Ready to talk? Text “PROPERTY” to 936-332-4777.

The Texas Music Awards

The Celebrated  Sound of the Lone Star State.

The Texas Music Awards brought independent Texas music to the forefront, honoring the artists, industry voices, and recordings that shaped its vibrant scene.

Texas Music Awards

A Rich History

Many notable artists received Texas Music Awards and performed during the festivities, including Kacey Musgraves, Michael Martin Murphey, Lloyd Maines, Shake Russell, Hayes Carll, Pauline Reese, Michael Hearne, and Wade Bowen. Founded by Jinelle and Lucky Boyd, the program gave independent Texas music a statewide stage.

The history of categories and recipients

Recipients were revealed annually at the awards event. This complete archive preserves the artists, recordings, broadcasters, and contributors recognized by the Texas Music Awards.

Entertainer of the Year

2014 Aubrey Lynn England

2013 Joe "King" Carrasco

2012 Pauline Reese

2011 Shake Russell

2010 Pauline Reese

2009 Michael Martin Murphey

2008 Shake Russell

2007 Doug Moreland

2006 John Arthur Martinez

2005 Jarrod Birmingham

2004 Shake Russell

2003 Smokey Wilson

Album of the Year

2014 BEAUTIFUL SIN by Scott Taylor Band

2013 TIRED EYES by The Washers

2012 GOOD TO SEE YOU by Scotty Thurman & The Perfect Trouble Band

2011 GYPSI ALIBI by Bob Livingston

2010 TOMMY by Thomas Michael Riley

2009 HIGHSPEED HAYRIDE by Highspeed Hayride

2008 BOAT IN BELIZE by Kelly McGuire

2007 TOO TEXAS by Pauline Reese

2006 GATHERING DUST by Dust Devils

2005 LIVE & KICKIN' by Jarrod Birmingham

2004 BLUE LIGHT LIVE by Wade Bowen

2003 ABANDONED by Rivertrain

Male Vocalist of the Year

2014 Cameran Nelson

2013 Mark Allan Atwood

2012 Dave Fenley

2011 David Fenley

2010 David Fenley

2009 Wade Bowen

2008 Randy Brown

2007 John Evans

2006 Jimmy Kaiser

2005 Jay Johnson

2004 Wade Bowen

2003 JD Faron

Female Vocalist of the Year

2014 Brennen Leigh

2013 Ashlee Rose

2012 Pauline Reese

2011 Christen Sawyer

2010 Christen Sawyer

2009 Crystal Sands

2008 Kacey Musgraves

2007 Barbara Malteze

2006 Barbara Malteze

2005 Brennen Leigh

2004 Amanda Williams

2003 Stevie MuRee

Musician of the Year

2014 Mark Searcy performing with Mark Searcy

2013 Mark LaFon performing with Robby White

2012 Studio Musician — Brad Davis performed on Lou Ann Petty project

2012 Band Musician — Coby Tate performing with Ben Morris & GABC

2011 Chris Gage performing with Bob Livingston

2010 Big John Mills performing with Dewey Wayne

2009 Rodney Pyeatt on self project

2008 Big John Mills on self project

2007 Al Perkins performing with Michael Martin Murphey

2006 Big John Mills performing with Jimmy Kaiser

2005 Kasey Klepfer performing with Texas Renegade

2004 Scott Fojt performing with Jarrod Birmingham

2003 Rodney Pyeatt on self project

Producer of the Year

2014 Luke Adair & The Big Bills

2013 Jesse Sims

2012 John Inmon

2011 Billy Jo High

2010 Ryan Murphey

2009 Billy High

2008 Lloyd Maines

2007 Mike McClure

2006 John M. Greenberg

2005 Jason Allen

2004 Rob Galbraith

2003 Clayton Ryder

Song of the Year

2014 "Praying For Rain" — Jesse Brand (writer)

2013 "A Texan's Prayer" — Robby White (writer)

2012 "Monahans" — Kevin Higgins (writer)

2011 "The Whiskey" — Leon Waddy (writer)

2010 "Find Your Shine" — Kevin Higgins (writer)

2009 "Gather 'Round" — Tres Womack (writer)

2008 "Cried Enough" — Mark Zeus (writer)

2007 "Close To The Land" — Michael Martin Murphey (writer)

2006 "Walk On" — Kevin Higgins (writer)

2005 "Best I Can" — Jarrod Birmingham (writer)

2004 "Too Far From Home" — Zack Walther (writer)

2003 "Small Town" — Ty Phillips (writer)

Record of the Year

2014 "Whiskey & You" — Chapter 11 featuring Aubrey Lynn England

2013 "Just Getting Started" — Pauline Reese

2012 "All My Best Friends (Are Behind Bars)" — Justin Haigh

2011 "Love Don't Live Round Here Anymore" — Jeremiah Houston Band

2010 "Utopia" — John Arthur Martinez

2009 "Lucky Me Lonely You" — Jerry Audley

2008 "Pass Me That Bottle" — Jimmy Kaiser

2007 "God Bless This Town" — Wade Bowen

2006 "It's About To Get Western" — Mike Siler

2005 "Home Made Of Stone" — John Arthur Martinez

2004 "Shakin' Things Up" — Stephanie Urbina Jones

2003 "I've Been Everywhere" — Brian Burns

Vocal Group of the Year

2014 Group — The Grievous Angels

2014 Duo — Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay

2013 2-Bit Palomino

2012 Group — Brad Dunn & Ellis County

2012 Duo — ShAnnie

2011 2-Bit Palomino

2010 Shake Russell Trio

2009 Smythe and Taylor

2008 Shake Russell Band

2007 David Brake & That Damn Band

2006 The Dust Devils

2005 Mike Blakely & The Whiskey Traders

2004 Honeybrowne

Live Band of the Year

2014 Mark Allan Atwood and Brimstone

2013 Jason Helms

2012 Sammy Fox & The Intervention

2011 Push Water Band

2010 The Captain Legendary Band

2009 Ben Morris & The Great American Boxcar Chorus

2008 Texas Renegade

2007 Wade Hatton & The Texas Hat Band

2006 Texas Renegade

Radio Station of the Year

2014 90.1 FM KPFT Houston

2013 KPFT — 90.1 — Houston

2012 KHYI 95.3 The Range

2011 KHYI — 95.3 — Dallas

2010 KPFT — 90.1 — Houston

2009 KHYI — 95.3 — Dallas

2008 KFAN — 107.9 — Fredericksburg

2007 98.1 KVET — Austin

Internet Radio Station of the Year

2011 RadioFreeTexas.org

2010 RadioFreeTexas.org

2009 RadioFreeTexas.org

2008 RadioFreeTexas.org

2007 RadioFreeTexas.org

2006 RadioFreeTexas.org

Radio DJ of the Year

2014 Roark Smith — KPFT, Houston

2013 Roark Smith — KPFT, Houston

2012 Roark Smith — KPFT, Houston

2011 Brett Dillon — KHYI, Dallas

2010 JB Cloud — KBCY, Abilene

2009 Ryan Fox — The Wolf, Dallas

2008 JB Cloud — KBCY, Abilene

2007 Justin Frazell — KPLX, Dallas

2006 Justin Frazell — KPLX, Dallas

2005 Justin Frazell — KPLX, Dallas

Songwriter of the Year

2014 Danny Everitt

2013 Matt Harlan

2012 Michael Hearne

2011 Bob Cheevers

2010 Robert Frith

2009 Connie Mims

2008 Robert Frith

2007 Robert Frith

2006 Hayes Carll

2005 Ken Gaines

The Palmwood Award

2013 Bruno Michel

2012 Dillon Steen

2011 Jaye Hooper

2010 Grady Lee

2009 JB Cloud

2009 Dave Wheaton

2008 Tommy Hooper

2008 Miss Lana

2006 Jackie Bryant

2005 Greg Barr

2005 John Gibson (posthumously)

2005 Jim & Lynda Guidry

2004 Doc Blakely

2004 Jim Haile

2004 Jene Jamail

2004 Trey Newman

2004 Lance Thurman

2003 Jamie Burrell

2003 Bea McKinney

2003 John Moen

2003 Shake Russell

2003 Joan Werth

Lifetime Achievement Award

Complete List

2014 Freddie Steady Krc 2013 Wrecks Bell 2013 Shake Russell 2012 Joe "King" Carrasco 2011 Tim Henderson 2011 Freddy Powers Artistic Excellence Award 2014 Ben Morris for AMEN BROTHER 2014 Leo Rondeau for TAKE IT AND BREAK IT 2014 The Captain Legendary Band for TCLB LIVE 2013 Mike Amabile for OPEN YOUR EYES 2013 Leyla Fences for ITTY BITTY TWANG TWANG 2013 The Bigsbys for TRUE STORY 2012 Jean Synodinos for GIRLS, GOOD & OTHERWISE 2012 Casey Hubble fo BI-POLAR SIX STRING 2012 Lou Ann Petty for I'M FALLING 2011 Jeremy Parsons for DOGGONDEST FEELIN' 2010 David Lutes for BIG TOP 2009 Lynn Stokes for TERRA NOCTURNE

.

.

.

.

Artistic Excellence Award

2014 Ben Morris for AMEN BROTHER

2014 Leo Rondeau for TAKE IT AND BREAK IT

2014 The Captain Legendary Band for TCLB LIVE

2013 Mike Amabile for OPEN YOUR EYES

2013 Leyla Fences for ITTY BITTY TWANG TWANG

2013 The Bigsbys for TRUE STORY

2012 Jean Synodinos for GIRLS, GOOD & OTHERWISE

2012 Casey Hubble for BI-POLAR SIX STRING

2012 Lou Ann Petty for I'M FALLING

2011 Jeremy Parsons for DOGGONDEST FEELIN'

2010 David Lutes for BIG TOP

2009 Lynn Stokes for TERRA NOCTURNE

Carl T. Sprague Award

2014 Emily Herring for YOUR MISTAKE

The MyTexan Award

2013 Gus Samuelson

2012 Mark Allan Atwood

2012 Brian J Kalinec

2011 Mike Blakely

2008 Scotty Lee Shuffield

2006 Richard Bowden

2006 Grady Lee

2005 Maestro Aurora

2005 Wrecks Bell

2005 Ken Gaines

2005 Chris Lafavers

2004 Tom Abell

2004 Lawrence J. Clark

2004 Chris Collins

2004 Lindsay Rash

2004 TC Smythe

2003 Melissa Adams

2003 Theo Henning

2003 Stephen Jamail

2003 April Kelly

2003 Mark Zeus

Historical Significance Award

2013 Joe "King" Carrasco for QUE WOW

2012 Jim Stricklan for BLUES FOR STEPHEN FOSTER

2011 Steve Howell for "SINCE I SAW YOU LAST"

2007 Best Selling Album — 6 Years — "Deep In The West" — Shake Russell

Gone To Texas Award

2012 Slim Bawb Pearce

2011 Preston Camp Jr.

Rising Star of the Year

2014 Julia Beers Music

2014 Troy Cartwright

2013 Parker Heights Music

2012 Brad Boyer

2011 Backseat Molly

2010 Mark Allan Atwood

2009 Cody Riley

2008 Katie Rae Davis

2007 Ryan T. Briggs

2006 Clay DuBose

2005 5 Mile Band

2004 Ashlee Rose

2003 Hayes Carll

Musical Event of the Year

2013 Harestock 5 for The Great American Boxcar Chorus

2011 "Shoulder To The Stone"

2007 "A Case of the Gimbles" by Johnny, Dick & Emily Gimble

2006 "A Texas Hill Country Christmas" by Lodge Recording Studio

2005 "Peace From The Porch" by Bear Creek Concerts

Musical Honors/Memorial Award

2011 Troy Allan, presented to JoAnn Jones

2009 Tex Ritter, presented to Tommie Ritter Smith

2008 John Vandiver, presented to Joanna Vandiver

Texas flag flying in the sunlight

The Legacy

Texas Music Remembered

The Texas Music Awards program covered the finest music of the Lone Star State. Its legacy lives on through the artists, songs, venues, broadcasters, and supporters it celebrated.

The awards program has been discontinued.

Have an event or music opportunity to discuss?

Text Nathan to start a direct conversation about entertainment, events, and community-focused opportunities.

Start a conversation