FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TEXAS COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES

TOP 5 FINALISTS IN THE

2026 TEXAS COUNTRY MUSIC “INDUSTRY AWARDS.”

Presentations to be made at TCMA’s 2026 Texas Country Music Industry Awards on July 23 at the Rhinestone Saloon in the Fort Worth Stockyards

CARTHAGE, TX (March 6, 2026) The Texas Country Music Association announced today the top 5 Finalists in the 2026 Texas Country Music Industry Awards.

The Texas Country Music Association presents the Texas Country Music Industry Awards and includes award categories that are not represented in the annual Texas Country Music Awards held each November at Billy Bob’s.

“The Texas Country Music ‘Industry Awards’ is to recognize and honor those who work hard alongside the artists to make an effective impact on today’s Texas music,” says TCMA Executive Vice President Richard Wilson. “There are so many moving parts to make music that the general public hears on the radio or streaming outlets. These are individuals and businesses that TCMA, as the only trade organization  and supporting force for the Texas Country Music industry, must honor.”

TCMA President Linda Wilson adds, “This is an incredibly unique and special awards event since it’s voted on only by TCMA Members and other verifiable industry stakeholders and peers. It’s our goal to let these individuals and entities that work so hard alongside the artists know that the industry is paying attention – and grateful.”

The nomination round ran from December 15, 2025, to February 28, 2026.  The top 5 Finalists in each award category have been confirmed and will now go to the final round voting between March 15, 2026, and April 30, 2026, and will be voted on by members of the Texas Country Music Association and other verifiable industry stakeholders. 

TCMA Members and verifiable stakeholder can place their votes at:  https://texascountrymusicassociation.org/2026industryvoting/

Winners in each category will be announced at the 2026 Texas Country Music Industry Awards on July 23, 2026, at Rhinestone Saloon in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Doors will open at 5pm with live music and Red-Carpet interviews, and the awards presentations will begin at 6pm.  There will be live music throughout the evening, with a full-band finale performance by Clay Hollis.

Tickets are on sale now for the event at https://texascountrymusicassociation.org/2026industryawardstickets.

The 2026 Texas Country Music Industry Awards Finalists are (in no particular order):

ARTIST MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Natalie Roberson (Tristan Roberson)

Jimmy Collins (Brooke Graham)

Len Snow (Multiple Artists)
Cynthia Garcia (Multiple Artists)

Randy Lenard (Tasman Sharp)

 

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Hayden Baker (Hayden Baker)

Rico Gonzales (Kin Faux)

Scotty Alexander (Scotty Alexander)

Bubba Bellin (Josh Weathers)

John Laufenberg (Randall King)

 

TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Brian Kinzie (CCR, Cody Canada & The Departed)

Austin Salazar (William Clark Green)

Mike Poole (Josh Weathers)

Greg Maldo (David Lewis)

Kayla Bacon (Josh Ward)

 

RADIO PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

Cynthia Garcia

Dillon Steen

Dusty Moats

Greg Sax

Jennifer Redding

 

PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR

Amy Johnson (Top Shelf Talent)

Barry Rogers (Wayne Public Relations)

Candy Hutzell (Pinnacle Media & Entertainment

Heidi Labensart (McGuckin Public Relations)

Desiree Serna (Publicity & PR by Desiree)

 

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Kimberly Brian (Josh Weathers)

Michelle Watterson (KNES Texas 99)

Tanya Avery (Dirt Road Troubadours)

Brandi Hope (Madam Pearl’s Saloon)

Clair Parada (Gruene Hall)

 

RECORDING STUDIO OF THE YEAR

Rosewood Studios (Tyler)

Stormy Cooper Media (Houston)

KSIJ Studio/Mauldin Productions (Gladewater)

Fort Worth Sound (Fort Worth)

Beagle’s Nest Records (New Braunfels)

 

RECORD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Bart Rose (Fort Worth Sound)

Chad Mauldin (Mauldin Productions/KSIJ Studio)

Drew Hall (Rosewood Studios)

Matthew Briggs (Beagle’s Nest Records)

Greg White (SG Studios)

 

BOOKING AGENT OF THE YEAR

Holly Grant (Grant Entertainment)

Brandi Hope (Blue Eyed Texan Booking)

Jennifer Edwards (Third Coast Music Booking)

Michael Kelley (TKOCO)

Dusty Moats (Powerhouse Promotions)

 

TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR (VENUE OR FESTIVAL)

Alexis Wilson (Gruene Hall)

Keli Pearce (7^th Planet Entertainment)

Justin Crawford (Spur One Management)

Curtis Goff (Red River Station)

Chris Smith (Rhinestone Saloon)

 

LIVE SOUND and/or LIGHTING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR (VENUE, COMPANY OR TOURING)

Jimmy Davidson (Texas Stage)

Dale Simpson (Extreme Sound Production)

Bryce Reed (Hoot’s Hall)

Christian Keep (CK Productions)

Jody Weidermann (Rhinestone Saloon)

 

VENUE OWNER OR MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Jennifer Murillo (Madam Pearl's Dancehall and Saloon)

Jenny Latham (Rhinestone Saloon)

Alexis Wilson (Gruene Hall)
Duke Miller (Hoot’s Hall)

Ronnie Schoepf (Schoepf’s BBQ)

 

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Heartbreak Queen (Kensie Coppin)

John Deere Rust (Colby Lee Swift)

Gotta Have It (Josh Weathers)

I Can’t Fix Everything (Hayden Baker)

Put It In Reverse (Ben McPeak)

 

VIDEOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Trenton Johnson (613 Media)

Kyle Garrett Tomchesson (KG Media)

Caleb Villa (Caleb Villa)

Chris Roman (Split Window Studios)

Robert Moroni (Robert Moroni)

 

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Becky Stinehour (Candid Images Photography)

Greg Roach (Greg Roach Photography)

Natalie Roberson (Natalie Roberson Photography)

Shawnessy Ransom (Shawnessy Ransom Photography)

Jamie Goode (JME Studios)

 

GRAPHIC ARTIST OF THE YEAR (ALBUM OR SINGLE COVER)

Shawnessy Ransom (Weatherboy - Payton Riley)

Cody Covington (Where the Wild Things Are – William Clark Green)

Nikki Heath (Time and Again – Beyond Destiny)

Scott Foley (Taking Off My Halo – Elle Townley)

Bailey Hatton (Fool For You Again- the Hattons)

 

RADIO PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Buzz Russell (KNES Fairfield)

Kenny Schneebeli (KRXT Rockdale/Taylor)

Rudy Fernandez (KMWX/KKCN/KEAN Abilene)

Michael White (Real Texas Radio)

Shayne Hollinger (KFWR Fort Worth)

 

RADIO BROADCAST TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

Erin Wilde (KTFW Hank FM Fort Worth, TX )

Tim Shipman (TexasRedHotRadio.com)

Diane Day (KYKX Longview/Tyler)

Big Jim Russell (KLUR Wichita Falls)

Carey Dean and JoJo (KRVF Corsicana)

 

MUSIC FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR

Larry Joe Taylor Music Festival (Stephenville – Zach Taylor)

Cattle Country Festival (Gonzales - Marcus Federman)

Brooke Graham Beach Bash (Port Aransas - Brooke Graham)

Heart of Texas country Music Festival (Tracy Pitcox)

Troubadour Festival (Bryan – Double Tap Entertainment LLC)

 

CHARITABLE MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR

Concert for Love (Love Heals Youth - Rebecca Smith)

Texas Ranch Round Up (North Texas Rehab Center - West Texas Boys Ranch)

Harmonies for Heroes (Fort Worth, Veterans - Trig44 Entertainment)

Special Songs for Special Kids (Be An Angel – Denise Fenoglio)

Patriots of Texas Music Fest (Military/Veterans - Jesse Raub Jr)

 

PODCAST OF THE YEAR

Gotta Love Texas Music (Katherine and Honey Odom)

Texas Toast Podcast (Helen Elshick)

Only Vans (Bri Bagwell)

The Boston Chris Show – Boston Chris

The Ranch Sitdown (Shayne Hollinger – The Ranch)

 

DIGITAL OR PRINT MEDIA OUTLET OF THE YEAR

Stars over Texas TV (Mike Bilansky)

Pro Country Music (Justin Loretangeli)

Galleywinter (Brad Beheler)

Texas Country Network (Zakk United)

Texas Music Daily (Tami Milspaugh/Greg Sax)

 

SYNDICATED RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR

Dance Time in Texas (Mike Bilansky)

Red Dirt Proud (JB Cloud)

Sunday Morning Coming Down (Mike “Crowman” Crow)

Ship Show (Tim Shipman)

Sounds Like Texas (Zakk United)

 

 

BEST ARTIST/BAND MERCHANDISE OF THE YEAR

Billie Jo Jones

Blacktop Bloodline

Chaser Crouch

Jesse Raub Jr

Payton Riley

 

ARTIST OR INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL SPOUSE OR SIGNIFICANT OTHER OF THE YEAR

Vanessa Smith (Buzz Russell)

Kady Weathers (Josh Weathers)

Hailey Underwood (Trevor Underwood)

Sarah Sparks (Tanner Sparks)

Shayla Korn (Jeremy Pool)

 

TEXAS COUNTRY MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Robert Gallagher (Billy Bob's Texas)

Len Snow (Get Joe Records)

Dusty Moats (Powerhouse Promotions)

Bart Rose (Fort Worth Sound)

Tami Millspaugh (Texas Record Chick Promotions)

 

According to TCMA President Linda Wilson, the Texas Country Music Industry Awards are vastly different than any other type of music awards. She says, “We’ve designed an awards presentation with our primary focus on honoring those who work so hard – those you rarely see but are vital to this industry’s success.  ”

 

TCMA Members and verifiable stakeholder can place their votes at:  https://texascountrymusicassociation.org/2026industryvoting/

 

Tickets are on sale now for the event at https://texascountrymusicassociation.org/2026industryawardstickets.

 

For more information on the Texas Country Music Association, visit www.texascountrymusic.org.

 

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Media Contact (not for publication)

Linda Wilson
President

Texas Country Music Association

tcma@texascountrymusicassociation.org