Nashville Scene: An Early Peek At The Acm Winner's Circle

James Stroud has been named producer of the year by the Academy of Country Music. Stroud, who is co-chairman of Universal Music Group Nashville, is among the winners in the non-artist categories that will be presented prior to the live telecast of the 40th annual Academy of Country Music Awards May 17 in Las Vegas. The show will air on CBS at 8 p.m. EDT.

Ron "Snake" Reynolds is audio engineer of the year. Clear Channel Entertainment's Brian O'Connell wins the Don Romeo Talent Buyer/Promoter of the Year Award. The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, which is hosting the ACMs for the third consecutive year, holds all the aces in the casino category. The Buck Owens-owned Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, Calif., is the ACM's nightclub of the year.

Musician category winners are Glenn Worf (bass), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Brent Mason (guitar), Lonnie Wilson (percussion/drums), Steve Nathan (piano/keyboard), Randy Scruggs (specialty instrument) and Dan Dugmore (steel guitar). WIVK Knoxville, Tenn., is the ACM's radio station of the year. KNIX Phoenix morning hosts Tim & Willy win the on-air personality prize.

Winners are determined by votes cast by the ACM members.

Japanese country music artist and festival promoter Charlie Nagatani will receive the ACM's Jim Reeves Memorial Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music throughout the world. Nagatani has been performing country music since 1956 along with his band, the Western Cannon Balls. In 1989, he organized the first Country Gold concert, Japan's only country music festival. The event now draws more than 30,000 people annually.



ON THE ROW: Burbank, Calif.-based Disney Music Publishing is opening a Nashville office this month. Doug Howard, senior VP of A&R at Lyric Street Records, has been named senior VP/GM of the Nashville publishing operation. Howard will retain his A&R duties.

Howard joined Lyric Street at its launch in 1997. Prior to that, he was VP/GM of Polygram International Music Publishing Nashville. He is also the president of the Nashville chapter of the Recording Academy.

Country record promotion executive Debi Fleischer-Robin has closed her Nashville-based indie promo business, Robin Enterprises. She also spent more than 17 years at Sony, eventually heading the Columbia Records promotion department. ••••