Finalists for Awards Recognizing 2025 Work

After a multi-stage process involving public nominations, submissions by nominees, and two rounds of voting, the Academy of Western Artists is pleased to announce finalists for 32 awards recognizing 2025 work.

Finalists for each award are listed in alphabetical order. Due to ties in voting, a few awards have more than 3 finalists. A winner of each award will be selected by a panel of expert judges and announced at one of two awards ceremonies in Fort Worth at the Auction Barn Studio in the Stockyards on Saturday, November 21, 2026.

Tickets for the awards ceremonies are available now. Ticket prices are $20 (2 PM show) or $35 (7:30 PM show), with a 50% discount for Academy members.

WESTERN/COWBOY MUSIC & POETRY

Western/Cowboy Male Vocalist – finalists

• Doug Figgs
• John Lowell
• Stan Mahler

Western/Cowboy Female Vocalist – finalists

• Kristyn Harris
• Carin Mari
• Trinity Seely

Western/Cowboy Duo/Group – finalists

• Allen & Jill
• Gone with the West
• The Arizona Wildflowers

Western/Cowboy Song – finalists

• Doug Figgs, "Cowboy's Legacy" (lyrics: Doug Figgs and Floyd Beard; music: Doug Figgs)
• Jim Jones, "Somewhere Green" (lyrics: Jim Jones and Deanna McCall; music: Jim Jones)
• Randy Palmer, "Dance Ponies Dance" (lyrics and music: Randy Palmer)
• The Arizona Wildflowers, "My Good Horse" (lyrics: The Arizona Wildflowers; music: Ranelle Dietrich)

Western/Cowboy Single – finalists

• Aspen Black, "As Cowboy As They Come" (producer/engineer: Drew Middleton)
• Kevin "Tuck" Tuckfield, "Why He Rides" (producer/engineer: Kevin Tuckfield)
• Joel Alden White, "Ranchers Prayer" (producer/engineer: Merel Bregante)

Western/Cowboy Album – finalists

• Doug Figgs, Storm on the Mountain (producer/engineer: Peter "Ren" Renfree)
• Ryan Fritz, Just Keepin' It Ranchy (producer: Ryan Fritz; engineer: Ben Crane)
• Joel Alden White, Roads & Barbwire (producer/engineer: Merel Bregante)

Western/Cowboy Music Video – finalists

• Aspen Black, "As Cowboy As They Come" (director: Aspen Black)
• R.W. Hampton, "Who?" (directors: Lisa Hampton and Matthew Dylan)
• Kevin "Tuck" Tuckfield, "Bring On The Pain" (director: Kevin Tuckfield)

Western/Cowboy Storyteller – finalists

• Rik "Yonder" Goodell
• KC LaCourse
• Kye Rieff

Male Cowboy Poet – finalists

• Floyd Beard
• Mark Munzert
• Kye Rieff

Female Cowboy Poet – finalists

• Valerie Beard
• Teresa Burleson
• Susie Knight

WESTERN SWING MUSIC

Western Swing Male Vocalist – finalists

• Jake Hooker
• Glenn Parker
• Phillip Wildman

Western Swing Female Vocalist – finalists

• Lori Beth Brooke
• Devon Dawson
• Ranelle Dietrich
• Kristyn Harris

Western Swing Duo/Group – finalists

• Gone with the West
• Johnny Angel and Helldorado
• Kristyn Harris Band
• Miss Devon & The Outlaw

Western Swing Single – finalists

• Patty Clayton, "So Many Cowboys!" (producer: Patty Clayton; engineer: Dave Richardson)
• Gone with the West, "I'm An Old Cowhand" (producers: Gone with the West; engineer: James Hedden)
• The Arizona Wildflowers, "San Antonio Rose" (producer: Darin Aldridge; engineer: Van Atkins)

Western Swing Album – finalists

• Dave Alexander, From the Saddle to Symphony Hall: Symphonic Western Swing (producer: David Sampson; engineer: Dave Alexander)
• Rick & The All-Star Ramblers Western Swing Band, The 2nd Bestest Songs I Ever Wrote (producer: Rick Norcross; engineers: Lane Gibson Recording and Mastering)
• The Arizona Wildflowers, Back Home in the West (producer: Darin Aldridge; engineer: Van Atkins)

WESTERN COUNTRY MUSIC

Western Country Male Vocalist – finalists

• Jon Chandler
• Richard Lynch
• Kevin "Tuck" Tuckfield
• Edward Williams

Western Country Female Vocalist – finalists

• Aspen Black
• Pickin' Peggy Malone
• Ruth Manning
• Carin Mari
• Pamela Rooney

Western Country Song – finalists

• Kalyn Beasley, "Ranchin' Rich" (lyrics and music: Kalyn Beasley and Levi Luoma)
• Doug Figgs, "Ghost of Charlie Glass" (lyrics: Doug Figgs and Terry Nash; music: Doug Figgs)
• Ashley Westcott, "Cowboy's Heart" (lyrics: Ashley Westcott, Caspur Westcott, Mason Douglas; music: Ashley Westcott and Jason Wyatt)

Western Country Single – finalists

• Kalyn Beasley, "Hell On Women & Horses" (producer: Cody Braun; engineer: Steve Mazur)
• R.W. Hampton, "Who?" (producers: Lisa Hampton, Aarom Meador, Richard E. O'Brien; engineer: Aarom Meador)
• The Timberline Cowboys, "Watercolor Skies" (producers/engineers: Geary Parsons and Mike Mullins)

Western Country Album – finalists

• Kalyn Beasley, Ranchin' Rich (producer: Cody Braun; engineer: Steve Mazur)
• Chuck Cusimano, The Collection, Vol. 3 (producer: Chuck Cusimano; engineers: Robert Snyder and Chuck Cusimano)
• Birdie Nichols, Into the West (producer/engineer: Mark Oliverius)

WESTERN ART

Artist (Drawing) – finalists

• Karisa Brookshire
• Dawn Nelson
• Donnie Poindexter

Photographer – finalists

• Aspen Black
• Chris Dickinson
• Jessica Brandi Lifland

Boot Maker – finalists

• Zephan Parker
• Keith Rohwedder
• Lisa Sorrell

WESTERN MEDIA

Cowboy Poem – finalists

• Floyd Beard, "Horseback in the Fall," published in Union County Leader, Clayton, NM
• Aspen Black, "Charlie Russell's Cell Phone," released to radio as a poetry single
• Karla K Morton, "Horses of Cimarron," published in Santa Fe Trail: Chasing the Big West

Cowboy Poetry Book – finalists

• Rik "Yonder" Goodell, Ponderin's published by Yonderin' Tales Press
• Karla K. Morton and Alan Birkelbach, Santa Fe Trail: Chasing the Big West published by Madville Publishing
• Kye Rieff, Authentic, Or Something Like That

Western Short Story – finalists

• Micki Fuhrman writing as Vonn McKee, "Another Man's Sea," published in Through Western Storms anthology
• Micki Fuhrman writing as Vonn McKee, "Point of Impact," published in Silverado Press Presents: Western Stories by Today's Top Writers, Vol. 1
• Preston Lewis, "Noah's Lament," published in Through Western Storms anthology
• Randi Samuelson-Brown, "Death and Singular Obligations," published in She Rode West: Tails of Courage, Dust and Destiny

Western Young Reader Novel – finalists

• S.J. Dahlstrom, Never Curse The Rain, published by Paul Dry Books
• Sherry Roberts, Just Call Me Pardner, published by Solander Press
• R.G. Yoho, Destined to Ride Alone, published by Speaking Volumes

Western Novel – finalists

• Natalie Bright and Manuela Schneider, A New Fatherland: German Freedom Under the Texas Sky, published by EK-2 Publishing
• W. Michael Farmer, The Apache Kid: Army Apache Scout (The Apache Kid Chronicles-Volume One), published by Roan & Weatherford Publishing Associates/Hat Creek Imprint
• Jim Jones, Hunter's Moon, published by Speaking Volumes Press

Western Nonfiction Book – finalists

• Carolyn Grattan Eichin, The Infamous Theaters of Virginia City, Nevada, published by The History Press Arcadia Publishing
• W. Michael Farmer, An Apache Iliad: True Stories of Geronimo's War and Reservation Life 1877-1886, published by Roan & Weatherford Publishing Associates/Otterford Imprint
• Amy M. Hale, Drinking Wild Water, published by Texas Tech University Press
• Preston Lewis, Betting on Horses: Racing as an Economic Development Tool in Frontier West, published by Bariso Press
• Kathryn Wilder, The Last Cows: On Ranching, Wonder, and a Woman's Heart, published by Bison Books/University of Nebraska Press

Western Documentary – finalists

• The Birth and History of Western Swing (writers: Mike Markwardt, Cary Ginell, Mark A. Nobles, Robert Huston; director/producer: Mike Markwardt)
• Playing Cowboy (writers/producers/directors: Bob and Johnie Terry)
• Power of the Mounds (writer/producer: Candy Moulton; director: Bob Noll)

WESTERN CULTURE INDUSTRY

Music Producer – finalists

• Merel Bregante
• Tom Harding, H2Productions
• Johnny Angel, Angel Entertainment
• Aarom Meador

Disc Jockey – finalists

• Bobbi Jean Bell, OutWest Hour
• Allen and Jill Kirkham, Circuit Rider Roundup with Allen & Jill
• Kevin "Tuck" Tuckfield, Arkansas Cowboy Radio Ride

Awards for 2025 Work — Nov. 21 in Fort Worth

The Academy of Western Artists will present 32 awards for 2025 work on Saturday, Nov. 21 in Fort Worth, Texas at two awards shows in the newly-renovated Auction Barn Studio in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Tickets are $20-35, with three free documentary film screenings in the morning.

Academy members (Fan, Associate, and Professional) save 50% on all tickets purchased.

Get your tickets. Reserved seating.