Features
Chris Stapleton, Louis Messina, & Mandelyn Monchick Among Winners At CMA Touring Awards
in Nashville on Monday, Feb. 12. Photo by John Russell/CMA
The Country Music Associations’ highly anticipated Touring Awards delivered again Feb. 12. Held at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works and hosted by no less than Keith Urban, 20 categories – from Manager, Talent Agent and Talent Buyer/Promoter to Crew of the Year – were presented to a packed house. In addition, CAA’s Ron Baird received the Touring Lifetime Achievement Award – and Morrison, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre was named Venue of the Year.
Beyond Chris Stapleton’s “All American Road Show Tour” team taking Crew of the Year, The Messina Group’s Louis Messina receiving Talent Buyer/Promoter of the years and WME’s Jay Williams winning Agent of the Year and Red Light Management’s Mandelyn Monchick was named Manager of the Year for her work with double Grammy-winner and CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson, the CMA unveiled a very special initiative: their CMA Touring Mentorship Program.
On a night when the very best of touring professionals were being recognized for technical achievement with sound, lights, video, tour management, production and support services, the CMA introduced a program to support and develop excellence for the next generations of aspiring tour personnel by providing access to experienced professionals in their desired disciplines over a six month period.
Running from April through October, seven mentors across Tour Management, Band Leader/Musician, Production Management, Production Assistant, Front of House Engineer, Monitor Engineer and Lighting Director/Designer will meet for two hours each month to discuss best practices, trends in their respective fields, shadowing and projects to glean experience from a master. Applications for those with five years or less experience in the touring industry are available now – and close Feb. 23. More information and a link to apply: https://cmamember.com/programs/touring-mentorship/
The evening’s biggest winner was Stapleton’s All American Road Show, which received seven of the 20 awards. Beyond Jay Williams and Crew of the Year, Stapleton’s team members John Garriott (Production Manager), Todd Green Stage (Manager), Arpad Sayko (Front of House Engineer), Mac Mosier (Lighting Director), and steel player Paul Franklin (Musician) topped their categories.
Lainey Wilson’s team also received multiple recognitions. Meg Miller (Tour Manager of the Year), Cece Dawson (Tour Photographer) and Erin Seigfried (Coach/Truck Driver) were all recognized. In addition, Old Dominion’s Assistant Tour Manager Kelsey Maynard received the Unsung Hero Award.
Clair Global took home Support Services Company, Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy were Business Manager and GreenRoom PR owner Tyne Parrish was named Publicist of the Year.
As 2024’s tours are getting ready to hit the road full force, a stellar group of industry standard-setters was recognized. With their Touring Mentorship announced and open for applications, the future is looking stronger than ever.
CATEGORY 1 – CREW OF THE YEAR
Chris Stapleton “All American Road Show Tour” Crew
CATEGORY 2 – BACKLINE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR
Joel “Tico” Jimenez – Thomas Rhett
CATEGORY 3 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Duane Clark – FBMM
CATEGORY 4 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Erin Siegfried – Lainey Wilson
CATEGORY 5 – FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Arpad Sayko – Chris Stapleton
CATEGORY 6 – LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Mac Mosier – Chris Stapleton
CATEGORY 7 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Mandelyn Monchick – Red Light Management
CATEGORY 8 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Bryan “Opie” Baxley – Kenny Chesney
CATEGORY 9 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
John Garriott – Chris Stapleton
CATEGORY 10 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
Tyne Parrish – The GreenRoom PR
CATEGORY 11 – STAGE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Todd Green – Chris Stapleton
CATEGORY 12 – SUPPORT SERVICES COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Clair Global – Nashville, TN
CATEGORY 13 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
Jay Williams – WME
CATEGORY 14 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Louis Messina – The Messina Group
CATEGORY 15 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Meg Miller – Lainey Wilson
CATEGORY 16 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Paul Franklin – Chris Stapleton/Vince Gill – Steel Guitar
CATEGORY 17 – TOUR PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
CeCe Dawson – Lainey Wilson
CATEGORY 18 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Chris Jones – Jelly Roll
CATEGORY 19 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
CATEGORY 20 – UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR
Kelsey Maynard – Old Dominion – Assistant Tour Manager