ACM announces industry, studio awards

Monday, June 26, 2023 – The Academy of Country Music announced the winners of the ACM Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards from the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards today.

Justin Niebank won his ninth ACM Award for Audio Engineer of the Year, extending his already-established title of winningest Audio Engineer of the Year in ACM history.

Jay Joyce received his sixth win for ACM Producer of the Year, extending his own already-established title of winningest Producer of the Year in ACM history and brings his total ACM Award count to nine.

Joe's on Weed St. took its sixth ACM Award for Club of the Year, and the club's owner Ed Warm received his fifth ACM Award for Promoter of the Year.

Dave Cohen took his fourth ACM Award for ACM Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year, bringing his total ACM Award count to five.

Derek Wells won his first win in the ACM Electric Guitar Player of the Year category, with the win bringing his ACM Award total to four awards, which includes two previous wins for ACM Guitar Player of the Year before the category was split to individually recognize acoustic and electric guitar players.

Fiddle player Jenee Fleenor and drummer Aaron Sterling each received their second career ACM Award for Specialty Instrument Player of the Year and Drummer of the Year, respectively.

First-time ACM Award recipients include Bank of NH Pavilion for Outdoor Venue of the Year; Bristol Tennessee's Country Thunder for Festival of the Year; acoustic guitar player Tim Gallowa for Acoustic Guitar Player of the Year; Harveys Lake Tahoe for Casino of the Year – Arena; bass player Mark Hill for Bassist of the Year; Austin's Moody Center for Arena of the Year' Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, in Florida for Casino of the Year- Theater; and talent buyer Troy Vollhoffer for Talent Buyer of the Year.

Other winners were:
Fair/rodeo of the Year: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo - Houston
Theater of the Year: Grand Ole Opry House - Nashville

Video announcements featuring Mickey Guyton, Little Big Town, Dustin Lynch, Ashley McBryde, Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson, as well as elected officials and community leaders from around the country made the announcements.

All ACM Industry Award, Studio Recording Award and soon-to-be-announced Special Award recipients will be celebrated during the 16th Academy of Country Music Honors on Aug. 23 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. ACM Special Award honorees will be announced on June 27.

ACM Industry Awards recognize venues and talent buyers/promoters who have bought or promoted a predetermined number of country concerts and helped promote country ticket sales. Nominees are selected by a professional panel of judges approved by the ACM Officers, with ACM members classified in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Venue, Manager, Talent Agent, Talent Buyer/Promoter categories voting to decide the winner.

The Academy's Studio Recording Awards recognize the creators behind the music. To be eligible, each artist, musician, producer, and engineer must have played a part in a commercially released single or album embodying the creator's performance that achieves Top 20 chart position or better during the eligibility period. Nominees are then selected by a professional panel of judges approved by the ACM Officers before being voted on by members classified in the Artist-Entertainer/Musician-Bandleader-Instrumentalist categories and the Producer-Engineer-Studio Manager categories.