Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw & Kane Brown Among ACM Special Awards Honorees
Written by djfrosty on June 27, 2023
The Academy of Country Music has revealed the recipients of the Special Awards for the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards, leading up to the 16th annual ACM Honors, which will take place Aug. 23 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
This year’s honorees are Clint Black, BRELAND, Kane Brown, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Charlie Cook, Charlie Daniels, Mike Dungan, Ashley Gorley, HARDY, Bill Mayne, Tim McGraw, K.T. Oslin, Chris Stapleton and Troy Vollhoffer.
Carly Pearce, who has taken home four career ACM Awards, will return as host for a third consecutive year.
“The Academy of Country Music has played such a crucial role in the rise of my career in the last several years, giving me opportunities to expand my artistry with hosting,” Pearce said in a press release. “To be able to come back as the host of the ACM Honors for the third year in a row, I feel so grateful and excited for what I know will be such a special night!”
“This year’s ACM Special Award honorees have made a tremendous impact on the music we know and love, from icons and veteran executives who have shaped and steered the industry for years, to newer artists making a splash and welcoming fresh audiences into the community, and I am so excited about celebrating them in August at what is always one of the best nights of the year,” said KP Entertainment’s Kerri Edwards, chair of the ACM Special Awards Committee, in a press release. “I’d like to thank our committee members for their invaluable participation and contributions in selecting this year’s exceptionally worthy class of honorees and offer my congratulations to all of the recipients.”
Additionally, previously-announced winners including artist-songwriter of the year HARDY and songwriter of the year Ashley Gorley, as well as the studio recording award and industry award winners, will be celebrated during the event, with reigning ACM new female artist of the year Hailey Whitters presenting the ACM studio recording and industry awards portion of the ACM Honors.
ACM TRIPLE CROWN AWARD – Chris Stapleton will receive the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award following his first win for ACM Entertainer of the Year at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards. Stapleton qualified for the triple crown award after winning ACM new male vocalist of the year, ACM male vocalist of the year and ACM entertainer of the year throughout his career, an honor only eight other artists have been awarded.
Previous recipients of the ACM triple crown award include Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Mickey Gilley, Merle Haggard, Miranda Lambert, Barbara Mandrell and Carrie Underwood.
ACM ICON AWARD – Tim McGraw and former UMG Nashville chairman/CEO Mike Dungan have both been chosen to receive the ACM icon award, honoring the contributions of Cliffie Stone, who was known for his producing work along with his Country Music career. This award is presented to a country music artist, duo/group or industry leader who, throughout their career, has advanced the popularity of the genre through their contributions in multiple facets of the industry, such as songwriting, recording, production, touring, film, television, literary works, philanthropic contributions and other goodwill efforts.
Past recipients of the ACM icon award include Alabama, Connie Bradley, Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Joe Galante, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Alan Jackson, George Jones, The Judds, Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr. and Dwight Yoakam, among others.
ACM INTERNATIONAL AWARD – Kane Brown has been chosen to receive the international award, inspired by Jim Reeves and presented to a country music artist, duo/group, or industry leader for outstanding contributions to the growth of country music throughout the world.
Kane Brown broadened his global appeal with the Drunk or Dreaming Tour, an international trek that launched in Melbourne, Australia, in September 2022. During his trip down under, Brown also performed in Sydney and CBC Rocks in Queensland, followed by a show in Auckland, New Zealand. Concluding the year, he headlined 10 arenas in Canada, including stops in Ottawa, Montreal, London, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. In early 2023, Brown resumed the international tour in the United Kingdom and Europe, taking the stage for O2 Academy shows in Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham, as well as the Hammersmith Apollo in London. The European leg ended with shows in Amsterdam, Cologne and Munich.
Past recipients of the ACM International Award include Garth Brooks, Eric Church, Dick Clark, Roy Clark, Dan + Shay, Alan Jackson, Lady A, Kacey Musgraves, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton, Rascal Flatts, Roy Rogers, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.
ACM LIFT EVERY VOICE AWARD – BRELAND has been chosen to receive the first-ever ACM lift every voice award. This award is presented to a country music artist, duo/group, industry leader or affiliate/partner who plays a pivotal role in elevating underrepresented voices throughout the country music genre, transcending demographics and geography. The nominee for this category is proposed by the rising leaders in the Academy’s LEVel UP: Lift Every Voice professional development and enrichment program, a two-year curriculum designed to empower participants to play a pivotal role in expanding the horizons of Country Music into new audiences that transcend demographics and geography.
ACM LIFTING LIVES AWARD – Troy Vollhoffer has been chosen to receive the lifting lives award, honoring the contributions of Gary Haber, known as a business manager and past president of ACM Lifting Lives. This award is presented to a country music artist, duo/group, or industry professional who is devoted to improving lives through the power of music, has a generosity of spirit, and is committed to serving others. It is voted on by the ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors.
ACM Lifting Lives executive director Lyndsay Cruz congratulates this year’s recipient and says, “This recognition for Troy is so well deserved and is a testament of his generosity and commitment to helping others. As a longtime board member and former Chair, his support has had a huge impact on the work of ACM Lifting Lives, and I’m so delighted we get to celebrate his contributions to making the industry a better place at ACM Honors in August. Troy’s efforts have made a difference in people’s lives whether they know it or not, as he doesn’t seek the spotlight and has always been a selfless leader and a beacon of support to so many.”
Troy Vollhoffer has been successfully involved in the music industry for more than 30 years, and during that time, he has placed an emphasis on giving back to support the country community. He joined the Board of ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music, in 2016 and rose quickly to officer positions, including vice president, president, and ultimately chair in 2022. Additionally, he’s served on the advisory boards of the T.J. Martell Foundation and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, among other causes.
His company, Premier Global Production, has provided touring lights and outdoor staging to some of the biggest artists in the industry including Metallica, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Florence and the Machine, Tim McGraw, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, Riley Green, Lee Brice and many more. Vollhoffer is also well-known for music festivals, including six Country Thunder events across North America and a seventh event called Big Valley Jamboree. Past recipients of the ACM Lifting Lives Award include Paul Barnabee, Ross Copperman, Gayle Holcomb, Lady A, Dolly Parton, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood and Dwight Wiles.
ACM POET’S AWARD – Clint Black, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and K.T. Oslin have each been chosen as recipients of the ACM poet’s award. This award is presented to a country music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of country music.
Previous recipients of the ACM Poet’s Award include Bill Anderson, Rodney Crowell, Dean Dillon, Kye Fleming, Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, Eddie Rabbitt, Fred Rose, Don Schlitz, Billy Joe Shaver, Shel Silverstein, Sonny Throckmorton, Shania Twain, Cindy Walker and Hank Williams, among others.
ACM SERVICE AWARD – Cumulus Media vp, country music and operations manager, Cumulus/Nashville Charlie Cook and former country radio broadcasters executive director Bill Mayne have both been chosen as the recipients of the ACM service award, honoring the contributions of songwriter Mae Boren Axton and her service to the Academy. This award is presented to an outstanding country music artist, duo/group, or industry leader in recognition of years of dedication and service to the Academy of Country Music.
Previous recipients of the ACM Service Award include Barry Adelman, Duane Clark, RAC Clark, Bob Kingsley, Reba McEntire, Gayle Holcomb, Keith Urban and Gene Weed, among others.
ACM SPIRIT AWARD – Charlie Daniels has been chosen for the ACM spirit award, honoring the contributions of Merle Haggard, who received 20 ACM Awards in his career, including the triple crown award. This award is presented to a singer-songwriter who is continuing the legacy of Country Music legend Merle Haggard by following his/her own path, crafting great songs and epitomizing Haggard’s spirit through genuine performances and great storytelling.
Previous recipients of the ACM Spirit Award include Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton.
ACM ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD – As previously announced, HARDY was awarded the 58th ACM artist-songwriter of the year award. This award is presented to an individual known both as an artist and a songwriter, selected by a Professional Panel of judges whose members composed of songwriters, publishers, producers and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. The Panel submits five nominees, at which time ACM members in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Songwriter, Music Publisher/PRO and Record Company categories vote for the winner. This is the first-ever ACM artist-songwriter of the year Award and HARDY receives the honor after winning ACM songwriter of the year last year.
ACM SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD – As previously announced, Ashley Gorley was awarded the 58th ACM songwriter of the year award. This award is presented to an individual known predominately as a songwriter, selected by a professional panel of judges composed of songwriters, publishers, producers, and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. The Panel submits five nominees, at which time ACM members in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Songwriter, Music Publisher/PRO and Record Company categories vote for the winner. This is Ashley Gorley’s first ACM songwriter of the year award.
Past recipients of the ACM Songwriter of the Year Award include Ross Copperman, Dallas Davidson, HARDY, Luke Laird, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally, Lori McKenna and Roger Miller.
Tickets for ACM Honors will be available to ACM A-List email newsletter subscribers and Academy members through an exclusive pre-sale beginning Thursday, June 29, with general on-sale beginning Friday, June 30, through AXS. Fans can subscribe now to the A-List here to gain access to Thursday’s pre-sale.