NASHVILLE, TN (CelebrityAccess) — The Country Music Association held its annual touring industry honors known as the SRO Awards in Nashville on Monday, with CAA's Darin Murphy and KP Entertainment's Kerri Edwards taking top honors for agent and manager respectively.
Held at Nashville's Marathon Music Works and hosted by Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, the awards are designed to honor outstanding professional achievement within the touring industry.
“Our touring industry members are on the frontline, every day taking our music directly to the fans in small clubs, stadiums, and everything in between,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Their hard work and many contributions to the success of the format deserve attention and a standing ovation.”
The winners in 15 categories were determined by 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. Ballots were tabulated by the professional services firm Deloitte & Touche LLP.
DeMarcus, Dierks Bentley, Hunter Hayes, and Cole Swindell were on hand to present trophies to members of their road families, while Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Chase Rice, Blake Shelton, Ricky Skaggs, George Strait, and Steve Wariner recorded personal congratulatory messages to recognize the winners.
CMA’s SRO Awards 2015 Winners are as follows:
BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Mary Ann McCready – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Kelley Beck – Blake Shelton
FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
James McDermott – Dierks Bentley
LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Philip Ealy – Kenny Chesney
MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Kerri Edwards – KP Entertainment
TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
David Farmer – Kenny Chesney
MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Brad Baisley – Blake Shelton
PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Ed Wannebo – Kenny Chesney
PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
Ebie McFarland – Essential Broadcast Media, LLC
TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
Darin Murphy – Creative Artists Agency
TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation
TOUR CATERER OF THE YEAR
Dega Catering
TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jenee Fleenor – Blake Shelton
VENUE OF THE YEAR
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.
TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Jay Cooper – Kenny Chesney
-Staff Writers
