GARTH BROOKS’S LONG-TIME CONCERT PROMOTER, BEN FARRELL, WILL BE POSTHUMOUSLY HONORED WITH THE CMA TOURING LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Veteran concert promoter Ben Farrell, who began to work with Garth in 1989 and was responsible for masterminding his record-breaking concert tours, will be posthumously honored with the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 CMA Touring Awards.

According to the Country Music Association, the Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual who has “positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout the years” and “proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on Country Music fans and the industry alike, and whose presence will have a long-term positive impact on Country Music and CMA for generations to come.”  

"Ben was one of a kind," Brooks says lovingly. "His main concern was those people in the seats. Ben Farrell is the reason why we still get to tour. His work will last way past my lifetime."

Ben Farrell was universally respected in the industry for his encyclopedic knowledge of each tour market, his keen attention to detail, his strategic orchestration of each ticket on-sale, and most of all, his integrity.  He left no stone unturned when promoting a concert, developing close relationships with everyone at every local radio station, TV station, and newspaper.  He had amazing recall of venue capacities, distances between venues, and ticket sales numbers from every show he had ever worked.  

In 2016, Farrell was inducted to The International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) Hall of Fame with Garth and Garth’s manager, Bob Doyle.  Joe Harris, Garth’s early booking agent, was also recognized posthumously.  

Farrell began his 52-year career in the music industry in 1970, working with legendary artists including Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Elton John, and Neil Diamond.  In country music, he promoted tours for the Statler Brothers, Barbara Mandrell, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Ricky Skaggs, Ronnie Milsap, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, and Chris Young.  In addition to Garth, he launched the meteoric success of artists including George Strait, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, and Toby Keith.

Brooks said, "Ben was a gifted storyteller who left people laughing and was known for starting conversations with, ‘Strictly confidentially . . .’” (Brooks laughs)

The 19th celebration of the CMA Touring Awards, which recognize vital behind-the-scenes members of the country music touring industry, will be hosted by Keith Urban.