Regional Acoustic Artist/Act
- Aaron Crawford
- Casey Freedom
- Cory Peterson
- Dog Bite Harris
- Joel Gibson Jr.
- Mel Dalton
- Rusty Jackson
Northwest Country Music Association
2026 Award Nominees
Congratulations to this year’s nominees—artists, musicians, media professionals, venues, and events helping country music thrive across the Northwest.
Members of NW-CMA will begin voting on Friday 9/25! The 2026 Awards Show is November 5th at the Spokane Tribe Casino in Airway Heights.
01
Artists & Vocalists
Touring/Regional Band
- Cody Bartels
- Copper Mountain Band
- Hell on Heels
- Kelly Hughes Band
- Randy B Loran
- The Hankers
- Tylor & the Train Robbers
Local Acoustic Artist/Act
- Carli Osika
- Cassandra Wheeler-Joy
- Devon Wade
- Lucas Brookbank Brown
- Midnight Juliets
- Peyton Rae
- Robert Moss
Local Band
- Jordan Paddock & Them Boys
- Prairie Fire Band
- Steve Starkey Band
- Sverwood
- Tamarack Ridge Band
- Theresa Edwards Band
- Wild Wooly Band
Newcomer
- Dexter King Band
- Eli Howard & The Greater Good
- Jack Conrad
- Kylie Hill
- Natalie Hughes
- Porter Combs
- Rachel Brodhead
Female Vocalist
- Carli Osika
- Cassandra Wheeler-Joy
- Chrissy Summering
- Jacque Jolene
- Mel Dalton
- Peyton Rae
- Rachel Brodhead
Male Vocalist
- Aaron Crawford
- Cody Bartels
- Joel Gibson Jr.
- Jordan Paddock
- Keith Niehenke
- Rico Gallarza
- Rusty Jackson
- Steve Starkey
02
Songs & Videos
Music Video
- Boots — Joel Gibson Jr.
- Chameleon — Mel Dalton
- Still Right Here — Tamarack Trio
- The Joke — Ty Lane
Original Song
- Gasoline — Jack Conrad
- Never Comin’ Down — Trevor Chambers and the Southpaw band
- Ponderosa Pines — Cory Peterson
- Ride It While You Can — Tamarack Ridge Band
- The Joke — Ty Lane
- Trailer Park Blues — Jordan Paddock & Them Boys
- Yesterdays — Mel Dalton
03
Instrumentalists
Lead Guitar
- Anthony Corsaro
- Christopher Sverdsten
- Cody Norman
- Erick Johnson
- Gerry Benson
- Greg Stephens
- Keith Niehenke
- Kent Nelson
- Porter Combs
- Trevor Chambers
Drums
- Barry Barckley
- Brian Migliore
- Erin Stephens
- Kevin Olsonberg
- Mark Mullen
- Rex Johnson
- Rico Gallarza
Bass
- Austin Davis
- Greg Breazeal
- Harry Batty
- Joe Medina
- Keven Franklin
- Lance Mitchell
- Nate Norman
- Rex Romagnolo
- Sam McCrosson
Other Instrumentalist
- Cash Niehenke — Multi-instrumentalist
- Debbi Hahn — Fiddle
- Duane Becker — Steel Guitar
- Erica Janelle — Fiddle
- Keith Niehenke — Fiddle, Mandolin
- Paul Brown — Steel Guitar
- Rye Niehenke — Multi-instrumentalist
04
Media & Entertainment
Radio Personalities
- Aaron Crawford
- Adam and Jen in the Morning
- Jamie Patrick
- Kevin James
- TC
- The Luceman
- Wit McKnight
Radio Stations
- 93.7 The Mountain
- 94.9 The Wolf
- 98.9 The Bull
- 99.9 Coyote Country
- 100.7 The Wolf
- 101.5 Hank FM
- K102 Country
Podcasters/Spoken Word
- Chit & Chat
- Chris Eger
- Kaden Collins (The KGC Show)
- Mike Slothower (Narrator)
- Miles & Mountains
- Monday Music with Mel Dalton
- Tee Party Podcast and Tyler Pisani
DJs/Emcees
- Adam Lambert
- DJ Z
- Kevin James
- Matty Parker
- Mikayla Ibach
- Tom Singleton
05
Dance, Venues & Events
Dance Instructors/Groups
- Brad Eaton
- Buckle & Boot Line Dancing
- Dawn Killough
- Dusty Wexler / Litefeet
- Laura Bird / Freebird
- Line Dancing with Sandy
- Loda M. Bales
Smaller Live Music Venue
- Iron Horse — Coeur d’Alene
- Iron Horse — Spokane Valley
- Knucklehead Brewing — Hayden
- Lariat Inn — Mead
- Little Red Hen — Seattle
- Love Shack Country Club — Spokane Valley
- Tractor Tavern — Seattle
Larger Live Music Venue
- Beck’s Harvest House — Green Bluff
- Knitting Factory — Spokane
- Nashville North — Stateline, ID
- Ponderosa Lounge — Portland
- Roxy Theatre — Bremerton
- Spokane Live — Airway Heights
- The Social — Spokane Valley (outdoor)
Festivals, Fairs & Rodeos
- Iconic Country Music Festival — Richland
- Ellensburg Rodeo
- FarmJam
- NW-CMA Fest
- Ruckus in the Boonies
- Sandpoint Songwriter Festival
- Stuffed on the Bluff
Most categories have seven nominees. However, in cases of ties, there may be more than seven. In some categories, fewer than seven nominations were received, so fewer than seven nominees are listed.