Country Radio Celebrates Westwood One's Backstage

The Stars aligned this weekend at Westwood One’s Backstage at the Academy of Country Music Awards event, which took place Friday and Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

More than 90 Country stars came to help Westwood One celebrate Country Music’s Party of the Year® with Radio Row interviews across 25 of the America’s biggest Country radio stations and several national shows, including Westwood One’s NASH Nights Live, with hosts Shawn Parr and Elaina Smith. The artists had a blast backstage engaging with fans, with stations, with listeners, and with each other! Westwood One captured amazing multi-platform content throughout the two days.

 Highlights:

A Westwood One Exclusive: Luke Bryan presented Brett Young with his “New Male Artist of the Year” award at Westwood One Backstage. Although Brett knew he won the award, as it was already announced, he didn't know he'd be getting it at Westwood One’s backstage event. (It is not one of the awards handed out during the ACM broadcast Sunday night.) There are photos and a video of the surprise presentation in below Dropbox link.

Chris Jansen

Westwood One’s Backstage at the Academy of Country Music Awards also featured private live performances from Big Machine Label Groups’ Tyler Rich; newest Grand Ole Opry member and Warner Nashville’s Chris Janson, Big Loud Records Jake Owen; and Curb Records Rodney Atkins.

The NASH morning show, Ty, Kelly & Chuck -- featuring Ty Bentli, Kelly Ford, and Chuck Wicks – was onsite at Radio Row with event sponsor Navy Federal Credit Union to capture video messages for our troops.

 (L-R) Charlie Cook, VP, Country, Cumulus Media and Operations Manager, Cumulus Nashville; Stacy Waugh, Big Loud Records; Jake Owen; Mike McVay, EVP, Content & Programming, Cumulus Media and Westwood One; John Shomby, Program Director, NASH and WKDF/Nashville; Clay Hunnicutt, President, Big Loud Records

(L-R) John Shomby, Program Director, NASH and WKDF/Nashville; Blake Shelton; and Mike McVay, EVP, Content & Programming, Cumulus Media and Westwood One

(L-R) NASH Night Live/Westwood One Country crew with Keith Urban: Karen DeFriez, Affiliate Sales Manager/Country, Westwood One; Tim Closson, Affiliate Sales Manager/Country, Westwood One; Elaina Smith, NNL co-host; Keith Urban; Shawn Parr, NNL co-host; Bryan Switzer, GM Entertainment/Country, Westwood One; John Shomby, Program Director, NASH and WKDF/Nashville

(L-R) Luke Bryan; Brett Young with “New Male Artist” award; Jimmy Harnen, Big Machine Label President; Scott Borchetta, Big Machine Label Group Founder/CEO

(L-R) Front Row -- Tim Closson, Affiliate Sales Manager/Country, Westwood One; Tim Richards, VP, Programming, KMLE/Phoenix. Back Row -- Neal Bird, VP, Affiliate Sales/Entertainment, Westwood One; ACM Nominee Midland (Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy, and Jess Carson), Jason Aldean, Mike Moore, Entercom Country Format Captain