ACM Honors 2023: Kacey Musgraves, Eric Church, and the Carter Family Among Top Recipients

The Academy of Country Music (ACM) has announced the recipients of its 19th annual ACM Honors, set for August 19 at the Pinnacle in Nashville. The event will celebrate industry leaders, songwriters, and cultural figures with special awards, including the ACM Spirit Award, Lifting Lives Award, and posthumous honors for the Carter Family and Brett James.

Key Award Recipients

Kacey Musgraves will receive the ACM Spirit Award, established in memory of Merle Haggard. The award recognizes her “maverick qualities” and recent album Middle of Nowhere, which solidified her status as a “modern figure” in country music, according to the ACM.

Eric Church is being honored with the ACM Lifting Lives Award, which celebrates his “immense support of others” and disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Helene. The ACM cited his “notable contributions to large-scale fundraising and rebuilding” as key factors in the decision.

The ACM Poet’s Award, recognizing a “long body of songwriting,” will be given posthumously to the Carter Family and Brett James. The Carter Family, trailblazers in the 1920s, are credited with shaping the genre’s early sound, while James, known for hits like Carrie Underwood’s Before He Cheats, has written for stars including Kenny Chesney and Martina McBride.

Honorees and Their Contributions

Leslie Fram, a longtime ACM executive, will receive the ACM Lift Every Voice Award for her work in promoting diversity and inclusion. Fram founded the CMT Next Women of Country franchise and co-founded advocacy groups like Nashville Music Equality, according to the ACM’s official release.

The ACM Icon Award will be presented to Bill Anderson, a songwriter and artist who rose to fame in the 1950s, and Mike Curb, founder of Curb Records and former California lieutenant governor. The award honors their “lasting impact” on the industry.

Scott Zolke, an attorney at Loeb & Loeb LLP, will receive the ACM Service Award for his role in securing a multi-year agreement with Amazon Prime Video to livestream the ACM Awards. The deal, described as “groundbreaking,” has expanded the event’s global viewership, the ACM stated.

Additional Honors

Ella Langley and Jessie Jo Dillon, winners of the ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year and Songwriter of the Year awards, will also be recognized at the ceremony. The Paramount+ series Landman, created by Taylor Sheridan, will receive the ACM Film Award for its integration of country music.

The C2C: Country to Country festival, Europe’s largest country music event, is set to win the ACM International Award for expanding the genre’s global reach. Performers and presenters for the ceremony will be announced later, according to the ACM.

Event Details and Tickets

Presale tickets for ACM members and A-List members began Wednesday, with general public sales starting Friday via AXS. The event will be held at the Pinnacle in Nashville, with Carly Pearce and Parker McCollum serving as co-hosts.