Lainey Wilson’s Crew Sweeps 2025 CMA Touring Awards as Keith Urban Earns Surprise Recognition
By Website Content Manager
The crew behind Wilson’s The Whirlwind Tour dominated the evening, winning seven of the 20 awards presented.
On Tuesday, June 3, the Country Music Association (CMA) held its annual Touring Awards at The Pinnacle in Nashville, shining a spotlight on the behind-the-scenes professionals who help bring country music tours to life.
The ceremony, hosted by Keith Urban, recognized excellence across 20 categories, honoring everyone from tour managers and publicists to engineers, musicians, and production crew members.
One of the night’s biggest winners was the team behind Lainey Wilson’s The Whirlwind Tour, which earned seven of the 20 awards presented. Wilson also joined her crew on stage to accept the Crew of the Year honor.
Expressing gratitude during her acceptance speech, Wilson praised her touring family, saying she felt deeply proud of her team and appreciated their constant sacrifices to keep the tour running smoothly as it moves from city to city. She described them as an extension of her family and congratulated them on their achievements.
Wilson’s longtime manager, Mandelyn Monchick, who previously won Manager of the Year in 2024, also highlighted the dedication of the touring team. She commended their strong sense of collaboration, noting their commitment, creativity, and the time they spend away from home to ensure every performance is successful.
This year’s Manager of the Year award went to Kerri Edwards of KP Entertainment, recognized for her work with artists including Luke Bryan and Cole Swindell. In her remarks, she expressed appreciation for Nashville’s creative community, emphasizing her admiration for songwriters and touring teams alike.
Other honorees included Olivia Hanceri of OH Creative as Publicist of the Year, Becky Gardenhire of WME as Talent Agent of the Year, and musician Kurt Ozan, who was named Touring Musician of the Year for his work with Luke Combs.
Former CMA Touring Awards hosts Jon Pardi and Kix Brooks also attended the ceremony and returned to present awards, adding a lighthearted moment when Brooks joked about the teleprompter moving too quickly during his presentation.
The evening concluded with a special Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Jim Halsey, recognizing his decades-long influence on the touring industry. Although Halsey was unable to attend in person, his family accepted the award on his behalf while a video message played expressing his gratitude.
The tribute earned a standing ovation and became one of the night’s most emotional moments. Halsey was recognized for his pioneering role in expanding country music tours internationally and for his more than 60-year career managing major artists such as Reba McEntire, Merle Haggard, and The Oak Ridge Boys.