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Lainey Wilson’s Team Dominates 2025 CMA Touring Awards As Keith Urban Receives Surprise Honor

Wilson’s The Whirlwind Tour crew led the night’s winners, taking home seven of the 20 awards presented.

Sophia Shear

| Posted on

June 4, 2026

11:28 am

“The 20th Annual CMA Touring Awards” winners on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at The Pinnacle in Nashville, TN; Photo by John Russell, CMA

On Tuesday (June 3), the Country Music Association (CMA) hosted its annual Touring Awards at The Pinnacle in Nashville, honoring the unsung heroes who make country music tours possible behind the scenes.

Hosted by Keith Urban, the event recognized professionals across 20 categories, celebrating everyone from managers and publicists to engineers, musicians, and crew members.

Lainey Wilson’s The Whirlwind Tour crew led the night’s winners, taking home seven of the 20 awards presented. Wilson herself joined her team on stage to accept the Crew of the Year award.

“Congratulations to everybody tonight, I am so proud of my people, y’all are my family,” Wilson, the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, shared.

Mandelyn Monchick; Photo by Kayla Schoen, CMA

She continued, “Thank you so much for the sacrifices that y’all make, all the time, to run this circus, pick it up and move it to the next town. I love y’all, congratulations.”

Wilson’s longtime manager, Mandelyn Monchick, who earned Manager of the Year honors in 2024, also took a moment to recognize the crew’s dedication.

“I will reinforce that we have an incredible crew. They work as a team as I have never seen. I am so impressed with all of you guys, and appreciate all the time that you spend away from home and all the heart you put into every show and every idea that is brought to the table,” she said.

Kerri Edwards wins the award for Manager of the Year at “The 20th Annual CMA Touring Awards" on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at The Pinnacle in Nashville, TN; Photo by Kayla Schoen, CMA — Kerri Edwards wins the award for Manager of the Year at “The 20th Annual CMA Touring Awards” on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at The Pinnacle in Nashville, TN; Photo by Kayla Schoen, CMA

Taking home Manager of the Year this Year was Kerri Edwards of KP Entertainment for her work with Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell, and others.

“I truly love this town, I love creatives, I love being able to support them. Songwriters are what make me go, but also being on the road and seeing these teams do what they do every day is just mind-blowing, so thank you,” she graciously stated.

Other winners included OH Creative’s Olivia Hanceri, who took home Publicist of the Year; WME’s Becky Gardenhire, who received Talent Agent of the Year; and Kurt Ozan, who was named Touring Musician of the Year for his work with Luke Combs.

Former CMA Touring Awards hosts Jon Pardi (2019) and Kix Brooks (2018) were also in attendance, returning to present awards after hosting in years past.

Special Guest Kix Brooks presents at "The 20th Annual CMA Touring Awards" on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at The Pinnacle in Nashville, TN; Photo by John Russell, CMA — Special Guest Kix Brooks presents at “The 20th Annual CMA Touring Awards” on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at The Pinnacle in Nashville, TN; Photo by John Russell, CMA

While presenting the Front of House Engineer Award to Ryan Dell, Brooks drew laughter from the crowd with several jokes about the teleprompter moving faster than he could read.

Toward the end of the evening, CMA honored Jim Halsey with the Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes individuals who have made a lasting impact on the industry.

Halsey was not in attendance to accept the award, which The Oak Ridge Boys presented. However, a video message expressing his gratitude played while his daughter and granddaughter accepted the honor on his behalf.

The tribute earned the first standing ovation of the night, creating one of the evening’s most emotional moments.

Halsey was one of the first industry leaders to expand artists’ tours worldwide, helping bring country music to international audiences. Over the course of more than 60 years, he managed and represented major artists including Roy Clark, Reba McEntire, Merle Haggard, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Hank Thompson.

Keith Urban is surprised with the Founding President's Award at "The 20th Annual CMA Touring Awards" on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at The Pinnacle in Nashville, TN; Photo by Kayla Schoen, CMA — Keith Urban is surprised with the Founding President’s Award at “The 20th Annual CMA Touring Awards” on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at The Pinnacle in Nashville, TN; Photo by Kayla Schoen, CMA

The night wasn’t over yet, as CMA had one final surprise in store.

CMA CEO Sarah Trahern returned to the stage, noting she had waited five months for the moment due to Nashville’s January ice storm.

She then presented the CMA Founding President’s Award, formerly known as the Connie B. Gay Award, to none other than the evening’s host, Keith Urban.

“Keith has given so much to CMA over the years, always with generosity, energy, and heart. Whether it’s stepping up to host this event year after year, or lending his voice to causes that strengthen our community, he consistently raises his hand and shows up for country music in ways that go so far beyond himself.”