NASHVILLE, TN (CelebrityAccess) — The Country Music Association announced that it will present Conway Entertainment Group/Ontourage Management founder/owner Tony Conway with the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2019 Touring Awards.
Conway learned about the honor during last week’s CMA Board of Directors meeting in Nashville, where he received a standing ovation from Board members and CMA staff.
“I am extremely humbled and honored to receive this award from the CMA,” Conway said. “I have to give credit to all of the artists that have allowed me to represent them and to all the agents, managers, promoters and staff I have worked with the last 44 years. They are the reason for any success I may have achieved. It takes a team and I have worked with THE BEST.”
Conway, who moved to Nashville shortly after he graduated from college, joined the legendary talent agency Buddy Lee Attractions after meeting and impressing its founder, Buddy Lee. Conway was named President of the agency in 1987 and eventually became CEO and co-owner of the company in 1998.
In 2010, Conway launched his own company, Conway Entertainment Group/Ontourage Management, focused on personal management, artist touring and live events.
Conway is the recipient of numerous industry awards including two CMA SRO Awards (now referred to as CMA Touring Awards) for Agent of the Year, Performance Magazine’s Agent of the Year, the Hubert Long Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Talent Directors as well as the Colonel Tom Parker Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received International Entertainer Buyers Association’s (IEBA) Talent Agent of the Year and in 2017 was inducted into the IEBA Hall of Fame. Conway was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce in addition to receiving CMA’s President Award honor for leading the re-design and transformation of Fan Fair to the CMA Music Festival.
The 2019 CMA Touring Awards will take place in Nashville on January 21st with veteran talent agent Jon Pardi handling the hosting duties.
The full list of 2019 Touring Award Nominees
BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
• Renee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc.
• David Boyer – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
• Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
• Mary Ann McCready – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
• Dwight Wiles – Wiles + Taylor & Co., PC
COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
• Kelley Beck – Blake Shelton
• Caleb Garrett – Luke Bryan
• Ronnie Goodwin – Eric Church
• Larry Phye, Jr. – Chris Stapleton
• Rob Shepherd – Darius Rucker
FRONT OF HOUSE (FOH) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
• Jared Blumenberg – Florida Georgia Line
• Billy Moore – Eric Church
• Chris Rabold – Kenny Chesney
• Arpad Sayko – Chris Stapleton
• Ian Zorbaugh – Old Dominion
LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
• Michael “Sparky” Anderson – Blake Shelton
• Scott Cunningham – Florida Georgia Line
• Gavin Lake – Eric Church
• Chris Reade – Dierks Bentley
• Alec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett
CATEGORY 5 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
• Clint Higham – Morris Higham Management
• Mary Hilliard Harrington – Red Light Management
• Jason Owen – Sandbox Entertainment
• Chris Parr – Maverick
• John Peets – Q Prime South
TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
• Todd Bunch – Eric Church
• Kevin Canady – Blake Shelton
• Tommy Garris – Old Dominion
• Jason Hecht – Chris Stapleton
• Mike Kelly – Darius Rucker
MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
• Bryan “Opie” Baxley – Kenny Chesney
• Wesley Crowe – Thomas Rhett
• Stuart Delk – Rascal Flatts
• Marc Earp – Eric Church
• Scott Tatter – Dierks Bentley
PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
• Jay Ballinger – Dierks Bentley
• Todd Ortmeier – Florida Georgia Line
• Jason Parkin – Darius Rucker
• Kevin Twist – Thomas Rhett
• Ed Wannebo – Kenny Chesney
PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
• Tyne Parrish – The GreenRoom
• Carla Sacks – Sacks & Co.
• Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt Relations
• Jensen Sussman – Sweet Talk Publicity
• Wes Vause – Warner Music Nashville
CATEGORY 10 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
• Marc Dennis – CAA
• Darin Murphy – CAA
• Aaron Tannenbaum – CAA
• Nate Towne – WME
• Jay Williams – WME
CATEGORY 11 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
• Ben Farrell – Lon Varnell Enterprises
• Ali Harnell – Live Nation Nashville
• Patrick McDill – Live Nation Nashville
• Louis Messina – Messina Touring Group
• Ed Warm – Joe’s Bar
CATEGORY 12 – TOUR VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
• Zach Belcher – Dierks Bentley
• Jeff Johnson – Chris Young/Carrie Underwood
• Michael Monaco – Luke Bryan
• Matt Paskert – Jake Owen
• Jill Trunnell – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 13 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
• Brian Carico – Blake Shelton
• Milojko Dobrijevich – Jason Aldean
• Chris Jones – Eric Church
• Ryan Rushing – Luke Bryan
• Mark Willcox – Chris Stapleton
CATEGORY 14 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
• Wyatt Beard – Kenny Chesney
• Tyler Chiarelli – Florida Georgia Line
• Dan Hochhalter – Dierks Bentley
• Bennett Lewis – Maren Morris
• Pete Sternberg – Brothers Osborne
CATEGORY 15 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
• Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN
• Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH
• Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
• Joe’s Bar – Chicago, IL
• Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
