CMA Presents International Awards In Sydney And London

Michael Chugg Receives the Inaugural Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award,
Baylen Leonard Receives the International Country Broadcaster Award,
Ricky Marshall Receives the Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award
and The Shires Receive the Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award 

CMA awarded four of its 2021 CMA International Awards this month in Sydney and London. Australian promoter Michael Chugg was awarded the Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award through a video message from Country artist Morgan Evans (whose longtime manager was Rob Potts); Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer; John Esposito, Warner Music Nashville Chairman & CEO; and Australian Country artist Casey Barnes. Chugg was surprised with the video message and presented the award during a lunch outing with Potts’ son Jeremy Dylan and Natalie Waller, Head of ABC Music and Events and CMA Board Member.

While in London, Absolute Radio Country U.K. broadcaster Baylen Leonard was awarded the International Country Broadcaster Award, Ricky Marshall, Program Manager at Absolute Radio Country, was presented with the Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award, and U.K. Country duo, The Shires, were awarded the Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award during C2C weekend in London. Trahern presented Leonard and Marshall with their awards on stage at the sold out CMA Songwriters Series event on Thursday, March 10, and The Shires were presented with their award at a CMA-hosted reception on Friday, March 11. While on the ground in the U.K., CMA also hosted series of valuable networking events that reconnected important relationships and forged new connections to continue the development and profile of Country Music internationally.

Previously announced 2021 CMA International Award recipients include Luke Combs, who was presented the International Artist Achievement Award in November 2021 during rehearsals for “The 55th Annual CMA Awards,” and Chris York, Director of SJM Concerts and one of the founding co-promoters of Country to Country (C2C), who was presented the Jo Walker Meador International Award via surprise video message in September 2021.

“The CMA International Awards honor some of the many individuals that we are proud to know and work with in our international Country community,” says Milly Olykan, CMA Vice President, International Relations and Development. “As Country Music continues to develop and expand its audiences around the world, we could not do what we do without the work and resources these individuals put in to build and promote Country Music in their market. We are grateful for their continued support and thrilled to honor them with these awards.”

Michael Chugg – Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award 
The inaugural Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award recognizes outstanding achievements by an individual who has made important contributions to the live music industry by extending performance opportunities and building live audiences for Country Music outside of the United States. Chugg is responsible for co-creating the major Country Music festival, CMC Rocks. After co-founding the Frontier Touring Company, he went on to launch Chugg Entertainment. Over the past 20 years, Chugg Entertainment has toured over 800 Australian and international artists, including Country acts Dolly Parton, Luke Combs, Kacey Musgraves, Florida Georgia Line, The Chicks, and CMA’s international touring series, Introducing Nashville, to name a few. Chugg has also launched Chugg Music, a label and management company providing artist services to Australian acts including Country-rock singer, Casey Barnes. Chugg serves on CMA’s Australian Task Force and was the recipient of the Jo Walker Meador International Award in 2009 as well as the CMA International Talent Buyer/Promoter of the Year Award in 2006.

Baylen Leonard – International Broadcaster Award
The International Broadcaster Award recognizes outstanding achievement by a radio broadcaster outside the United States who has made important contributions to the development of Country Music in their country. Leonard currently fronts six shows a week on Absolute Radio Country, the U.K.’s first national all-Country radio station. He has previously hosted Country Music shows, specials and commentaries for BBC Radio 2, BBC London, BBC Radio 4, BBC Scotland and Chris Country. In addition to broadcasting, Leonard is the Artistic Director and Talent Booker for The Long Road, the U.K.’s largest outdoor Country Music festival and serves as Head of Music for Holler, a U.K.-based Country, Americana and Roots media website. He was last awarded the CMA International Broadcaster in 2019. He is also a member of CMA’s U.K. Task Force.

Ricky Marshall – Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award
The Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements in the media that contribute to the development of Country Music outside the United States, was presented to Marshall the week leading into C2C. Marshall is currently the Program Manager for Absolute Radio Country, but he is receiving this award from his work with BBC. In his previous role as producer for the “Zoe Ball Breakfast Show” on BBC Radio 2, the U.K.’s most listened to radio station with over 14 million listeners, and as producer of Ken Bruce and Jo Whiley shows along with much of Radio 2’s daytime Country Music content. He was key in bringing BBC Radio 2 physically to Nashville for CMA Awards coverage as well as the driving force in adding more Country to the “Zoe Ball Breakfast Show.” Marshall currently serves on CMA’s Taskforce in the U.K.

The Shires – Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award
For the second time since 2017, The Shires were awarded the Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements by a Country Music artist signed outside of the United States. The Shires released their debut album Brave in 2015 and became the first U.K. Country act to chart in the Top 10 of the U.K. Albums Chart. Their second album, My Universe, became the fastest-selling U.K. Country album in history when it was released in 2016. To date, all four of The Shires’ albums have charted Top 10 on the U.K. Album Charts and No. 1 on the U.K. Country Charts, and every single they have released since their debut has been playlisted by BBC Radio 2. The band hosts their own radio show on Apple Music Country and have supported Little Big Town, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood and Sam Hunt on tour. Their U.K. tours always sell out, with their most recent tour wrapping with a sold-out headline show at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall.

The CMA International Awards honor industry executives and artists who have supported and made a difference towards the growth and promotion of Country Music in the international marketplace. Nominees are recognized in six categories acknowledging their dedication and efforts in growing opportunities for Country Music in their local territories.