country touring
Indie country duo Muscadine Bloodline, who just released their new album The Coastal Plain in August, revealed Wednesday (Sept. 4) that they’re suspending their planned headlining fall shows after getting the call to open for Post Malone‘s upcoming F-1 Trillion Tour.
The F-1 Trillion Tour launches this weekend, starting Sept. 8-9 with two shows in Salt Lake City, Utah, and wrapping Oct. 26-27 with two shows in Austin, Texas.
Muscadine Bloodline’s Gary Stanton and Charlie Muncaster revealed the news on their social media page, saying, “We got a curve ball of a life-changing call this morning and Post Malone just offered us to be direct support on the F-1 trillion tour. We’re talking Nissan Stadium, Fenway Park, arenas and amphitheaters across the country. In our 9 years of doing this we would have never dreamed of an opportunity like this. To tour the country with one of the biggest artists in the world for his entire tour.”
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The fall leg of the duo’s own The Coastal Plain Tour was slated to launch this weekend with shows in Iowa and Minnesota, but they noted that they’re suspending those September and October dates to join Posty’s tour.
“As difficult as it is to let some of y’all down on short notice (especially this weekend in Iowa and Minnesota)…to be asked by Post Malone to take this undeniable, once in a lifetime opportunity… it’s something we have to do and will tell our grandkids about one day.”
They noted that they will still be performing at the Redbull Jukebox in Nashville on Oct. 2 and that the November shows on the Coastal Plain Tour are still moving forward. Additionally, concertgoers who purchased tickets for the September and October leg of the Coastal Plain Tour will be contacted by their point of purchase, and the duo said they “will be making these cities a priority to return on our next tour.”
“We are praying for grace and understanding from y’all cause yall’s supported us this far and from day one we’ve always strived to make being a part of muscadine bloodline a family, it’s afforded us this huge opportunity as independent artists and proves anything is possible,” they said. “We will see y’all on the F-1 Trillion tour this fall with @postmalone.”
Post Malone’s tour is named after his recent debut country album, F-1 Trillion, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has spent two weeks (so far) at the pinnacle of the Top Country Albums chart.
Stanton and Muncaster launched Muscadine Bloodline in 2016 and, in addition to The Coastal Plain, have issued the projects Teenage Dixie and Dispatch to 16th Ave.
Watch Muscadine Bloodline’s announcement below:
2023 saw overall touring numbers accelerate to greater heights, and country music touring was a solid factor in that growth. On Monday (Feb. 12), the Country Music Association honored the touring crews that help keep country music’s biggest artists on the road and rocking out night after night for packed crowds of fans.
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Approximately 900 people gathered at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works to fete road crews supporting the tours for artists including Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown, Kenny Chesney, Jelly Roll, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, Zac Brown Band and more.
Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern noted that touring personnel make up the largest block of the CMA’s nearly 7,000 members.
“You touring guys overtook the artists this past year,” Trahern said, eliciting cheers from the audience. “Your hard work on the road and support of those in the spotlight does not go unnoticed. Tonight we want to honor those of you who stood out among your peers for this honor.”
“2023 was a record year for touring and country music grew in unprecedented ways, and expanded into new and uncharted territories,” Trahern added. “From right here in Nashville, all across the U.S. and around the globe, live music was at an all-time high and we saw some of our biggest and best tours in our format’s history. The individuals in this room know better than anyone just how much time, hard work and heart goes into creating the magic that takes place when an artist takes the stage with a room full of fans.”
Two-time CMA entertainer of the year winner Urban, who at one point on his long journey to stardom worked as a lighting roadie for a band in Australia, returned as host for a second year.
“I genuinely love celebrating you guys for all that you do,” he said, later adding, “You definitely have a job that gets under appreciated, so I love that I get to do this. Tonight is the night for all of you to get to step out from behind the scenes.”
This year’s CMA Touring Awards expanded to honor more people than ever who work behind the scenes to propel country music’s top tours. Not only did this year’s CMA Touring Awards feature an expanded number of finalists across categories, but also saw the addition of five new categories, upping the total number of categories to 20. The newly-added categories include backline technician of the year, stage manager of the year, support services company of the year and unsung hero of the year.
The evening also bestowed the CMA Touring lifetime achievement award to the late industry veteran and former head of CAA’s Nashville office, Ron Baird. A video tribute offered praise from several artists and industry members Baird worked with throughout the years, including Shania Twain, Billy Dean, Martina McBride and Clint Black, as well as CAA’s John Huie (who Baird worked with to launch CAA’s first Nashville office in 1992) and Rod Essig, former CMA executive director Ed Benson and WME’s Keith Miller. Baird’s stepson, CAA’s Marc Dennis, accepted the honor on his behalf.
“His lasting legacy will be the people he encouraged to get into our business. Ron was incredibly generous with his time,” Dennis said, noting one of Baird’s favorite sayings: “‘Patience, perseverance, and persistence.’ The three P’s. Anyone who has been at CAA and has been around Ron remembers the three P’s … he was an incredibly gentle person, but he was a hell of an agent. He encouraged so many, myself included.”
Following remarks from CMA senior vp of industry relations & philanthropy Tiffany Kerns, showcasing the range of support benefits the CMA offers to its touring members, the organization revealed a new CMA Touring Mentorship Program, designed for those early in their touring careers. The participants will be paired with a veteran touring professional for meetings, and opportunities for job shadowing and projects. Mentor categories will include a tour manager, a band leader/musician, a production manager, a production assistant, a front of house engineer, a monitor engineer, and a lighting director/designer. CMA worked with Chris Lisle and Curt Jenkins (both from the Touring Career Workshop) as well as musician Danny Rader to create the program.
Touring crews for reigning CMA male vocalist of the year Stapleton and reigning CMA entertainer of the year winner Wilson took home the lion’s share of the awards wins Monday evening. Both Stapleton and Wilson were in attendance to support their touring families.
Notably, many of the honorees from Wilson’s crew were women, including coach/truck driver of the year winner Erin Siegfried, tour videographer/photographer of the year CeCe Dawson, tour manager of the year Meg Miller and manager of the year Mandelyn Monchick.
“This is so special,” Monchick said in accepting her manager of the year honor. “I’ve come up over the past nine years getting to know a lot of you, me and Lainey both, and the people we’ve met along the way, and the people who have lifted us up and given us a chance and listened to a demo, listened to a song, wrote a song with her, it all started there. We’ve built a really beautiful team along the way, especially strong women.
“It all starts at the top and we have an amazing leader that we look up to, Lainey,” she continued. “The way she treats people and leads with grace, it’s contagious and it trickles down, and I’m really thankful that I get to work with people that inspire me every day.”
Stapleton’s team picked up wins for stage manager of the year (Todd Green), lighting director (Mac Mosier), front of house engineer (Arpad Sayko), touring musician (Paul Franklin), production manager (John Garriott).
The evening ended with the awarding of the inaugural crew of the year trophy, which honors the entire crew of a country music tour (which undertook a multi-city run of concerts during the eligibility period), with the accolade recognizing consistently demonstrated professionalism, skills, teamwork, hospitality and all-around excellence. Stapleton’s All-American Road Show crew won the inaugural prize. After the entire crew filled the stage at Marathon Music Works, several members of the touring ensemble offered thanks to Stapleton, his wife and musical partner Morgane Stapleton, and the rest of their road family.
“This award really is about these guys up here,” Stapleton raved. “I don’t love to speak and I don’t particularly love crowds, if you can believe that or not. I like them coming to the show, but I like to play music, and everybody up here helps me do that every night in ways that would not be possible in any way, shape or form, if everybody wasn’t at the top of their game and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to play music, which is what I love to do, so thank you so much. It’s always about the music … we always serve that and it’s so wonderful to get to do that as a job every day.”
See the full list of this year’s CMA Touring Awards winners below:
Business manager of the year: Duane Clark (FBMM)
Publicist of the year: Tyne Parrish (The Greenroom PR)
Venue of the year: Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Talent agent of the year: Jay Williams (WME)
Talent buyer/promoter of the year: Louis Messina (The Messina Group)
Manager of the year: Mandelyn Monchick (Red Light Management/Lainey Wilson)
Coach/truck driver of the year: Erin Siegfried (Lainey Wilson)
Tour video director of the year: Chris Jones (Jelly Roll)
Tour videographer/photographer of the year: CeCe Dawson (Lainey Wilson)
Stage manager of the year: Todd Green (Chris Stapleton)
Support services company of the year: Clair Global
Backline technician of the year: Joel “Tico” Jimenez (Thomas Rhett)
Lighting director of the year: Mac Mosier (Chris Stapleton)
Front of house engineer of the year: Arpad Sayko (Chris Stapleton)
Monitor engineer of the year: Bryan “Opie” Baxley (Kenny Chesney)
Touring musician of the year: Paul Franklin (Chris Stapleton/Vince Gill – steel guitar)
Tour manager of the year: Meg Miller (Lainey Wilson)
Production manager of the year: John Garriott (Chris Stapleton)
Unsung hero of the year: Kelsey Maynard (assistant tour manager/Old Dominion)
Crew of the year: Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show crew
In recent weeks, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Doug Stone, John Michael Montgomery, Ray Stevens and Lee Greenwood have all publicly announced plans to wrap the road portion of their careers. They’re hardly alone.
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The Oak Ridge Boys started their farewell tour this past fall, though tenor Joe Bonsall, suffering from a neuromuscular disorder, was forced to hang it up at the end of December. Dolly Parton recently revealed that she had decided not to return to the road since she wrapped her last tour in 2016. Additionally, country/rock band The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and the Eagles, whose current lineup includes country artist Vince Gill, are also concluding their regular concert routines. (Gill will continue to work as a solo act.)
Retirement is a well-earned rite of passage for most people in later life, though there are plenty of musicians — Willie Nelson and the late Tony Bennett and B.B. King are good examples — who maintain a road life until their bodies give out. They find it difficult to stop, spurred by fan adoration, good paychecks and/or the simple joy of performing.
But this new wave of retirees is generally finding it easier to hang it up after experiencing an extended home life during the pandemic. Once their tours were canceled in 2020, most country artists found themselves anchored for 12 to 24 months. Artists in their prime couldn’t wait to get back out, but those on the back end of their careers began to recognize that if they ended their road-warrior phase, it wasn’t necessarily the end of the road.
“We got a dose of our real life,” Nitty Gritty Dirt Band co-founder Jeff Hanna says.
The benefits include the kinds of everyday events that can’t be experienced from 1,000 miles away: dinner with a spouse, attending a daughter’s graduation or playing with the grandkids in the backyard. Making music for a living is attractive — none of the retirees wish they’d dug ditches or balanced books instead — but it involves sacrifices, and they discovered the opportunity exists to stop and smell the roses at home.
“We’ve got enough to retire on, so why not enjoy the rest of my life with my family?” asks Stone, whose 13-year marriage has produced a 7-year-old daughter. “We love going to Disney. I want to go see the redwoods and stuff like that.”
That yearning to explore the world is part of the attraction for young musicians, and in the early years, America’s topographic diversity can help keep a touring job interesting. But heavy concert schedules don’t usually allow much time to play tourist. Stone remembers one trip in upstate New York when the bus came within a 10-minute drive of scenic Niagara Falls. They had to bypass it stay on time, and he has never been back.
“I didn’t get to see America,” he says. “I got to see the back seat of a bus.”
The current wave of road retirements is actually a sign that some of Nashville’s structural changes have worked. Many of country’s previous legends — Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers or 1960s/1970s-era George Jones — faced financial problems after spending lavishly during their peak commercial years. Since then, business management companies have sprouted, helping modern acts plan their financial futures. Where many of their predecessors were required to tour until they couldn’t stop, modern acts have options.
“Most of them over the decades have gotten smarter in terms of managing their finances,” says Action Entertain Collective booking agent Travis James, who represents Montgomery and several other ’90s-associated acts. “Are there exceptions to that? Sure. There’s always going to be people that piss their money away with divorce or drugs or whatever the case may be. That’s in accounting and that’s in the NFL — it’s in everything. But by and large, the artists that were viable enough to have long careers and a show full of hits, even if they didn’t do it right the first half of their career, they figured out how to do it right the second half.”
Not that everyone is thrilled about hanging it up. During the COVID-19 break in the concert schedule, The Oaks missed the stage, missed seeing their fans and longed to make music again.
“That’s all we do in our lives,” bass singer Richard Sterban says. “We go out and entertain people and help people with our music. And we were not able to do that, so we didn’t necessarily like that feeling.”
Still, long rides on a sedentary tour bus and the repetitive motion involved in making music take a toll. Greenwood has titanium knees after several surgeries and had back surgery in 2020. Hanna blew an Achilles tendon in 2019 and now walks for exercise instead of running. And he has experienced some issues with his left hand — “which is kind of the money hand on the guitar,” Hanna says. “I have to play a little differently now.”
The body sort of makes retirement inevitable for most — “Like [Jimmie] Fadden says, ‘Do the math,’ ” Hanna quips — but modern artists’ money management makes it easier to take that step.
Greenwood, Stevens and Stone all plan to conclude their regular concert schedules in 2024, while Montgomery expects to wrap in 2025. The Oaks and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band could go on for years, in some cases picking the venues based on sentiment rather than income.
“We would prefer to go back to familiar places, to go back to people that we know,” Sterban says. “Basically, we want to perform in front of people that have helped make us who we are today.”
But the demand goes up once promoters and fans realize the artist’s shows are coming to an end, which also increases the price for many bookings. That’s the good news for the agents, though farewell tours are bittersweet for them, as they lose valuable clients.
“When they tell me they can cut back, that doesn’t help my financial bottom line,” James says. “I can’t sit here and tell you that I’m necessarily happy about it, but I sure am proud that I was part of the solution in helping them fulfill their goals professionally.”
If they retire early enough, the artists may be preserving themselves, too. Extended travel is physically challenging at any age. They’ll very likely miss the stage, but maybe not the wear and tear required to get there.
“I want to be on the planet,” Stone says, “not in it.”
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The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is saying goodbye to the road, with their upcoming All the Good Times: The Farewell Tour launching March 21.
Over the course of six decades, the three-time Grammy-winning band has brought audiences classics including “Mr. Bojangles,” “Fishin’ in the Dark” and “An American Dream.” In 1984, the group’s “Long Hard Road” reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, followed another chart-topper, “Modern Day Romance,” in 1985 as well as 1987’s “Fishin’ in the Dark,” which in recent years has been covered by artists including Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley.
The group’s first gig was 1966 in Southern California, with their breakthrough coming in 1970 with “Mr. Bojangles.” In 1972, they released the first of three Will the Circle Be Unbroken records, working with pre-eminent names in bluegrass, country and folk.
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All the Good Times: The Farewell Tour will mark the conclusion of multi-city runs that aided the band in the Will the Circle Be Unbroken series, which featured Mother Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Emmylou Harris, Levon Helm and more.
“‘All the Good Times’ perfectly describes our career,” the band said in a statement. “Playing our music for Dirt Band fans all over the world has been an incredible experience for us. The most important part of that has been the connection to our audience — that beautiful communal give and take is like nothing else. That’s the very spirit we’ll be celebrating as we head into our farewell tour. We’re really looking forward to seeing you folks. Good times will be had by all!”
Ticket sales for the first leg of the tour will start Friday at 10 a.m. local time, with VIP packages available for the majority of the All the Good Times shows.
See the dates below:
March 21 – Bowling Green, Ky. – SKyPAC – Main HallMarch 22 – Bloomington, Ill. – Bloomington Center For The Performing ArtsMarch 23 – Mount Vernon, Ky. – Renfro Valley Entertainment CenterMarch 24 – Marietta, Ohio – Peoples Bank TheatreMarch 28 – Odessa, Texas – The Ector TheatreMarch 29 – Abilene, Texas – Outlaws and Legends Music FestivalMarch 30 – Houston, Texas – Arena TheatreApril 25 – Shreveport, La. – The Strand TheatreApril 28 – Oxford, Ala. – Oxford Performing Arts CenterMay 9 – Indianapolis, Ind. – Murat TheatreMay 10 – Harris, Mich. – Island Resort & CasinoMay 11 – Harris, Mich. – Island Resort & CasinoMay 12 – Joliet, Ill. – Rialto Square TheatreMay 17 – Raleigh, N.C. – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek*May 18 – Bristow, Va. – Jiffy Lube Live*May 19 – Knoxville, Tenn. – Tennessee TheatreJune 21 – Mankato, Minn. – Vetter Stone Amphitheater June 22 – Cedar Rapids, Iowa – McGrath Amphitheatre June 23 – Bayfield, Wisc. – Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua June 27 – Sioux Falls, S.D. – Alliance Center June 28 – Mahnomen, Minn. – Shooting Star Casino Hotel & Event CenterJune 29 – Bismarck, N.D. – Belle Mehus AuditoriumJune 30 – Dauphin, MB, Canada – Dauphin’s CountryfestJuly 11 – Mayetta, Kan. – Prairie Band Casino & Resort – Great Lakes BallroomJuly 12 – Jefferson City, Mo. – Capital Region MU Health Care AmphitheaterJuly 13 – Newkirk, OK – 7 Clans First Council Casino July 25 – Lubbock, TX – The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences – Helen DeVitt Jones TheaterJuly 26 – New Braunfels, TX – Whitewater Amphitheater#July 27 – Fort Worth, TX – Bass Performance HallJuly 28 – Amarillo, TX – Globe-News Center For The Performing ArtsSeptember 14 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center *
* with Hank Williams, Jr.
# with Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
Joe Bonsall, who has spent the past five decades as the tenor singer for Country Music Hall of Fame group The Oak Ridge Boys, has officially revealed his plans to retire from touring.
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In 1973, Bonsall left his position with gospel group The Keystones to join The Oak Ridge Boys. With his signature tenor and charismatic persona, Bonsall entertained audiences on stages around the world for 50 years, alongside his Oak Ridge Boys bandmates Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban. Along the way, the group notched more than a dozen No. 1 Hot Country Songs hits, including their signature 1981 hit “Elvira,” which earned the group one of their five Grammy wins.
Bonsall noted that his decision to retire from the road is due to an ongoing health issue. For more than four years, Bonsall has battled the slow onset of a neuromuscular disorder.
“I am now at a point where walking is impossible, so I have basically retired from the road. It has just gotten too difficult,” Bonsall said in a statement. “It has been a great 50 years, and I am thankful to all the Oak Ridge Boys band crew and staff for the constant love and support shown to me through it all. I will never forget, and for those of you who have been constantly holding me up in prayer, I thank you and ask for you to keep on praying.”
Bonsall’s departure from the road marks a significant lineup change for the group, as Bonsall, Allen, Golden and Sterban have helmed the group for the past 50 years, save for an eight-year timespan when the now-deceased Steve Sanders had replaced Golden.
Ben James
Courtesy of The Oak Ridge Boys
Bonsall’s touring replacement will be Ben James, 27, known for his previous work with Doyle Lawson’s band Quicksilver, as well as Dailey & Vincent’s band. James is also a songwriter, penning “I Hear You Calling” and “Teardrops in Tennessee” as part of his recent solo album Wonderland.
Bonsall officially introduced James to Oaks fans in his statement, saying, “There is a young man named Ben James singing for me out there, and he needs your love and encouragement … his sound is different than mine, but he brings a ton of talent to the table! The Oak Ridge Boys will finish the Farewell Tour without me, but rest assured, I am good with all of it! God’s Got It!!!”
James was introduced to The Oak Ridge Boys during a 2022 concert in Wheeling, West Virginia, where Dailey & Vincent shared the bill with The Oak Ridge Boys. Bonsall’s final show was on Dec. 17, while James’s first show with the group took place Dec. 30.
“Joe handed me the mic and said, ‘You’ve got the next verse,’ James recalled in a statement. “And I’m not sure I will ever get over that moment. ‘Elvira’ was always on repeat when I was growing up. It’s still one of those timeless songs that never grow old.”
In September, The Oak Ridge Boys announced their farewell tour, The Oak Ridge Boys American Made Farewell Tour, with a full slate of shows for 2024. The group is also slated to return to the studio with producer Dave Cobb later this month. To date, the Oak Ridge Boys have worked on four projects with Cobb,
See below for a full slate of The Oak Ridge Boys American Made Farewell Tour shows for 2024:
The Oak Ridge Boys American Made Farewell Tour:
Jan 20: The Grand 1894 Opera House – Galveston, TexasJan. 21: The Grand 1894 Opera House – Galveston, TexasFeb. 2: Boot Barn Hall (Gainesville) – Gainesville, Ga.Feb. 11: San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo – San Antonio, TexasFeb. 29: Florida Strawberry Festival 2024 – Plant City, Fla.March 2: Montgomery Performing Arts Centre – Montgomery, Ala.March 15: Foxwoods Resort Casino – Ledyard, Conn.March 16: American Music Theatre – Lancaster, Pa.March 17: American Music Theatre – Lancaster, Pa.March 23: Sugar Creek Casino – Hinton, Okla.April 4: Oxford Performing Arts Center – Oxford, Ala.April 5: City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium – Morganton, N.C.April 6: Alabama Theatre North – Myrtle Beach, S.C.April 10: Clay County Agricultural Fair – Green Cove Springs, Fla.May 17: Peoples Bank Theatre – Marietta, OhioMay 18: The Oak Ridge Boys American Made Farewell Tour – Defiance, OhioJune 7: Hartville Kitchen – Hartville, OhioJune 8: Hartville Kitchen – Hartville, OhioSept. 15: Kansas State Fair – Hutchinson, Kansas
John Michael Montgomery is saying goodbye to life on the road.
The “Life’s a Dance” hitmaker revealed via his official Facebook page on Monday (Jan. 1), that his 2024-2025 tour dates will serve as his farewell tour as he winds down his touring career.
“It’s been a wonderful run for me from the beginning over 30 years ago in 1992 when my first song ‘Life’s a Dance’ was released to radio I think either as a 45 vinyl or on a cassette tape, CDs had not quite taken over the market yet and the internet was still in its infancy,” Montgomery recalled in his Facebook post.
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“It amazes me where it is today,” he added. “I’ve been fortunate and blessed to be able to do what I love for so many years so please join me on my journey as I say goodbye to the road life. And thanks so much for your support for the last 3 decades, it’s meant so much me.”
Montgomery’s post did not state a specific reason for his decision to wind down his touring. A representative for Montgomery did not respond to a request for comment. Currently, Montgomery has concerts slated for 2024 in January, March, April, May and October.
The Kentucky native made his breakthrough with the 1993 top 5 Hot Country Songs hit “Life’s a Dance,” and won the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award in 1994.
He would go on to add seven No. 1 Hot Country Songs hits to his resume, starting with the three-week No. 1 “I Love the Way You Love Me.” His romantic ballad, “I Swear,” became a four-week Hot Country Songs hit No. 1 in 1994 and crossed over onto the all-genre Hot 100, reaching No. 42. The song won a CMA Award for single of the year, and nabbed Montgomery a Grammy nomination for best male country vocal performance. R&B group All-4-One recorded a version of the song, taking it to No. 1 on the Hot 100.
Montgomery’s hits have also included “Be My Baby Tonight,” “The Little Girl,” “I Can Love You Like That,” and “Sold (The Grundy County Auction).” His highest-charting Hot 100 crossover song was the 2004 military-inspired hit “Letters From Home.”
Additionally, musical talent runs in the Montgomery family. As a child, Montgomery and his brother, Eddie Montgomery, played music together. Eddie would go on to also find massive country music success as half of the duo Montgomery Gentry. John Michael recently celebrated the next generation of familial country music success, watching as his son, Walker Montgomery, recently made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry.
The Country Music Association has announced the nominees for the 2023 CMA Touring Awards, spotlighting those behind-the-scenes members who keep country music’s touring industry going.
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Final-round voting for the 2023 CMA Touring Awards opens Wednesday, Dec. 13 and closes Thursday, Dec. 28. This year’s CMA Touring Awards will again be hosted by Keith Urban and will take place Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in Nashville.
Ron Baird, industry veteran and former head of Creative Arts Agency’s (CAA) Nashville office, will be posthumously honored with the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors an individual who has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout the years.
“Honoring our touring community is something I look forward to every year,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer, in a statement. “Each time I attend a show, hear a new tour being announced, or see footage from an unforgettable night, I am reminded again of the importance, dedication and resilience of our touring community. I am also especially excited to add five additional categories this year, including a Crew of the Year honor. They are the road warriors that keep Country Music alive all over the world, and I can’t wait to celebrate them on February 12!”
“As someone who spent years not only setting up all my own equipment at shows, but was also for a time a lighting guy and crew member for a band, I know the hard work that goes in to keeping shows on the road,” Urban added. “I’m honored to once again be asked to host the CMA Touring Awards and acknowledge and shower some love on all the hard workers behind the scenes that make it all happen.”
This year, the CMA Touring Awards have expanded, adding five categories. CMA members will have the opportunity to vote for Backline Technician, Stage Manager, Support Services Company, Unsung Hero and Crew of the Year. All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.
The CMA Touring Awards, originally called the SRO (Standing Room Only) Awards, were created by the CMA Board of Directors in 1990 to honor outstanding professional achievement within the touring industry. The first awards were presented at a black-tie gala hosted by K.T. Oslin and Roger Miller during CMA’s Entertainment Expo, also known as the Talent Buyers Entertainment Marketplace. Ten awards were presented at the first gala and the number swelled to 19 over the years before settling at the current 20. The SRO Awards were renamed the CMA Touring Awards in 2016.
See the full list of nominees below:
Crew of the year
“All American Road Show Tour” Crew – Chris Stapleton“The Outsiders Revival Tour” Crew – Eric Church“I Go Back Tour” Crew – Kenny Chesney“Country On Tour” Crew – Luke Bryan“2023 World Tour” Crew – Luke Combs“One Night At A Time World Tour” Crew – Morgan Wallen“No Bad Vibes Tour” Crew – Old Dominion“Home Team Tour 23” Crew – Thomas Rhett
Backline technician of the year
Jason Baskin – Zac Brown BandMelvin “Melvis” Fults – Kenny ChesneyCarlos Gutierrez – Dierks BentleyJason Herndon – Blake SheltonJoel “Tico” Jimenez – Thomas RhettJeremiah Langdon – Jelly RollChris Miller – Keith UrbanZach Rickard – Brothers Osborne
Business manager of the year
Renee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc.David Boyer – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.Catherine Morris – Farris, Self & Moore, LLCCaleb See – Curo Financial, LLCMichael Vaden – Vaden Group/Elliott DavisKris Wiatr – Wiatr & Associates, LLC
Coach/truck driver of the year
Ronnie Brown – Zac Brown BandJosh Easter – Morgan WallenRhett Evens – Thomas RhettCaleb Garrett – Luke BryanJustin Pullin – Old DominionErin Siegfried – Lainey WilsonChris Simms – Jelly RollWayne “Wayno” Sullivan – Blake Shelton/Keith Urban
FOH (front of house) engineer of the year
Brendan Hines – Jelly RollAaron Lain – Morgan WallenTodd Lewis – Luke CombsBen Rigby – Eric ChurchArpad Sayko – Chris StapletonTrey Smith – Thomas RhettIan Zorbaugh – Old Dominion
Lighting director of the year
Zac Coren – Morgan WallenPhilip Ealy – Kenny ChesneyKevin Lichty – Old DominionMac Mosier – Chris StapletonKevin Northrup – Luke CombsTaylor Price – Miranda LambertAustin Strain – Jelly RollAlec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett
Manager of the year
Narvel Blackstock – Starstruck EntertainmentVirginia Bunetta – G-Major ManagementMartha Earls – Neon CoastKerri Edwards – KP EntertainmentClint Higham – Morris Higham ManagementMarion Kraft – ShopKeeper ManagementMandelyn Monchick – Red Light ManagementJohn Peets – Q Prime South
Monitor engineer of the year
Bryan “Opie” Baxley – Kenny ChesneyMark Davis – Jelly RollLogan Hanna – Brothers OsborneAndy Hill – Zac Brown BandNathan Lowe – Eric ChurchJimmy Nicholson – Thomas RhettDean Studebaker – Old DominionScott Tatter – Dierks Bentley
Production manager of the year
Chris Alderman – Blake SheltonJohn Garriott – Chris StapletonMeesha Kosciolek – Eric ChurchErik Leighty – Miranda LambertChris Nathan – Jake OwenEarl Neal – Jason AldeanKevin Twist – Thomas RhettEd Wannebo – Kenny Chesney
Publicist of the year
Janet Buck – Essential Broadcast MediaPaul Freundlich – PFA MediaQuinn Kaemmer – Big Machine Label GroupTyne Parrish – The GreenRoom PRCarla Sacks – Sacks & Co.Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt Public RelationsWes Vause – Press On PublicityJennifer Vessio – 1220 Entertainment Publicity
Stage manager of the year
Sam “Sambo” Coats – Eric ChurchDonnie Floyd – Morgan WallenTodd Green – Chris StapletonMatt Hornbeck – Luke CombsJosh “Dude” Marcus – Jason AldeanTom Nisun – Kenny ChesneyRichard Rossey – Old DominionJustin Sumrall – Thomas Rhett
Support services company of the year
4 Wall EntertainmentClair GlobalDega CateringMaster Tour by EventricMoo TVRichards & Southern
Talent agent of the year
Meredith Jones – CAAJoey Lee – WMEJonathan Levine – Wasserman MusicDarin Murphy – CAAAdi Sharma – The Neal AgencyAaron Tannenbaum – WMEElisa Vazzana – UTAJay Williams – WME
Talent buyer/promoter of the year
Bradley Jordan – Peachtree EntertainmentPatrick McDill – Live Nation NashvilleLouis Messina – The Messina GroupRich Schaefer – AEG PresentsAaron Spalding – Live Nation NashvilleEd Warm – Joe’s ConcertsAdam Weiser – AEG Presents
Tour manager of the year
Matt Anderson – Old DominionJason Hecht – Chris StapletonLuke Holton – Brothers OsborneChuck Hull – Keith UrbanMeg Miller – Lainey WilsonEthan Strunk – Luke CombsChris Thacker – Dierks BentleyJon Townley – Thomas Rhett
Touring musician of the year
Rob Byus (Bass Guitar) – Blake SheltonPaul Franklin (Steel Guitar) – Chris Stapleton/Vince GillBen Helson (Guitar) – Dierks BentleyLee Hendricks (Bass Guitar) – Eric ChurchHarmoni Kelley (Bass Guitar) – Kenny ChesneyChris Kimmerer (Drums) – Thomas RhettDanny Mitchell (Piano) – Miranda LambertKurt Ozan (Guitar) – Luke Combs
Tour videographer/photographer of the year
Mason Allen – Old DominionAndy Barron – Chris StapletonZach Belcher – Dierks BentleyDavid Bergman – Luke CombsCeCe Dawson – Lainey WilsonTanner Gallagher – HARDYGrayson Gregory – Thomas RhettAndy Pollitt – Jelly Roll
Tour video director of the year
Josh Clark – Miranda LambertJay Cooper – Kenny ChesneyHouston Creswell – Dierks BentleyRon Etters – Chris StapletonNate Fountain – Zach Bryan/Blake SheltonChris Jones – Jelly RollRicky Krohne – Thomas RhettMichael Todd “M.T.” Stembridge – Eric Church
Venue of the year
Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TNBankNH Pavilion – Gilford, NHBridgestone Arena – Nashville, TNChoctaw Casino Resort – Durant, OKGrand Ole Opry House – Nashville, TNJoe’s on Weed Street – Chicago, ILPaycom Center – Oklahoma City, OKRed Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
Unsung hero of the year
Dallas Bowsier – Eric ChurchJosh Castle – Dierks BentleyRJ Estrella – Luke CombsKayla Carter Greear – Luke BryanKelsey Maynard – Old DominionTodd Molle – Jake OwenMel Murphy – Live Nation NashvilleTyler Rhodes – Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton isn’t necessarily “starting over,” but the country superstar is postponing several dates of his ongoing All-American Road Show Tour. In a message posted to his official Instagram page Wednesday (Oct. 11), the “Tennessee Whiskey” singer revealed that “doctor’s orders” have forced him to reschedule the next three dates of his nationwide trek.
“To all my friends in Corpus Christi, Houston and Lafayette, I am very sorry to let you all know that I am unable to perform this weekend’s shows,” he wrote. “I have bronchitis and laryngitis, and on doctor’s orders am on vocal rest through the weekend in order to heal. I’m grateful for your patience and understanding, and hope to see you all in November.”
In the photo set’s caption, Stapleton clarified that “all tickets will be honored for the rescheduled dates.” The rescheduled dates are as follows: on Nov. 16, Stapleton will hit Lafayette, LA (originally Oct. 14), then make his way to Houston, TX, on Nov. 17 (originally Oct. 13), before finally gracing Corpus Christi, TX, on Nov. 17 (originally Oct. 12).
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show Tour is the “You Should Probably Leave” singer’s first solo headlining concert tour. The trek has served as promotional support for his second, third, and fourth studio albums: 2017’s From A Room: Volume 1 and From A Room: Volume 2, and 2020’s Starting Over. Myriad opening acts have made their mark on the tour, including recent support acts such as Marcus King, Margo Price and The War and Treaty.
The eight-time Grammy winner is currently prepping the release of his forthcoming fifth studio album, Higher. He released the set’s lead single, “White Horse,” over the summer (Jul. 21), and the song has since reached No. 7 on Hot Country Songs and No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Chris Stapleton has earned 15 career entries on the Hot 100, including his sole top 10 hit, “Say Something” (with Justin Timberlake). Over on the Billboard 200, the “Scarecrow in the Garden” singer has collected four consecutive top 10 albums, including his sole No. 1 title, 2015’s Traveller (two weeks).
Check out Chris Stapleton’s statement below:
In October, The Oak Ridge Boys’ longtime members — Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban — will celebrate their semicentennial celebration, five decades of making music together. In gearing up for the milestone, the group has announced their American Made: Farewell Tour.
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“When you’re saying farewell, there’s a lot of people you want to say farewell to,” Golden tells Billboard. “It’s all the people that supported you along the way, the ones that called the radio stations, the one that come and bought tickets to see us sing and sat in the rain with the rest of us while we were able to play and sing music. It’s a lot of emotions, because we as the Oak Ridge Boys are a family. I mean, we spent more time through the years together as a family and we did our own families, basically.”
Though the Oak Ridge Boys quartet has origins running back to the 1940s, it was the Golden-Sterban-Bonsall-Allen collective that propelled the group to commercial heights in both the country and pop fields.
At 84, Golden is the eldest member of the group, having joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1965; Allen joined a year later, having previously performed as part of the Southernaires Quartet and the Prophets quartet. In 1972, the group added Sterban, known for his work performing as part of the J.D. Sumner and the Stamps quartet. Bonsall joined in 1973, rounding out the current lineup. Both Bonsall and Sterban had previously performed as part of gospel group The Keystone Quartet.
This particular iteration has spearheaded the group for all of those years, save for an eight-year stretch starting in 1987 when Golden was replaced by Steve Sanders.
In the 1970s, the Oak Ridge Boys followed The Statler Brothers in gaining country success as a four-part vocal group with gospel roots. In 1977, they issued a live album which mixed country and gospel numbers such as “Good Hearted Woman” and “Just a Little Talk With Jesus.” But it was under the guidance of manager Jim Halsey, and with production from Ron Chancey, that the Oak Ridge Boys found success in the junction of gospel, country and pop, putting their inimitable harmonies behind what would become some of the biggest country and pop hits of the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1977, the group earned their first major country hit with “Y’all Come Back Saloon.” The group went on to earn 17 No. 1 Hot Country Songs hits, starting with 1978’s “I’ll Be True to You” and 1980’s “Leaving Louisiana in Broad Daylight. 1981 would bring their seminal, career-expanding crossover hit, the top five Billboard Hot 100 hit “Elvira,” anchored by Golden’s signature “Oom pa pa mow mow” vocals. They followed that with the top 15 Hot 100 hit “Bobbie Sue.”
Thanks to their distinct harmonies — with each of the four vocalists commanding an instrument capable of allowing the group to alternate lead vocal duties — the group earned four CMA Awards trophies and five Grammy wins. They’ve been recognized with the highest honors from the Country Music Hall of Fame (2015), the Grand Ole Opry (2011), the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
Bonsall, the youngest of the four members at age 75, notes that the group has been slowly scaling back the number of concerts they have played each year, from 140 dates last year to 120 dates in 2023; he estimates they will play only around 50-60 shows in 2024.
“We’ve worked nearly 150 dates a year almost every year,” Bonsall tells Billboard. “We’ve never booked tours like a lot of groups do — making an album and doing maybe 50 or 60 days to support it. We may tour under a different tour name every year, but it’s really the never-ending tour. We’ve never known how to stop or slow down, for sure. So what we have put a concentrated effort in our thought pattern here in the last year or so into how can we slow it down some, but still keep moving forward.”
Bonsall says they intend to include key venues that staunch supporters over the years, such as the Alabama Theater in Myrtle Beach, N.C., and the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, PA. — or the Kentucky State Fair, which the group has played for the past 49 years.
“Are we going to play the Kentucky State Fair for the 50th year next August, if at all possible? You bet we are,” Bonsall says. “That’s a record that might not be broken.”
Bonsall noted that age was one factor playing into the decision to launch a slate of farewell dates.
“For the past year, I’ve done our shows [sitting] on a stool,” Bonsall says. “My legs aren’t what they used to be — but I’m still singing good and feeling good, and I’m not in any pain,” Bonsall says. “Richard has had a few small health issues, but he got by them fine. Dwayne is doing great and [William Lee] Golden, he’s going to be 85 in January and he’s got more energy than all of us put together.”
“I want to thank God for 50 years of singing with three of my best friends and for the fans who have been there for us,” Sterban said in a statement. “This is a celebration and we hope to see you there.”
“For all of my career I have always been a planner, sometimes planning two or three years in advance, what we will do, where we will go, and when we record,” Allen said in a statement. “As we celebrate 50 years of being together, just as you see us, we will, also, begin our American Made: Farewell Tour. I don’t know how long the tour will last, but we hope to return to as many parts of the country as we can. Thank you so much for these 50 years. For me, it’s 57 1/2 years. I have given you the best part of my life and you have rewarded me with a wonderful career. Thank you, our dear fans. Thanks to God for His divine guidance. Thank you to our wonderful organization. Thank you to all the supporting companies who represent us. And thank you to our families.”
The farewell tour announcement is a momentous one, considering the Oaks’ considerable contributions to the progress and ascension of country music touring, both domestically and internationally. In 1976, thanks to the work of Halsey, the Oak Ridge Boys toured the Soviet Union with Roy Clark.
“The Iron Curtain was still firmly in place. Jim Halsey worked it out as a cultural exchange,” Bonsall recalls. “It was an incredible experience to go and see what life was like there, and to be able to cross a lot of barriers, language-wise, with music and harmony.”
The Oaks’ tour alongside Kenny Rogers and Dottie West in 1979 is considered country music’s first major arena tour. “All arenas, all sold-out, big production and lights in the middle of an arena — it was never done before,” Bonsall says. “Kenny and Dottie had those big hits like ‘Every Time Two Fools Collide,’ and Kenny was riding on ‘The Gambler’ and ‘Lucille.’ We were the hot new young kids on the block; we learned so much from Kenny.”
Riding high on hits like “Elvira” and “Bobbie Sue,” the group propelled country music touring forward, with their energetic stage shows bolstered by lighting and production previously unheard of in country music concerts. “We had a computerized light system; everybody uses it now, but we did then,” Bonsall says. “We had lasers and smoke spotlights up in the truss; it was an amazing tour. People are doing big tours now all the time of course.”
The group joined another tour with Rogers, West and at times, Dolly Parton, thanks to the Rogers-Parton 1983 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Islands in the Stream.”
“Kenny also had [the 1980, six-week No. 1 Hot 100 hit] ‘Lady,’ and we had all these hits by that time — so that was another monster tour; for like seven straight years, we never saw an empty seat in an arena,” Bonsall says.
Golden notes that as members of the Grand Ole Opry since 2011, they still plan to continue to perform at the Opry even after the conclusion of the farewell tour. “It was like people like Roy Acuff, people that inspired us as kids growing up, hearing them on the Grand Ole Opry,” he says. “It would come alive in our little farmhouses out the middle of a cotton field, and the battery radios bring it all alive to you.”
In addition to the upcoming farewell tour, the group has holiday shows in the works, and they plan to enter the studio in January to start work on a new album, again enlisting producer Dave Cobb, with whom they’ve worked on four previous albums, including 2021’s Front Porch Singin’.
“We’ve talked about doing an album of songs that talk about mamas,” Golden says. “We’d mention an old Dottie Rambo song called ‘Mama’s Teaching Angels How to Sing,’ and other songs that have a theme about mothers.”
“It’s a time of reflecting and there’s a sadness about being able that it’s a farewell tour,” Golden adds, “but there’s the other side that you feel so blessed because of your singing partners, the people that you’ve been able to travel with and sing with. The accomplishments that we’ve had together is four guys, regardless of our different backgrounds, coming together and we each bring a uniqueness to the group with our contributions.
“It’s exciting to have been able to have survived this many years with the same lineup of singers, and to be able to go out there and thank people,” he continues. “It’s going to be an emotional tour.”
See a full list of upcoming tour dates below:
Sept. 20 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Sept. 21 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Sept. 22 – Capital Region MU Health Care Amphitheater / Jefferson City, Mo.Sept. 23 – Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center / Huntington, Tenn.Sept. 28 – Norsk Hostfest Great Hall of the Vikings / Minot, N.D.Sept. 29 – Chester Fritz Auditorium / Grand Forks, N.D.Sept. 30 – Swiftel Center / Brookings, S.D.Oct. 1 – Deadwood Mountain Grand / Deadwood, S.D.Oct. 4 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Oct. 5 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Oct. 6 – Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City / Kansas City, Mo.Oct. 7 – Richard Drake’s Party Barn / Powderly, TexasOct. 11 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Oct. 12 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Oct. 13 – Arlington Music Hall / Arlington, TexasOct. 14 – Arlington Music Hall / Arlington, TexasOct. 18 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Oct. 19 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Oct. 21 – Rome City Auditorium / Rome, Ga.Oct. 26 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Oct. 27 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Oct. 28 – Neewollah Celebration – Jim Halsey Auditorium / Independence, Kan.Nov. 1 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Nov. 2 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Nov. 3 – Brown County Music Center / Nashville, Ind.Nov. 4 – Crossroads Arena / Corinth, Miss.Nov. 8 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Nov. 9 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Nov. 11 – Grand Ole Opry / Nashville, Tenn.Nov. 15 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Nov. 16 – The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts / Branson, Mo.Nov. 21 – Vern Riffe Center for the Arts / Portsmouth, OhioNov. 24 – Honeywell Center / Wabash, Ind.Nov. 25 – Paramount Theatre / Anderson, Ind.Dec. 1 – Renfro Valley Barn Dance / Mount Vernon, Ky.Dec. 2 – Anderson Music Hall / Hiawassee, Ga.Dec. 7 – Firekeepers Casino / Battle Creek, Mich.Dec. 8 – Island Resort & Casino / Harris, Mich.Dec. 9 – Island Resort & Casino / Harris, Mich.Dec. 14 – Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center / Paducah, Ky.Dec. 15 – Effingham Performance Center / Effingham, Ill.Dec. 16 – Crystal Grand Music Theatre / Wisconsin Dells, Wisc.Dec. 17 – Egyptian Theatre / Dekalb, Ill.
For more than four decades, Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait has proven himself as one of country music’s most dependable, elite entertainers. In 2023, Strait’s stadium shows — featuring Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town — have set new attendance records in several stadiums, including ones in Seattle, Milwaukee and Columbus, OH.
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Now, Strait, eight-time Grammy winner Stapleton and special guests Little Big Town are extending their record-setting slate of stadium shows into 2024, adding nine new dates.
The new shows are set for May, June, July and December of next year and will visit cities including Indianapolis, Detroit and Chicago, in addition to setting the 37th installment of the Strait to Vegas show, with a Dec. 7 gig booked at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
“I’ve always said we have the best fans in the world, and to see so many of them show up for these shows just makes us want to keep bringing them more,” Strait said in a statement. “I’ve also missed performing in Las Vegas during NFR, so I’m happy to see that show come together in 2024. See you soon!”
Tickets to most shows go on sale on Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. local time via GeorgeStrait.com, with tickets to the Jacksonville show on sale on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. local time. American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Friday (Sept. 15) at 10 a.m. local time through Sept. 21 at 10 p.m. local time.
See the full list of stadium shows below:
May 4 — Indianapolis, IN @ Lucas Oil Stadium
May 11 — Jacksonville, FL @ EverBank Stadium
May 25 — Ames, IA @ Jack Trice Stadium
June 1 — Charlotte, N.C. @ Bank of America Stadium
June 8 — East Rutherford, N.J. @ MetLife Stadium
June 29 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Rice Eccles Stadium
July 13 — Detroit, MI @ Ford Field
July 20 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field
Dec. 7 — Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium