Kix Brooks presenting SRO Awards

NASHVILLE – Artist, radio personality, and CMA Board member Kix Brooks will present the 2013 SRO Awards at the IEBA Honors and Awards Dinner Oct. 22, during “The 43rd Annual IEBA Conference,” which will be held Oct. 19-22 in Nashville, Tenn.

“The SRO Awards honor those that are the unsung heroes of the touring industry,” said Ed Hardy, President of the CMA Board of Directors. “From getting the artists to the venues, lighting the stages, making sure the sound is perfect, to keeping everyone nourished, these are the people that help make the concert business one of the most successful areas of our business.”

“Each year IEBA turns the spotlight to buyers who’ve made an impact, not only on the industry at large, but also on all of us who enjoy the live entertainment experience,” said Pam Matthews, Executive Director of IEBA.

The awards dinner will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 22 (7:00 PM/CT) at the Omni Hotel Nashville. For more information, visit ieba.org. Advance reservations are required.

The SRO (Standing Room Only) Awards were originally created by the CMA Board of Directors in 1990 to honor outstanding professional achievement within the touring industry.

The first SRO Awards were presented at a black tie gala, hosted by K.T. Oslin and Roger Miller, during CMA’s Entertainment Expo, which was also known as the Talent Buyers Entertainment Marketplace. Ten SRO Awards were presented at the first gala and the number of Awards swelled to 19 before the last were handed out at SRO ’97. In 2011, CMA brought back the Touring Musician of the Year Award, and last year 13 additional categories returned. This year there are 15 categories and the 2013 finalists were announced in May.

As previously announced, CMA’s SRO Awards 2013 Final Nominees are as follows (in alphabetical order):

CATEGORY 1 – BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Jamie Cheek – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Duane Clark – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
Dwight Wiles – Smith, Wiles Co., P.C.

CATEGORY 2 – COACH/TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Kelley Beck – Blake Shelton
Caleb Garrett – Kenny Chesney
Tim Olson – Toby Keith

CATEGORY 3 – FOH (FRONT OF HOUSE) ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Greg Huffman – Jake Owen
Jeff Parsons – Blake Shelton
David Payne – Taylor Swift

CATEGORY 4 – LIGHTING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Trevor Ahlstrand – Martina McBride
Paul Normandale – Hunter Hayes
Steve Richards – Taylor Swift

CATEGORY 5 – MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Robert Allen – 13 Management
Narvel Blackstock – Starstruck Entertainment
Clint Higham – Morris Artists Management

CATEGORY 6 – TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Kevin Canady – Blake Shelton
Greg Fowler – Jake Owen
Erica Worden – Taylor Swift

CATEGORY 7 – MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Brad Baisley – Blake Shelton
Jordan Kolenc – Taylor Swift
Evan Richner – Jason Aldean

CATEGORY 8 – PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Arthur Kemish – Taylor Swift
Meesha Kosciolek – Martina McBride
Art Rich – Blake Shelton

CATEGORY 9 – PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR
Paula Erickson – Erickson Public Relations
Mary Hilliard Harrington – The GreenRoom
Ebie McFarland – Essential Broadcast Media, LLC

CATEGORY 10 – TALENT AGENT OF THE YEAR
Rod Essig – Creative Artist Agency
Jay Williams – William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC
Rob Beckham – William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC

CATEGORY 11 – TALENT BUYER/PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Louis Messina – The Messina Group
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation
Debra Rathwell – AEG Live

CATEGORY 12 – TOUR CATERER OF THE YEAR
Dega Catering
TaDa! Catering
TourCats Catering

CATEGORY 13 – TOURING MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
David Cook – Taylor Swift – Keyboard
Robby Emerson – Jake Owen – Bass
Steve Sinatra – Hunter Hayes – Drums

CATEGORY 14 – VENUE OF THE YEAR
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, Tenn.
Joe’s Bar – Chicago, Ill.
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.

CATEGORY 15 – TOUR VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Jay Cooper – Kenny Chesney
Olivier Goulet – Taylor Swift
Michael Tinsley – Taylor Swift

In addition to the CMA SRO Awards, the IEBA Industry Awards and Hall of Fame Honors will be presented. IEBA Industry Awards categories include: Casino buyer of the Year, Club Buyer of the Year, Corporate Buyer of the Year, Fair Buyer of the Year, Festival Buyer of the Year, International Buyer of the Year, Promoter of the Year, Venue Executive of the Year, and Rookie of the Year. IEBA will honor David Corlew with a Career Achievement Award and induct George & Nancy Jones into IEBA’s Hall of Fame.

International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) is a non-profit trade organization for live entertainment industry professionals. Founded in 1970, IEBA provides networking, showcasing and educational opportunities to strengthen relationships, foster growth and increase revenue for the live entertainment industry. IEBA and its annual conference stand alone in the entertainment industry by showcasing the most current and diverse entertainment options for buyers, and providing unparalleled networking and informational opportunities to its members. Additionally, IEBA endows over half a million dollars in scholarships to universities across the country. IEBA prepares the next generation of industry leaders through mentoring, educational workshops, and job placement.