CRS Announces 2017 Artist Career Achievement and President's Award Recipients

Martina McBride to Receive CRB Artist Career Achievement Award and Mike Dungan to be Honored with President’s Award

(Nashville, Tenn. – May 19, 2017) – The Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. have announced Martina McBride as the recipient of the 2017 CRB Artist Career Achievement Award, and Mike Dungan as the recipient of the 2017 President’s Award. Both awards will be presented during the Country Radio Hall of Fame Dinner and Awards ceremony, which will be held on Wednesday, June 21st at 6 p.m. at the Marriott Nashville (Vanderbilt, 2555 West End Avenue, Nashville, Tenn.).   

2017 CRB Artist Career Achievement Award recipient, Martina McBride, is a multiple Grammy© nominated country singer, whose incomparable vocals have kept her at the top of the charts, garnering six #1 hits and 20 Top 10 singles. Selling more than 18 million albums to date, McBride has earned 14 Gold, nine Platinum, three Double Platinum and two Triple Platinum certifications. She’s been honored with more than 15 major music awards, including four wins from the Country Music Association and three Academy of Country Music Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year. 2017 marks a milestone in McBride’s illustrious career – it is her 25th year of touring and the 25th anniversary of her debut album “The Time Has Come.” She is currently touring North America on the LOVE UNLEASHED TOUR. 

The CRB Artist Career Achievement Award is presented to an individual artist or act that, through their creativity, vision, performance or leadership has made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of country music and country radio. 

CRS Hall of Fame Chairman, RJ Curtis comments, “25 years ago, Martina McBride burst on to the Country music scene with her debut album ‘The Time Has Come.’ That statement was true then, and still is now. In the intervening years, Martina established herself as one of the premier voices in Country music history. In an era when female vocalists dominated the format, Martina stood out, selling millions of albums, winning multiple Female Vocalist of the Year awards from the CMA and ACM, while delivering strong, socially aware music to Country radio.  Her many career achievements speak for themselves, making her a very deserving recipient of this honor from CRS.”  

2017 President’s Award recipient, Mike Dungan, is Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group Nashville, the largest music company in the country music business.  Dungan leads charge for the label group that operates four label imprints – Capitol Nashville, EMI Records Nashville, Mercury Nashville, and MCA Nashville; that label group is now home to 35 artists, including Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Sam Hunt, Chris Stapleton, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Dierks Bentley, George Strait, Eric Church, Kacey Musgraves, Darius Rucker, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, Gary Allan, and Vince Gill.  Dungan has appeared on Billboard’s annual Power 100 list four consecutive years (2013-2016), and was named Billboard’s Country Music Executive of the Year in 2016. A longtime Country Radio Broadcasters board member, Dungan serves on the organization’s Executive Committee, and is only the third active board member to receive the President’s Award in the 20-year history of the honor. 

CRB/CRS President, Charlie Morgan comments, “The President’s Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the marketing, production, growth and development of the Country Radio Seminar and the multiple services that Country Radio Broadcasters provides to the Country radio and music communities.”  

“It is such a privilege to serve alongside a leader like Mike Dungan.  His contributions to CRS are too numerous to catalog.  From the amazing UMG lunch each year at the Ryman to the quiet guidance and sound counsel he has provided in board meetings and individually, the Country Radio Broadcasters and CRS are forever changed for the better thanks to his selfless service.” 

The Country Radio Hall of Fame event will also honor the “Class of 2017” radio inductees that were announced during Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2017. Six radio personalities and three off-air broadcasters will be honored, and include Tim Closson, Charlie Ochs, Mel Owens in the radio category and Joe Wade Formicola, Linda Lee, Jim Mantel, and The Good Morning Guys (KUAD/Ft. Collins, CO) in the on-air category.   

The Country Radio Hall of Fame was founded in 1974 and is dedicated to the recognition of those individuals who have made significant contributions to the radio industry over a 20-year period, 15 of which must be in the Country format.  

Individual tickets to the event are now available and can be purchased by contacting Ashley Silver at ashley@crb.org. 

Tables at the event are now available for purchase. To sponsor a table, please contact Holly Lane Freeman at holly@crb.org or Brooke Sanders at brooke@crb.org. Similar to previous years, the event is expected to sell-out.