Live Nation’s Brian O’Connell, Messina Touring Group CEO Louis Messina, WME’s Becky Gardenhire Among Winners At CMA Touring Awards

Hunter Berry/CMA – CMA Touring Awards 2019
Brian O’Connell is named the Talent Buyer/Promoter of the year at the CMA Touring Awards Jan. 28. He’s joined by nominees Mike Dugan, Patrick McDill, David Kells and nominee Ali Harnell.

It was industry professionals’ turn to shine Monday night as the CMA Touring Awards celebrated folks in the music biz including Live Nation Nashville’s Brian O’Connell, who was named talent buyer/promoter of the year, and Messina Touring Group CEO Louis Messina, who was honored with the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award.

The ceremony took place at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, hosted by Jerrod Niemann.

The Lifetime Achievement Award, which was previously presented to Randy Baja Fletcher in 2017 and O’Connell last year, is given out to celebrate an individual who’s positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring, with a historical impact on country music fans and the industry alike.

Donn Jones/CMA – CMA Touring Awards 2019
Louis Messina receives the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award at the CMA Touring Awards at Marathon Music Works in Nashville on Jan. 28, 2019.

Messina definitely fits the bill, thanks to a nearly five-decade career that includes promoting tours by George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (Soul2Soul), Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, and The Lumineers – and that’s just naming some of the artists he currently works with.

As detailed in a recent Pollstar cover story, the Messina Touring Group was responsible for three of 2018’s biggest stadium tours, with Sheeran, Swift and Chesney accounting for more than 80 North American stadium dates. Altogether, MTG-promoted tours grossed nearly $600 million in North America last year, according to Pollstar Boxoffice data – ranking behind only Live Nation and AEG (who Messina is partnered with).

Q Prime South founder John Peets presented Messina with the award Monday.

“I’ve received a bunch of awards throughout my career and this one kind of hit home the most because it’s selected by your peers and the CMAs,” Messina told Pollstar. “In my world it’s kind of like winning entertainer of the world. It’s very special to be recognized for all the things you’ve done and have been a part of throughout your career. I was pretty moved by it, to be honest with you.”

When O’Connell picked up his trophy for talent buyer/promoter of the year, he gave a shout-out to the other nominees in the category for accepting him to Nashville when he started out and invited them on stage to be properly recognized: Ali Harnell of AEG Presents, Patrick McDill of Live Nation Nashville, Mike Dugan of Messina Touring Group, and David Kells of Bridgestone Arena.

Kenny Chesney’s team made a big splash at the ceremony, with John Stalder named coach/truck driver of the year, Philip Ealy as lighting director of the year, David Farmer tour manager of the year and Jay Cooper as tour video director of the year.

Other winners included WME’s Becky Gardenhire (who books Jake Owen, RaeLynn, Scotty McCreery and more) as talent agent of the year, KP Entertainment’s Kerri Edwards as manager of the year (whose clients include Luke Bryan) and Essential Broadcast Media’s Ebie McFarland as publicist of the year.

Singer/songwriter Michael Ray made a surprise appearance at the ceremony to present McFarland with her award. Her other clients include George Strait, Eric Church, Kenny Chesney and Ashley McBryde.

Mike Kennedy, drummer for George Strait, was posthumously honored as the touring musician of the year, with his wife, Margaret Kennedy, and Ace in the Hole Band members Terry Hale, Mike Anderson and Marty Slayton accepting the award in his honor.

Louis Messina On Being Awarded The CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award

Here is the full list of CMA Touring Award winners:

BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Julie Boos (Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.)

COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR

John Stalder (Kenny Chesney)

FRONT OF HOUSE (FOH) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

Kirk Kelsey (Keith Urban)

LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Philip Ealy (Kenny Chesney)

CATEGORY 5 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Kerri Edwards (KP Entertainment)

TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR

David Farmer (Kenny Chesney)

MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

Cam Beachley (Miranda Lambert)

PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Randy “Baja” Fletcher (Keith Urban)

PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR

Ebie McFarland (Essential Broadcast Media)

TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR

Becky Gardenhire (WME)

TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

Brian O’Connell (Live Nation Nashville)

TOUR CATERER OF THE YEAR

Dega Catering

TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Mike Kennedy (George Strait)

VENUE OF THE YEAR

Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, TN)

TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Jay Cooper (Kenny Chesney)