Brian O'Connell, Gil Cunningham Take Top ACM Industry Honors

– ACM Awards

Brian O’Connell, Live Nation’s president of country touring, is the Academy of Country Music’s promoter of the year as the trade organization announced winners in its touring industry categories today. Gil Cunningham of Neste Live! Is the group’s Don Romeo Talent Buyer of the Year.

The winners were announced via Facebook by the ACM’s reigning New Male Artist Riley Green and reigning New Female Artist Tenille Townes. The organization also announced winners of its Studio Recording awards. Recipients will be honored during the 14th ACM Honors, an evening dedicated to recognizing the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 55th & 56th ACM Awards.

There will not be 2021 Industry Award recipients as eligibility requirements were unable to be met due to the live entertainment shutdown caused by the pandemic. ACM Honors will take place on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. More information to come in early Spring.

“A huge congratulations to this year’s Industry and Studio Recording Award winners. In recognition of the recent announcement of the re-opening of our ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund which has already raised $3.5MM to aid our industry, it is especially fitting to acknowledge these deserving winners this year, and we are excited to properly recognize them in person in Nashville next August 2021 at the 14th ACM Honors,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music.

“Never has there been a more important time to recognize these individuals and highlight our industry’s on-going dedication and innovation throughout this difficult year. Our community has been devastated by the pandemic, and we can’t wait to see it come back stronger than ever in 2021.”

ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC INDUSTRY AWARDS WINNERS:

CASINO OF THE YEAR – THEATER: The Joint: Tulsa – Tulsa, OK

CASINO OF THE YEAR – ARENA: MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV

FAIR/RODEO OF THE YEAR: Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo – Houston, TX

FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR: Tortuga Music Festival – Fort Lauderdale, FL

CLUB OF THE YEAR: Joe’s Live – Rosemont, IL

THEATER OF THE YEAR: The Beacon Theatre – New York, NY

OUTDOOR VENUE OF THE YEAR: Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO

ARENA OF THE YEAR: Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR: Gil Cunningham – Neste Live!

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR: Brian O’Connell – Live Nation