The 2026 Texas Regional Radio & Music Awards took over Texas Live! in Arlington Monday night, bringing together artists, radio folks and industry friends from all over the state for one of the biggest nights in Texas and Red Dirt music.
It’s always a mix of reunions, big wins, and a chance to celebrate the people keeping this scene going day in and day out. From legends being honored to new artists getting their first big moment, the night covered the full spectrum of Texas music.
This year’s show also recognized a pair of true icons, with Radney Foster and Paul Overstreet both receiving Living Legend honors, while the Future Faces spotlight once again highlighted the next wave of talent coming up through the ranks.
And when it came to the awards, it was a big night for several familiar names, including Aaron Watson, Kylie Frey, and the Randy Rogers Band.
Here’s a full look at this year’s winners:
Top Artist Winners
- Entertainer of the Year: Aaron Watson
- Male Vocalist of the Year: Josh Weathers
- Female Vocalist of the Year: Kylie Frey
- Group/Band of the Year: Randy Rogers Band
- Vocal Duo of the Year: Kylie Frey & Randall King
New Artist Winners
- New Male Vocalist of the Year: Tristan Roberson
- New Female Vocalist of the Year: Sandee June
- New Vocal Duo/Event of the Year: Texas High Road
- New Group/Band of the Year: Ghosts of Hill County
Song, Album & Video
- Single of the Year: “Nothin But Texas” – Wade Bowen
- Album of the Year: Whiskey, Lies & Alibis – William Beckmann
- Songwriter Award (Brandon Jenkins Memorial): “Last Cowboy Standing” – David Adam Byrnes
- Music Video of the Year: “Is This Thing Workin’” – Randy Rogers Band & Parker McCollum
Industry Awards
- Producer of the Year: AJ Vallejo
- Recording Studio of the Year: Fort Worth Sound (Fort Worth)
- Venue/Night Club of the Year: Gruene Hall (New Braunfels)
- Festival of the Year: Larry Joe Taylor’s Texas Music Festival (Stephenville)
Radio Station of the Year
- Super Market: KFWR 95.9 The Ranch (Fort Worth)
- Large Market: KMWX 92.5 The Ranch (Abilene)
- Medium Market: KZAH 99.1 (Kerrville)
- Small Market: KTTX 106.1 (Brenham)
- Out of Region: KERP 96.3 (Dodge City, KS)
- Internet: RedDirtTexasCountry.com
- Syndicated/Specialty: Red Dirt Proud (JB Cloud)
On-Air Personality of the Year
- Super Market: Shayne Hollinger (KFWR – Fort Worth)
- Large Market: Rudy Fernandez (KMWX – Abilene)
- Medium Market: Justin McClure (KZAH – Kerrville)
- Small Market: Buzz Russell (KNES – Fairfield)
- Out of Region: Joshua Roesener (KERP – Dodge City, KS)
- Internet: Robert Miguel (Uvalde Radio)
Special Honors
- Humanitarian Award: Josh & Kady Weathers
- Future Faces Winner: Adysen Malek
- Living Legend Awards: Radney Foster and Paul Overstreet
Another strong year for Texas music, and a reminder of just how deep the talent pool runs across the scene.
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