CMA Reveals SRO Awards Finalists for 2014

The finalists have been determined for Country Music Association’s touring industry honors known as the SRO Awards and the final ballot will be emailed to voters today (June 3).

Ballots will be sent to CMA members in the following categories: Advertising/Public Relations/Media, Affiliated, Artist, Entertainment Services, Marketing/Digital, Musician, Personal Manager, Record Label, Talent Agent, Talent Buyer/Promoter, Touring, and Venue. Final voting for the SRO Awards will take place online through Friday, June 20. Ballots will be tabulated by the international accounting firm Deloitte & Touche LLP.

Finalists were determined during the first round of the balloting process when voters submitted nominations in each category.

CMA’s SRO Awards 2014 Final Nominees are as follows (in alphabetical order):

CATEGORY 1 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Cheryl Harris – O’Neil Hagaman, PLLC
Kris Wiatr – Wiatr & Associates, LLC

CATEGORY 2 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Kelley Beck – Blake Shelton
Ron Easley – Jason Aldean
Michael Kersh – Little Big Town

CATEGORY 3 – FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Kevin Freeman – Brad Paisley
Jon Garber – The Band Perry
Jeff Parsons – Blake Shelton

CATEGORY 4 – LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Taylor Price – Hunter Hayes
Steve Richards – Taylor Swift
Chris Shrom – Little Big Town

CATEGORY 5 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Robert Allen –13 Management
Kerri Edwards – Red Light Management
Jason Owen – Sandbox Entertainment

CATEGORY 6 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Kevin Canady – Blake Shelton
Tristan Kirkbride – Rascal Flatts
Erica Worden – Taylor Swift

CATEGORY 7 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Brad Baisley –Blake Shelton
Robert Bull – Martina McBride
Jordan Kolenc – Taylor Swift

CATEGORY 8 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Arthur Kemish –Taylor Swift
Joseph Lloyd – Jason Aldean
Todd Ortmeier – Miranda Lambert

CATEGORY 9 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
Mary Hilliard Harrington – The GreenRoom
Ebie McFarland – Essential Broadcast Media, LLC
Tree Paine – Premium PR

CATEGORY 10 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
Rob Beckham – William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC
John Huie – Creative Artists Agency
Darin Murphy – Creative Artist Agency

CATEGORY 11 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Gil Cunningham – Neste Event Marketing
Louis Messina – The Messina Group
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation

CATEGORY 12 – TOUR CATERER OF THE YEAR
Dega Catering
TaDa! Catering
Taste Event Catering

CATEGORY 13 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
David Cook – Taylor Swift – Keyboard
Devin Malone – Hunter Hayes – Guitar
John Thomasson – Little Big Town – Bass

CATEGORY 14 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook – Gilford, NH
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, Tenn.
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.

CATEGORY 15 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Brian Carico – Hunter Hayes
Scott Scovill – Moo TV
Michael Tinsley – Taylor Swift

The SRO Awards were originally created by the CMA Board of Directors in 1990 to honor outstanding professional achievement within the touring industry. In 2011, CMA brought back the Touring Musician of the Year Award and in 2012, SRO Awards in 14 categories were handed out in Nashville during “The 42nd Annual IEBA Conference” in conjunction with the presentation of the IEBA Awards and Hall of Fame Induction in October, which is recognized as Country Music Month.