Recent Awards For Excellence Winners and Nominees

Recent Awards For Excellence Winners and Nominees

Each year we recognize individuals, duos and groups for the talents in promoting and preserving western music and poetry.

2024 Songwriting Contest Award


1st Place: "Heartbreak Moon"
Written by Tecia McKenna, Micki Fuhrman, Mary Kaye Holt & Merna Lewis

2nd Place: "I'll Rope the Blue Moon"
Written by Jim Jones & Betty Lynne McCarthy

3rd Place: "Half Broke Cavvy of the ZX Range"
Written by Darrell Arnold & Tom Hiatt

Darrell Arnold Jim Jones Mary Kaye Holt Merna Lewis Micki Fuhrman Tecia McKenna Tom Hiatt

2024 Western Album of the Year


Award Sponsored by the Salado Cowboy Poetry Gathering
"Snow on the Wineglass"
John Lowell

John Lowell

2024 Bill Wiley Award


Phil Willig

2024 Hall of Fame Inductees


Janet McBride & Gary McMahan

Gary McMahan Janet McBride

2024 Entertainer of the Year


Award Sponsored by Marvin & Theresa O'Dell
Kristyn Harris

Kristyn Harris

2024 Male Performer of the Year


Award Sponsored by Marvin & Theresa O'Dell
Syd Masters

Syd Masters

2024 Female Performer of the Year


Award Sponsored by Marvin & Theresa O'Dell
Patty Clayton

Patty Clayton

2024 Songwriter of the Year


Award Sponsored by Mark Munzert & Kathleen Kelley
John Lowell

John Lowell

2024 Working Cowboy Song of the Year


Award Sponsored by Janice Brooks
"Drivin' This Herd to the Rail"
written by J. Michael Mullins

J. Michael Mullins

2024 Song of the Year


Award Sponsored by The Russellers
"Ian and Charlie"
Darrell Arnold & Tom Hiat

Darrell Arnold Tom Hiatt

2024 Duo or Group of the Year


Award Sponsored by Diana Raven & Ernie Martinez
3 Trails West

Jim Winters Leo Eilts Roger Eilts

2024 Western Swing Album of the Year


Award Sponsored by Bonnie Rutherford
"Gotta Move"
Hot Texas Swing Band

Alex Dormont

2024 Instrumentalist of the Year


Award Sposnored by Michael & Judy Muldawer
Hailey Sandoz

Hailey Sandoz

2024 Radio DJ / Radio Program of the Year


Award Sponsored by Chuck & Cindy Learn
Keepers of the West
Doug Figgs & T. Reese Janca

Doug Figgs Reese Janca

2024 Male Poet of the Year


Award Sponsored by Marvin & Theresa O'Dell
Mark Munzert

Mark Munzert

2024 Female Poet of the Year


Award Sponsored by Marvin & Theresa O'Dell
Miska Paget

Miska Paget

2024 Cowboy Poetry CD of the Year


Award Sponsored by Tom & Carla Swearingen
"Real Hands & Treasured Friends"
Miska Paget

Miska Paget

2024 Cowboy Poetry Book of the Year


Award Sponsored by Tom & Carla Swearingen
"Into the West"
Poppa Mac & Doug Monson

Geoff Mackay

2024 Liz Masterson Crescendo Award


Award Sponsored by IWMA Columbia Chapter
Bodhi Linde

Bodhi Linde

2024 Curly Musgrave Silver Buckle Award


Award Sponsored by the Musgrave Family
Marsha Short

2024 Pioneer Trail


Jim Buchanan
 

2024 Team Penning Contest


"It's a Crazy Thing"
Tom Swearingen & Randy Palmer

Randy Palmer Tom Swearingen

2024 Harmony Award


Award Sponsored by Michael & Judy Muldawer
Miss Devon & The Outlaw

Devon Dawson Jessie D. Robertson

2024 Poetry Contest


Award Sponsored by IWMA Western Wordsmiths Chapter
Floyd Beard

Floyd Beard

2023


2023 Songwriting Contest Award


Traditional Category: New Someday - Tecia McKenna
Second Place: Old Pard - John Lowell

Gospel Category: What If There's a Heaven - Aspen Black
Second Place: Cleanin' Out My Stable - Devon Dawson, Teresa Burleson, Belinda Gail

Aspen Black Belinda Gail Devon Dawson John Lowell Tecia McKenna Teresa Burleson

2023 Team Penning Co-write Songwriting Contest Award


Doug Figgs Floyd Beard

2023 Western Album of the Year


Roll On, Cowboys

Andy Hedges

2023 Bill Wiley Award


Jane Leche

2023 Entertainer of the Year


Doug Figgs

2023 Male Performer of the Year


Jon Chandler

2023 Female Performer of the Year


Kristyn Harris

2023 Songwriter of the Year


R. J. Vandygriff

2023 Working Cowboy Song of the Year


Never Cuss the Rain

Lyrics by Darrell Arnold
Music by Tom Hiatt

Tom Hiatt

2023 Song of the Year


Cowboy “Til I Die

Ed Meyer

2023 Duo or Group of the Year


The Cowboy Way

Doug Figgs Jim Jones Mariam Funke

2023 Instrumentalist of the Year


Hailey Sandoz

2023 Radio DJ / Radio Program of the Year


Circuit Rider Roundup

Allen Kirkham Jill Kirkham

2023 Male Poet of the Year


Floyd Beard

2023 Female Poet of the Year


Valerie Beard

2023 Cowboy Poetry CD of the Year


No Better Life

Valerie Beard

2023 Cowboy Poetry Book of the Year


Windmills on the Prairie

Yvonne Hollenbeck

2023 Liz Masterson Crescendo Award


Jack George Phoebe White

2023 Curly Musgrave Silver Buckle Award


Ernie Martinez

2023 Pioneer Trail


Baxter Black

2023 Poetry Contest


Floyd Beard

2023 Entertainer of the Year Nominees


Doug Figgs Jon Chandler Joni Harms Kristyn Harris Randy Huston

2023 Male Performer of the Year Nominees


Doug Figgs Jim Jones Jon Chandler Kerry Grombacher Syd Masters

2023 Female Performer of the Year Nominees


Aspen Black Carol Markstrom Kristyn Harris Mary Kaye Holt Patty Clayton

2023 Working Cowboy Song of the Year Nominees


Barbwire & The Rail - written by Ed Meyer
Last of the Four Sixes Cowboys - written by Allan Chapman & Joel White
Never Cuss the Rain - written by Darrell Arnold & Tom Hiatt
Once I Was a Cowboy - written by Joel White
Way of the Cowboy - written by Randy Huston

Allan Chapman Ed Meyer Joel Alden White Randy Huston Tom Hiatt

2023 Song of the Year Nominees


Cowboy 'Til I Die - written & performed by Ed Meyer
Ian & Charlie - written by Darrell Arnold & Tom Hiatt & performed by Tom Hiatt
My Wild Norwegian Rose - written by Scott Lambertsen & performed by The Fall River Boys
Never Cuss the Rain - written by Darrell Arnold & Tom Hiatt & performed by Tom Hiatt
The Shelter of the Wildwood - written by Doug Green & performed by Riders In The Sky

Doug Green Ed Meyer Tom Hiatt

2023 Duo or Group of the Year Nominees


Allen & Jill
The Cowboy Way
Kacey & Jenna Thunborg
Miss Devon & The Outlaw
Notable Exceptions

Miss Devon & The Outlaw Allen Kirkham Jenna Thunborg Jill Kirkham Kacey Thunborg

2023 Traditional Album of the Year Nominees


Bunchgrass - Wylie & The Wild West
Roll On, Cowboys - Andy Hedges
Throw a Saddle on a Star - Riders In The Sky
Times Like These - Randy Huston
We Were Cowboys - R.J. Vandygriff

Andy Hedges R. J. Vandygriff Randy Huston Riders In The Sky

2023 Instrumentalist of the Year Nominees


Ernie Martinez Hailey Sandoz Mariam Funke Merna Lewis Scott Tonelson

2023 Cowboy Poetry CD of the Year Nominees


Between The Sun and The Moon – Teresa Burleson
The Girl in the Yellow-Checked Dress – Duane Nelson
No Better Life - Valerie Beard
Proven Up Wise – Rik “Yonder” Goodell
Upon My Horse’s Back – Chris Mortensen
Wisdom in the Wind – Sherl Cederburg

Chris Mortensen Duane Lee Nelson Rik Yonder Goodell Sherl Cederburg Teresa Burleson Valerie Beard

2023 Liz Masterson Crescendo Award Nominees


Bodhi Linde Caroline Grace Wiseman Colt Blankman Jack George Phoebe White