scholarship

Chip Darby

 

Trailblazer Award:

Cody Canada

 

Country Songwriter of the Year:

Trey Calloway for “One Tough Job”

 

Christian Country Songwriter of the Year: 

Christian Martin, RayNicole Martin and Clay Thrash for “Book of Momma”

 

TCMA’s 2023 Artist’s Scholarship was presented to Texas artist singer/songwriter Chip Darby of Sour Lake TX. The Artist’s Scholarship will pay to have one single recorded, engineered, mixed, and mastered at Chad Mauldin at Mauldin Productions; single distribution by Joe Kelly at CDX Traction TX; and a professional photography session by Courtney Ritter of Courtney Ritter Photography.

 

The Texas Country Music Association’s mission is to promote and enhance the Texas Country Music industry, its artists, songwriters, musicians, venues, media, and businesses behind the scenes to make it all happen. “We’re already planning the 2024 Texas Country Music Awards for November 10, 2024, at Billy Bob’s, but FIRST, we will be presenting the Texas Country Music “Industry Awards” and Texas Country Music Summit for May 9, 2024, at Sawyer Park Icehouse in Spring, TX.” says TCMA Executive Vice President Richard Wilson. He mentions a few successful projects already live such as the Texas Country Music Chart, Texas Country Network online and on ROKU, AppleTV and FireTV, Texas Country Music Television online, Texas Country Music Magazine online and more. There are many more plans and projects that TCMA will put in place in 2024, all to enhance the industry and support everyone involved.

 

Linda Wilson says, “More than anything we would like to thank our TCMA Members and Sponsors because without you, we could not do what we do to make TCMA the supporting organization for the Texas Country Music industry.”  When asked what her favorite part of the evening was, she replied, “Well normally it’s the finale – which was awesome, but this year I think my favorite moment of the evening was when Jake Worthington was coming to the stage to accept his award, he scooped up my grandson Kohen Ritter from the audience and carried him on stage.  His mom Courtney Ritter, my daughter and I were backstage and could see through the curtain he had a kid over his shoulder, and everyone was laughing and cheering and then we were like who’s kid is that? Wait, that’s Kohen! What a memorable moment!’

More information about the Texas Country Music Association, its purpose, plans, membership, and goals are available on www.texascountrymusic.org. 

 

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Linda Wilson, President

Texas Country Music Association

tcma@texascountrymusicassociation.org