Texas Country Music Awards Announce 2023 Winners
The Texas Country Music Awards were held on Sunday, November 12th at the legendary Billy Bob’s Texas in the Fort Worth Stockyards, with traditional country artists Jake Worthington, Summer Dean, and Dale Watson all walking away with big awards, and Kin Faux winning the coveted Entertainer of the Year. Other big winners included The Great Divide as Country Band of the Year, and Ryder Grimes as Emerging Artist of the Year.
Cody Canada also walked away with the 2023 Trailblazer Award. He was presented the award by Red Dirt legend Mike McClure. Canada also played the finale of the awards.
This was the seventh year for the TCMA’s, and the fifth year the event has been held at Billy Bob’s. It was hosted by TCMA Spokesperson Brandon Rhyder and DJ Malone Ranger of 95.9 The Ranch. “There were many volunteers and TCMA Members to help put this amazing event together and we could not have done it without each and every one,” says Linda Wilson, President and Founder of the Texas Country Music Association.
The TCMA’s mission is to promote and enhance the Texas Country Music industry, its artists, songwriters, musicians, venues, media, and businesses behind the scenes to make it all happen. Fans and industry voted in each of the categories. Nominations and final round voting that took place between April and August of 2023.
Entertainer Of The Year:
Bri Bagwell
Kaitlin Butts
Flatland Cavalry
Kin Faux – WINNER
Randy Rogers
Female Artist of the Year:
Bri Bagwell
Kaitlin Butts
Summer Dean – WINNER
Sarah Hobbs
Sunny Sweeney
Male Artist of the Year:
William Beckmann
Cody Canada
Will Carter
Jesse Raub Jr
Jake Worthington – WINNER
Country Band of the Year:
Chad Cooke Band
Darrin Morris Band
Flatland Cavalry
The Great Divide – WINNER
Kin Faux
Roots/Alternative Artist or Band of the Year:
Creed Fisher
The Great Divide
Squeezebox Bandits
Dale Watson – WINNER
The Wilder Blue
Emerging Artist:
Case Hardin
Payton Howie
Ryder Grimes – WINNER
Jaret Ray Reddick
Jacob Stelly
Western Swing Artist or Band of the Year (can include Bluegrass):
The Broken Spokes
Legacy Rose Band
Billy Mata & Texas Tradition – WINNER
Jody Nix & The Texas Cowboys
Riley Gilbreath & Lone Star Blue
Country Album Of The Year:
Corazón y Cabeza – Bri Bagwell
Cheaper Than the Truth – Kin Faux
Jake Worthington – Jake Worthington – WINNER
Somewhere Between the Secret and the Truth – Wade Bowen
What Else Can She Do – Kaitlin Butts
Country Single of the Year:
“Can’t Stand Leavin’” – Adam Hood
“Good Side” – The Great Divide – WINNER
“Honky Tonk Roll” – Wade Bowen
“Jackson” – Kaitlin Butts
“Sunny & 72” – Kin Faux
Christian Country Artist of the Year:
Jason Allen
Jacob Bryant
Tiona Campbell
Curtis Grimes
Crystal Yates – WINNER
Young Artist (18 & Under):
Jenna Katherine
Sadie Lee
Logan Papp
Grace Partridge
Payton Riley – WINNER
Terrestrial Radio Station of the Year:
95.9 FM KFWR The Ranch, Ft. Worth
99.1 FM KNES Texas 99, Fairfield – WINNER
99.7 FM KVST K-Star Country, Montgomery
100.9 FM KVMK The Maverick, College Station
107.3 FM KQSC Mountain Country, Colorado Springs
Broadcast Personality Of The Year:
Corliss – 100.9 FM KVMK The Maverick – College Station
Ashli Dansby – 103.9 FM KMHT – Marshall
Shayne Hollinger – 95.9 FM KFWR The Ranch – Fort Worth – WINNER
Johnny Joy – 107.3 FM KQSC Colorado Springs
Eric Raines – 99.3/98.5 KOKE FM – Austin
Internet Radio Station of the Year:
Made In Texas Radio (Pat Fant and Cruze, Owners – Keegan Lucas, Operations Mgr)
Texas 46 (Bruce Schwartz, Owner)
Real Texas Radio (Michael White, Owner) – WINNER
Texas Red Hot Radio (Judith Merck, Owner)
Pure Country 100 (Kenny Schneebeli, Owner/Program Director)
Live Music Venue of the Year:
11th Street Cowboy Bar, Bandera
The Blue Light Live, Lubbock
Dosey Doe, The Woodlands
Floore’s Country Store, Helotes
The Kenney Store, Kenney – WINNER
Bassist of the Year:
Damian Diaz (Coffey Anderson)
Jackson Mauldin (Jacob Stelly)
Michael Moad (William Beckmann)
Kevin Pool (Chad Cooke Band) – WINNER
Cody Wood (Chris Breaux & Six String Rodeo)
Drummer of the Year:
Les Lawless (Randy Rogers Band)
John Stacy (Kevin Fowler)
Gus Alvarado (The Broken Spokes)
Nate Coon (Aaron Watson)
Dan Currier (Kin Faux) – WINNER
Fiddler of the Year:
Scotty Alexander (Scotty Alexander)
Rico Gonzales (Kin Faux)
Wesley Hall (Flatland Cavalry)
Ben McPherson (Multi) – WINNER
Rachel Stacy (Rachel Stacy)
Guitarist of the Year:
Jakey Black (Kin Faux)
Dallas McGilberry (Chad Cooke Band)
Mike McClure (The Great Divide)
Jake Mears (Cody Johnson) – WINNER
Dustin Schaefer (Shane Smith & The Saints)
Keyboard/Pianist of the Year:
Drew Harakal (Cody Jinks)
Josh Artall (The Broken Spokes)
Sammy Powell (William Beckmann)
Andrew Bair (Jason Boland)
Bryce Conway (The Great Divide) – WINNER
Steel Guitarist of the Year:
Adam Goodale (Jake Worthington) – WINNER
AJ Slaughter (Jason Boland)
Johnny Cox (Billy Mata & Texas Tradition)
Milo Deering (Multi)
Zachary Moulton (Mike & The Moonpies)
2023 TCMA Trailblazer Award
Cody Canada
Country Songwriter of the Year:
Trey Calloway for “One Tough Job”
Christian Country Songwriter of the Year:
Christian Martin, RayNicole Martin and Clay Thrash for “Book of Momma”
November 17, 2023 @ 9:40 am
Summer Dean has a wonderful year taking her music to the people. Here at Jackalope Jamboree in Pendleton Oregon: https://youtu.be/788KCJlfvkE?si=IyPTEqC8enbCiuV6
November 17, 2023 @ 10:25 am
Everything I’ve heard from the Broken Spokes I’ve absolutely loved
November 17, 2023 @ 1:41 pm
Was scanning the list for any Mike & the Moonpies nominations and glad to see Zach Moulton represented here for best steel player. Can’t speak on the rest, but he’s the best I’ve ever seen live. I’m surprised none of the other band members were nominated. Each of ’em are top notch, with special kudos to Omar Oyoque on bass.
Not familiar with all of these artists, and I don’t know how these nominations work, but wouldn’t they all have to be artists from or based in Texas? Big Adam Hood fan here, but isn’t he from and based in Alabama?
November 17, 2023 @ 3:00 pm
Did the same thing. Where are the Moonpies????
November 17, 2023 @ 5:31 pm
I want to know when there’s going to awards for MUSE OF THE YEAR.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT MUSE.
Whats Music without the muse? Absolutely nothing. There’s going to e cosmic hell to pay by ignoring the reason for music in the first place.
No more singing for their suppers.
Polite audiences giving out standing ovations.
Wikipedia page level fame with no mention of the muse, but not forget to mention the manager and producer and band mates. The muse has. Wen destroyed in music. Not amusing at all.
November 18, 2023 @ 9:45 am
Mike McClure’s new muse is the other half of his new duo—cow and chicken.
November 17, 2023 @ 6:35 pm
This doesn’t look like a great selection from best of Texas/Reddirt this year. Not even close! Nonetheless, glad to read through this, as I now know to turn my radio to 107.3 when I drive through the springs tomorrow. Did not know such a station existed on the front range.
November 18, 2023 @ 4:59 am
The music of Texas country sure has changed from when Gary P, Charlie, Bruce, REK, and Jack Ingram used to totally smash the Steamboat fest. I recognize less and less of these artists each year and when I dig into them, I come away empty handed.
November 24, 2023 @ 1:35 pm
Me too with some exceptions but Texas Red Dirt music has lost its edge and its soul in so many cases.
November 18, 2023 @ 6:57 am
Its all good, but how is Dale Watson or Wilder Blue ‘Roots/Alternative’
November 18, 2023 @ 8:58 am
He’s the alternative to shitty music.
November 18, 2023 @ 12:31 pm
Congrats to Kin Faux! I know the bass player Ross, and they’re really good guys!
November 19, 2023 @ 7:18 am
Some interesting choices. Squeezebox Bandits should have won something. They need their own category.
November 19, 2023 @ 8:10 am
Congratulations Jake Mears. Tremendous guitarist and an all around great family man and human being. Well deserved.
December 5, 2023 @ 9:17 am
Surprised to see Kevin Skrla omitted from list of “Best Steel Guitarist “ ! 🤠🎶