Brian O’Connell Receives Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award

Country touring veteran Brian O’Connell received the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award March 9 at a sold-out event at the Opry House that supports the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund.

As President of Country Music Touring and Festivals at Live Nation, O’Connell’s passion for artists and the live industry spans three decades. During the celebration of his career, O’Connell was recognized for his many contributions to the careers of some of the format’s biggest stars and setting standards that shaped country touring.

Artists who performed included Lauren Alaina, Dierks Bentley, Clint Black, Rascal Flatts, Tyler Hubbard, Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker and Keith Urban. Speakers included Nashville’s live leaders Dan Rogers, Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, Grand Ole Opry; Bob Roux, President of U.S. Concerts at Live Nation; T.K. Kimbrell, TKO Artist Management; Joey Lee, William Morris Agency; Rod Essig, Creative Artist Agency; and Curt Motley, United Talent Agency. 

O’Connell’s touring legacy includes artists Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Lady A, Luke Bryan, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell, Jordan Davis, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, Rascal Flatts, Bentley, McGraw and Urban among many others.

He developed the successful “Country Megaticket” and continues to grow a vibrant fetival division. Festivals he’s developed include Watershed, Faster Horses, Route 91 Harvest and Seven Peaks; his Live Nation Country Nation division acquired Fort Lauderdale’s Tortuga in 2018. 

O’Connell’s strong commitment to country music touring has earned him numerous industry accolades including the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. He is a 10X winner of the Academy of Country Music’s Promoter of the Year award – more than any other promoter – and he is a six-time winner of the Country Music Association’s Talent Buyer/Promoter of the Year.

In 2013, O’Connell was named Promoter of the Year by IEBA (International Entertainment Buyers Association) and was recognized by Pollstar with the 2006 Bill Graham Promoter of the Year Award, as well as the 2013, 2014 and 2017 Talent Buyer of the Year Award.

The Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award was established more than a decade ago to recognize the distinguished career of veteran country radio host Bob Kingsley. Previous winners include Joe Galante (2015), Jim Ed Norman (2016), Clarence Spalding (2018), Sarah Trahern (2024) and Scott Borchetta (2025).  The Opry Trust Fund was formed in 1965 by Opry management as a means to help those in the country music industry through challenging times. The purpose of the fund is to give financial assistance in time of need, emergency or catastrophe to people who were or are actively engaged in the country music industry.  Most often, disbursements help pay medical bills and living expenses for people that are undergoing medical care and unable to work.