Industry Ink: Kacey Musgraves, Jeannie Seely, Jimmy Nash

Kacey Musgraves Wins CMA International Artist Achievement Award

Pictured (L-R): Leslie Cohea, Sandbox Entertainment; Jason Owen, Sandbox Entertainment; Milly Olykan, CMA Vice President, International Relations and Development; Kacey Musgraves; Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer; Samantha Borenstein, Sandbox Entertainment. Photo: Catherine Powell

The Country Music Association awarded Kacey Musgraves with the 2019 CMA International Artist Achievement Award Wednesday night (Feb. 27), surprising her backstage prior to her performance at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. The award recognizes outstanding achievement by a United States-based artist who has demonstrated the most significant creative growth, development and promotion of the country music industry outside of the United States during the eligibility period.

Since her first visit to the U.K. in 2012, Musgraves has developed an international touring base, headlining C2C: Country to Country festival in 2018 and becoming the first country artist to perform at Fuji Rock Festival in Japan before launching her own international headline tour in Oslo last fall, which included a performance at London’s Wembley Arena. This marks the second time Musgraves has received the CMA International Artist Achievement Award, previously winning in 2016.

“Thank you so much to the CMA for honoring me with the International Artist Achievement Award. I absolutely love experiencing new cultures and playing overseas,” said Musgraves.

“Kacey has made touring internationally a huge priority throughout her career,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “We’ve witnessed the international fan-base for Country Music expand immensely and we applaud Kacey for her continued engagement to reach Country fans around the globe.”

Jeannie Seely Performs at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Songwriter Session

Jeannie Seely. Photo: Erin Lee Allender

Grand Ole Opry Member, Jeannie Seely and special guest Tim Atwood brought the attendees at the weekly Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Songwriter Sessions to their feet during the event on Saturday (Feb. 23).

The museum’s Songwriter Sessions are held every Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in the intimate atmosphere of its Ford Theater.

“I was apprehensive about doing the songwriter showcase at the Hall of Fame. It is after all, very hallowed ground! But as I sang the songs I had written that were recorded by so many of the artists who are now honored in the Hall, I felt so at ease and truly felt their presence with me,” said Seely. “Thank you to all who made this happen, and to all of the wonderful fans and visitors to our city for coming in to share the time with me.”

“For years I performed with Jeannie Seely on the most venerable stage in country music–the Grand Ole Opry; however, to perform alongside Jeannie at the Country Music Hall of Fame was an honor like no other. To think that ten Country Music Hall of Fame members have recorded her songs is mind boggling,” said Atwood. “Jeannie is one of the best entertainers in our business, but Jeannie is also one of the best wordsmiths I’ve ever known. This lady can do it all, and I’m just proud to call her my friend.”

Previous Songwriter Sessions can be viewed here.

Jimmy Nash Preps Two New AWAL Country Releases

Jimmy Nash has signed a new distribution deal with AWAL, the artist-focused distribution arm of Kobalt Music, and is set to release two new singles April 12.

Nash previewed his new singles, “Til The River Runs Out” and “Burritos and Tito’s,” at the 2019 BMI Dinner at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. The singles can be previewed here.