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Dolly Parton, 1946–2026 — In Loving Memory READ MORE
Dolly Parton, 1946–2026
Who Gave the World Her Music and Her Heart
HONKY TONK MUSIC ASSOCIATION | XCelsius MEDIA NEWS
Yesterday, we could not write this.
We tried.
There are times when words come easily, and there are times when the heart simply will not allow them to come. August 25, 2026, was one of those days for us at Honky Tonk Music Association.
Even writing those words does not feel real.
Today the sadness reaches far beyond Nashville, far beyond Tennessee and far beyond country music. People throughout the world are mourning a woman whose music somehow became part of their own lives.
We are mourning with them.
Our hearts are truly broken.
Only a few weeks ago, Honky Tonk Music Association placed an honor for Dolly on our website. We hoped, in some small way, that it might reach her and bring her a little happiness.
We do not know if she ever saw it.
We wish we knew.
But we know why we gave it.
Dolly Parton was named a 2026 Queen of Honky Tonk Music and the 2026 International Royal Empress of Country Music by Honky Tonk Music Association.
Those honors were not created because someone was gone.
They were given while Dolly was here.
They were our way of saying, while there was still time to say it, that we recognized what she had done, what she represented and what her life had meant to music.
And now, with a sorrow we never wanted to feel, Dolly Parton becomes one of the Honky Tonk Music Association 2026 Guardian Angels.
A Tennessee Story That Became the World’s Story
Dolly Rebecca Parton was born January 19, 1946, in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, the fourth of twelve children. Her beginning was humble, but music surrounded her from childhood. She sang in church, appeared on Knoxville radio and television while still a child, and performed at the Grand Ole Opry when she was only thirteen years old.
After graduating from high school in 1964, she went to Nashville carrying songs, determination and a dream much larger than the circumstances into which she had been born.
What followed became part of American music history.
Her partnership with Porter Wagoner brought Dolly into homes across America beginning in 1967. Eventually, however, she had to take one of the hardest steps any artist can take: leaving something successful in order to become fully herself.
Out of that goodbye came “I Will Always Love You.”
Then there was “Jolene.”
There was “Coat of Many Colors.”
There was “Joshua.”
There was “9 to 5.”
There was “Islands in the Stream.”
There were thousands of songs, recordings, performances and moments that crossed the boundaries people so often try to place around music.
Dolly was country.
But Dolly was never only country.
She reached pop audiences. She recorded bluegrass. She made gospel music. She made films. She performed comedy. She became a songwriter whose compositions could live in another artist’s voice and somehow remain unmistakably connected to the woman who first put the words on paper.
Her songs came from somewhere real.
Poverty was real to her. Family was real to her. Faith was real to her. Heartbreak was real to her. Leaving home was real to her. Wanting something more while still loving where you came from was real to her.
That is why generations could hear themselves somewhere inside a Dolly Parton song.
More Than the Woman on the Stage
History will record the awards, the records, the movies, the television appearances and the extraordinary career.
It should.
She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. Her career crossed more than six decades, and she became a singer, songwriter, actor, author, businesswoman and philanthropist whose name was known throughout the world.
But the history of Dolly Parton cannot be written only from a list of achievements.
Her importance was also found in what she did when the spotlight was pointed somewhere else.
In 1995, inspired in part by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly began the Imagination Library in Sevier County, Tennessee. What started as an effort to put books into the hands of children from her own home county grew far beyond Tennessee and eventually beyond the United States, distributing hundreds of millions of books to children.
She helped families after the devastating 2016 Smoky Mountain wildfires. She supported education, health care and her home communities. She contributed to medical research. Through Dollywood and the enterprises surrounding it, she helped create employment and economic opportunity in the same East Tennessee region from which she came.
She became wealthy and internationally famous without appearing to forget the people who were still standing where she once stood.
That matters.
The Joy She Gave Us
Earlier this year, when Honky Tonk Music Association wrote about Dolly, we spoke about something beyond records and statistics.
We spoke about joy.
Because Dolly had a remarkable ability to make people smile.
She could be funny without being cruel.
She could laugh at herself without diminishing herself.
She could walk into a room covered in rhinestones and glamour and somehow make the person watching from home feel as though she might sit down at the kitchen table and talk with them.
Behind all of it was an exceptionally gifted songwriter and a remarkably intelligent businesswoman.
The world sometimes looked first at the hair, the clothes, the smile and the personality.
Dolly knew that.
Then she went about quietly proving, decade after decade, just how much substance stood behind all of it.
Joyful Noise
Honky Tonk Music Association had also chosen to recognize Dolly’s work in the 2012 film Joyful Noise.
She portrayed G.G. Sparrow opposite Queen Latifah and contributed original music to the film.
That film now carries a different feeling for us.
There was laughter in it. There was gospel music. There was faith. There was disagreement, reconciliation and the belief that people facing difficult circumstances could still make a joyful noise together.
Looking back today, there is something particularly meaningful about seeing Dolly there.
Music and faith were not costumes she put on for a role. They were threads that had run through her life since she was a little girl singing in the Tennessee mountains.
We Do Not Know If She Saw Her Honor
This is perhaps the hardest part for us.
A few weeks ago, we posted Dolly’s Honky Tonk Music Association recognition because we wanted to honor her now.
We hoped it might cheer her.
We hoped that perhaps someone would show it to her and she would know that another organization, another group of people who loved music, had stopped to say:
We see you. We appreciate you.
What you have done matters.
We do not know whether Dolly ever saw it.
That hurts.
But the honor remains.
And perhaps that is one lesson we should carry forward from this terrible day: when somebody has brought goodness into this world, tell them while they are here.
Give them their flowers while they can still hold them.
Say thank you while they can still hear you.
What Dolly Parton Leaves Behind
Dolly Parton leaves more than recordings.
She leaves songs that will still be sung by people who have not yet been born.
She leaves children who learned to love books because one woman from the mountains remembered that her own father could not read.
She leaves businesses that employ people.
She leaves a changed Tennessee.
She leaves a changed country music industry.
She leaves writers who learned from her that owning your songs matters.
She leaves women who saw that femininity and strength never had to be opposites.
She leaves performers who learned that you could honor where you came from without allowing anybody to decide how far you were permitted to go.
And she leaves millions of ordinary people with memories attached to her music.
Someone heard “Coat of Many Colors” and thought about their mother. Someone heard “9 to 5” on the way to work. Someone fell in love while “Islands in the Stream” played. Someone survived a goodbye with “I Will Always Love You.” Someone heard “Jolene” and discovered country music for the first time.
Someone opened a mailbox as a little child and found a book there because Dolly Parton cared whether children learned to read.
Those are not statistics.
Those are pieces of people’s lives.
And that is why the grief is so enormous.
Our Newest Guardian Angel
On August 25, 2026, Honky Tonk Music Association lost one of the women we had been so proud to honor during our inaugural year.
And on August 25, 2026, Dolly Parton became one of our newest 2026 Guardian Angels.
We never wanted to give her that title this year.
We wanted her here.
We wanted more songs.
More laughter.
More Dolly.
But death does not erase a life.
It cannot erase what has already been given.
Dolly Parton may no longer be physically present in this dimension with us, but she remains in thousands of recordings, photographs and performances. She remains in books arriving at children’s homes. She remains in the mountains of East Tennessee. She remains in Nashville. She remains in songwriters who learned from her, singers who were influenced by her, people she helped whom she never met, and listeners around the world who loved her.
And she will remain in our hearts.
There will never need to be another Dolly Parton.
There was one.
Tennessee gave her to the world.
And the world was better because she was here.
From everyone at Honky Tonk Music Association, Affinity Publishing Group, Inc. and Xcelsius Media, we extend our deepest prayers and condolences to Dolly’s family, friends, colleagues, the people who worked beside her, the communities of East Tennessee that loved her as their own, and the millions of people around the world who are grieving today.
We mourn with you.
Thank you for the songs.
Thank you for the laughter.
Thank you for remembering where you came from.
Thank you for the children you helped.
Thank you for the doors you opened.
Thank you for the joy.
We wish you could have known how much this particular honor meant to us.
Maybe you did.
We hope so.
With broken hearts and everlasting gratitude,
Bryangela Dusti Roads
Founder
HONKY TONK MUSIC ASSOCIATION
Prayers to all who mourn with us.
🇺🇸🤝🇬🇧 AMERICA AT 250: HONKY TONK MUSIC ASSOCIATION HOLDS HANDS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC THROUGH MUSIC
Xcelsius Media News
The Official News Source of Affinity Publishing Group, Inc. and Honky Tonk Music Association
📰 CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY
As the United States celebrates its historic 250th anniversary in 2026, Honky Tonk Music Association is proud to celebrate something equally meaningful: the power of music to unite people, cultures, and generations.
Two hundred and fifty years ago, America and Great Britain embarked on separate journeys as nations. Yet throughout those centuries, music has continued to bridge oceans, connect families, inspire artists, and create memories that transcend borders.
For Affinity Publishing Group, Inc., Murfreesboro’s 1st Music Publisher, this connection is deeply personal.
Long before Honky Tonk Music Association was established, before international award ceremonies were envisioned, and before plans for Music Row Murfreesboro and RACH (Royal Affinity Concert Hall) began taking shape, visits to Scotland and London helped inspire a vision that would eventually lead to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The music, the culture, the people, the broadcasters, and the unforgettable performances all left a lasting impression.
Those experiences helped shape a philosophy that remains at the heart of Honky Tonk Music Association today.
Music was never meant to be only about money. Music was meant to tell stories. Music was meant to bring families together. Music was meant to create memories. And most of all, music was meant to be fun.
That is why Honky Tonk Music Association proudly embraces its mission of turning back the clock on music—back to a time when musicianship mattered, when artists performed because they loved what they did, and when audiences gathered together to enjoy an experience rather than simply consume entertainment.
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Honky Tonk Music Association is proud to hold hands across the Atlantic with the artists, broadcasters, performers, and institutions that continue to preserve that spirit.
2026 International Honors
🏆 BBC Scotland — 2026 International Excellence in Music Broadcasting Award
🏆 BBC Radio Scotland — 2026 International Broadcasting Heritage Award
🏆 BBC Two — 2026 Global Music Television Network Award
For decades, these organizations have preserved culture, introduced audiences to legendary artists, and reminded us of a time when radio and television brought families together through music.
Few programs embody that spirit better than Later… with Jools Holland.
For audiences in America and around the world, the program represents something increasingly rare: authentic musical performance. It reminds us of the days when families sat down together to watch great musicians perform live, when artists played real instruments, and when songs told stories that lasted a lifetime.
🏆 Later… with Jools Holland — 2026 International Music Legacy Television Award
🏆 Jools Holland — 2026 Affinity International Lifetime Achievement Award
👑🏆 Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra — 2026 Royal International Orchestra of Excellence Award
The Royal Award designation represents one of the highest levels of recognition bestowed by Honky Tonk Music Association and is reserved for extraordinary achievements in music and performance.
🏆 Grant Stott — 2026 Excellence in Broadcasting Award for BBC Radio Scotland
🏆 Sir Rod Stewart — 2026 International Legacy & Inspiration Award
👑🏆 “People Get Ready” — Sir Rod Stewart & Jeff Beck — 2026 Royal Country/Rock Video of the Year Award
Like the Royal International Orchestra of Excellence Award, the Royal Country/Rock Video of the Year Award represents one of the highest honors bestowed by Honky Tonk Music Association and is reserved for truly exceptional artistic achievements that transcend genres, generations, and international borders.
🏆 THE VINTAGE EXPLOSION — 2026 Band of the Year Award
🏆 THE VINTAGE EXPLOSION — 2026 Affinity Radio Lifetime Achievement Award
🏆 William Hitchell — 2026 Entertainer of the Year Award
🏆 The Great Jimmy Steele — 2026 Musician of the Year Award
🏆 Lulu — 2026 International Lifetime Achievement Award
🏆 Philomena Begley — 2026 Queen of Honky Tonk Music Award
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Honky Tonk Music Association is not simply presenting awards. It is celebrating memories. It is celebrating musicianship. It is celebrating friendship. It is celebrating the artists and institutions that continue to remind us why we fell in love with music in the first place.
Programs like Later… with Jools Holland, the broadcasts of BBC Scotland and BBC Radio Scotland, the timeless music of Sir Rod Stewart, the unforgettable performances of THE VINTAGE EXPLOSION, the legacy of The Great Jimmy Steele, the traditions preserved by Philomena Begley, the entertainment of William Hitchell, and the enduring artistry of Lulu all share one thing in common:
They take us back to yesterday.
They remind us of a time when music was about stories, families, friendship, musicianship, and fun.
From Scotland came inspiration. From England came innovation. From Ireland came tradition. From Murfreesboro came a vision. And through music, those stories have come together.
Two hundred and fifty years after America and Great Britain began separate journeys, Honky Tonk Music Association proudly celebrates the artists, broadcasters, performers, and institutions who continue to prove that great music knows no borders.
Because sometimes the greatest gift music can give us is the opportunity to turn back the clock, take a walk back to yesterday, and remember when music was simply about having fun.
HTMA Horizon Award Winner Travis Yee Lands National Panda Express Commercial
From HTMA Nominee and Horizon Award Recipient to National Advertising Campaign
The Honky Tonk Music Association proudly congratulates Horizon Award Winner and Best New Artist Nominee Travis Yee on his latest career milestone as the featured performer in Panda Express’ new national “Country Love Song” commercial campaign. Long before national brands began taking notice, HTMA recognized Travis as one of country music’s most promising emerging artists. Now, his remarkable journey continues as he helps bring together country music, culture, family values, and storytelling in a campaign reaching audiences nationwide.
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The Honky Tonk Music Association proudly congratulates Travis Yee on his latest career milestone as the featured performer in Panda Express’ new “Country Love Song” commercial campaign promoting Cantonese BBQ Brisket.
Known to fans as the “Asian Country Singer,” Travis Yee has built a reputation for breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and proving that great country music belongs to everyone. His journey has now reached another exciting chapter as Panda Express selected him to help bring this campaign to life through music, culture, family values, and storytelling.
The commercial blends country music with cultural heritage in a heartfelt message centered around how food often becomes one of the ways families express love. Travis performs an original country song written specifically for the campaign while celebrating his Cantonese roots and his unique place within today’s country music community.
For the Honky Tonk Music Association, this success comes as no surprise.
Long before national brands began taking notice, Travis Yee was one of the earliest artists recognized by the Honky Tonk Music Association during the 2025–2026 Inaugural Awards Season. His continued growth reflects exactly why the HTMA Horizon Award program was created — to identify and recognize tomorrow’s stars before the rest of the industry catches up.
Travis Yee’s Honky Tonk Music Association Recognition
2026 HTMA Horizon Award Winner
2026 HTMA Best New Artist Nominee
As one of HTMA’s Horizon Award recipients, Travis Yee joins a distinguished group of emerging artists recognized for helping shape the future of country music while honoring the traditions that built the genre.
What makes Travis Yee’s story so compelling is that he continues to create opportunities where none previously existed. From growing public recognition and major media exposure to a national Panda Express advertising campaign, Travis has become a powerful example that talent, authenticity, and perseverance can open doors across multiple industries.
His song “Prove Em Wrong” reflects that same determination and serves as a fitting soundtrack to a career that continues to exceed expectations.
The Honky Tonk Music Association is proud to support Travis Yee and will be featuring the Panda Express commercial across our platforms, including Honky Tonk Music Association, Honky Tonk Network, The Dusti Roads Show, and Xcelsius Media News.
We encourage our viewers, members, artists, and supporters around the world to watch the commercial, share it, celebrate Travis Yee, and support the companies that support talented artists.
As the Honky Tonk Music Association’s 2026 Inaugural Awards Ceremony approaches this October in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, stories like Travis Yee’s remind us why recognizing emerging talent remains one of the most important missions of the Association.
Congratulations, Travis Yee, on this outstanding achievement. We look forward to celebrating your continued success and future accomplishments.
For more information about the Honky Tonk Music Association, the 2026 Inaugural Awards Ceremony, artist nominations, winners, and upcoming announcements, visit HonkyTonkMusicAssociation.com.
Honky Tonk Music Association
A Division of Affinity Publishing Group, Inc.
Murfreesboro’s 1st Music Publisher
🎶🏆 MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT! 🏆🎶
Honky Tonk Music Association Inaugural Awards Ceremony Coming This October to Murfreesboro, Tennessee
The excitement is building as the Honky Tonk Music Association prepares for its historic Inaugural Awards Ceremony coming this October to Murfreesboro, Tennessee!
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Artists, entertainers, songwriters, musicians, broadcasters, and industry professionals from across the United States and around the world will be recognized as part of the Honky Tonk Music Association’s 2025-2026 Inaugural Awards Season.
From legendary performers to rising stars, this celebration honors excellence across multiple genres of music and entertainment while shining a spotlight on Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and its growing role in the entertainment industry.
The Honky Tonk Music Association is proud to recognize artists and entertainment professionals from the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scotland, Glasgow, London, and beyond as part of a truly international awards program.
The road to October has already begun!
Visitors to HonkyTonkMusicAssociation.com can:
🌟 See award winners already announced
🌟 Preview nominees, winners, and featured artists
🌟 Watch artist performances and videos
🌟 Explore the latest HTMA news and announcements
🌟 Follow the journey toward the Inaugural Awards Ceremony in October
Whether you are a fan of country, honky tonk, rock, pop, gospel, bluegrass, Americana, roots music, soul, R&B, or traditional entertainment, there is something waiting for you at HonkyTonkMusicAssociation.com.
Visit Today
The Ceremony Is Coming This October
The excitement has already begun.
🎤 Honky Tonk Music Association
🏆 2025-2026 Inaugural Awards Ceremony
📍 Murfreesboro, Tennessee
🌎 Celebrating Excellence Across Multiple Genres of Music and Entertainment Worldwide
#HonkyTonkMusicAssociation #HTMA #TheDustiRoadsShow #HonkyTonkNetwork #MurfreesboroTN #Tennessee #UnitedKingdom #Ireland #Scotland #Glasgow #London #CountryMusic #RockMusic #PopMusic #GospelMusic #BluegrassMusic #AmericanaMusic #RootsMusic #SoulMusic #RNB #MusicAwards #EntertainmentNews #MusicIndustry
THE ROCK IS HERE: MURFREESBORO STEPS INTO THE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT
Momentum continues building around the future vision of Music Row Murfreesboro as Affinity Publishing Group, Inc., Honky Tonk Music Association (HTMA), and members of the Murfreesboro Planning Department continued discussions surrounding the future Affinity Publishing Group corporate campus, Royal Affinity Concert Hall (RACH), and the inaugural Honky Tonk Music Association awards ceremony planned for later this year.
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The meeting represented another major step forward in the long-term vision surrounding Music Row Murfreesboro and the continued expansion of Affinity Publishing Group, which was established in 1999 and incorporated in Tennessee in 2000.
As Murfreesboro’s first music publisher, Affinity Publishing Group is now entering its twenty-sixth year of operation after surviving some of the most difficult periods in modern entertainment and media history, including recessions, industry instability, and the devastating hardships experienced during the COVID era.
What makes the story even more remarkable is that Affinity Publishing Group continued building forward for more than twenty-five years without major outside funding, institutional investment, or large-scale corporate backing — continuing to expand through publishing, broadcasting, artist development, digital media, entertainment promotion, media operations, long-term infrastructure planning, and corporate expansion initiatives connected to Murfreesboro and Middle Tennessee.
Now, that vision is moving into a much larger phase.
One of the major focuses of the meeting involved the inaugural Honky Tonk Music Association awards ceremony, which has already officially launched digitally online internationally through HonkyTonkMusicAssociation.com and is now actively moving toward live event operations and venue planning within Murfreesboro.
Discussions included possible locations for future operations, the continued development of Music Row Murfreesboro, long-term headquarters planning, economic initiatives, hospitality growth, tourism activity, and future development connected to Royal Affinity Concert Hall (RACH) — a planned large-scale entertainment and event venue envisioned as a future destination for concerts, awards ceremonies, corporate functions, special events, weddings, receptions, tourism activity, and major entertainment programming.
Known internally as “The ROCK,” Royal Affinity Concert Hall (RACH) represents one of the centerpiece visions surrounding the future growth of Music Row Murfreesboro and the broader Affinity Publishing Group network. Although the future physical venue itself remains in development planning stages, “The ROCK” has already officially launched digitally online through HonkyTonkMusicAssociation.com as the inaugural Honky Tonk Music Association awards ceremony continues building international participation, artist recognition, online visibility, and momentum toward future live event operations within Murfreesboro.
Another major focus of the discussions centered around Murfreesboro itself.
Part of the long-term vision behind Music Row Murfreesboro is helping position Murfreesboro as more than simply an overflow market connected to Nashville, but as a city capable of developing its own entertainment, publishing, tourism, hospitality, and media identity on an international level.
The meeting also focused heavily on long-term economic initiatives connected to the project, including diversified non-retail employment opportunities, hospitality and tourism growth, publishing infrastructure, entertainment development, media operations, and long-term corporate expansion connected to the future Affinity Publishing Group corporate campus.
Another major topic discussed during the meeting involved workforce development and homelessness outreach.
Angela R. Anderson, President & CEO of Affinity Publishing Group and Honky Tonk Music Association (HTMA), discussed the company’s long-term commitment toward helping individuals facing homelessness and economic hardship return to workforce stability through employment opportunities, job training, and long-term career development connected to future Affinity Publishing Group operations.
For more than three decades, Anderson has worked alongside the homeless community while also spending more than seventeen years helping care for the elderly throughout Middle Tennessee. Those experiences helped shape part of the long-term vision behind Affinity Publishing Group’s workforce and community initiatives.
Discussions also included the realities of rapidly increasing housing costs throughout Middle Tennessee and the importance of helping create long-term economic opportunity outside of Davidson County as more families and individuals struggle with financial instability connected to rising living costs.
Part of the long-term initiative surrounding Music Row Murfreesboro includes creating opportunities connected to publishing, entertainment, hospitality, tourism, broadcasting, media, distribution, and live event operations while helping strengthen Murfreesboro’s long-term economic future.
Part of the long-term development vision also includes Affinity Publishing Group Distribution Operations and future publishing distribution infrastructure connected to religious publishing, inspirational media, and book distribution initiatives including “Apocalypse of God” and other future publishing projects connected to the Affinity Publishing Group network.
Honky Tonk Music Association (HTMA) operates as part of the broader Affinity Publishing Group network, an international multimedia corporation supporting the music and entertainment industries across multiple genres including country, rock, pop, gospel, bluegrass, Americana, soul, R&B, hip-hop, traditional music, independent entertainment, broadcasting, publishing, media, and live event operations worldwide.
The meeting also included discussions regarding temporary operational locations and venue possibilities connected to upcoming Honky Tonk Music Association activities as the organization prepares for its inaugural live awards ceremony and future headquarters development.
In the photo shown at the Murfreesboro Planning Department are Matthew Blomeley, Assistant Director of Planning; Brad Barbee, Planning Principal; Ben Newman, Director of Land Management & Planning; and Angela R. Anderson, President & CEO of Affinity Publishing Group and Honky Tonk Music Association (HTMA), during discussions surrounding the future vision of Music Row Murfreesboro, Royal Affinity Concert Hall (RACH), and the Affinity Publishing Group corporate campus.
Affinity Publishing Group stated that the meeting represented an exciting continuation of discussions surrounding the future growth of Music Row Murfreesboro and the company’s long-term vision of helping position Murfreesboro within the international entertainment, publishing, hospitality, tourism, and media industries.
For additional information regarding Music Row Murfreesboro, Honky Tonk Music Association, Royal Affinity Concert Hall (RACH), and Affinity Publishing Group developments, visit:
HonkyTonkMusicAssociation.com
XcelsiusMediaNews.com
#MusicRowMurfreesboro #RoyalAffinityConcertHall #RACH #TheROCK #HonkyTonkMusicAssociation #HTMA #AffinityPublishingGroup #Murfreesboro #RutherfordCounty #MiddleTennessee #CountryMusic #RockMusic #PopMusic #GospelMusic #EntertainmentNews #Tourism #Hospitality #MusicIndustry #AwardsShow #LiveMusic #ConcertHall #Publishing #Broadcasting #ApocalypseOfGod #XcelsiusMediaNews
HONKY TONK MUSIC ASSOCIATION INAGURAL AWARDS CEREMONY NOW PREMIERING WORLDWIDE ONLINE!
Affinity Publishing News Today
Official News for Affinity Publishing Group, Inc., Murfreesboro’s 1st Music Publisher, and the Honky Tonk Music Association
This newsroom is the corporate source for up-to-date news about Affinity Publishing Group, Inc., Honky Tonk Music Association, the 2025–2026 Inaugural Awards Season, THE RACH, Xcelsius Media, and related entertainment announcements.
Top Story: HTMA Inaugural Awards Season Now Premiering Worldwide from THE RACH
Honky Tonk Music Association Awards Are Now Live Online
The 2025–2026 Honky Tonk Music Association Inaugural Awards Season is now premiering worldwide online from THE RACH — Royal Affinity Concert Hall (RACH), internally known as THE ROCK.
Audiences from the United States, Ireland, Scotland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Brazil, and additional international regions are already watching as the award ceremony unfolds through ongoing online presentations, official award announcements, artist recognitions, nominee spotlights, and multi-genre entertainment features.
Founded in 1999 and incorporated in 2000, Affinity Publishing Group, Inc. is Murfreesboro’s 1st Music Publisher. The organization has officially launched the 2025–2026 Inaugural Awards Season of the Honky Tonk Music Association in a way designed for the modern entertainment world: continuous, online, international, and artist-centered.
Unlike traditional award shows limited to one broadcast, this inaugural season is unfolding through ongoing online award presentations, official announcements, registry honors, international artist features, and special entertainment stories.
The launch represents a multi-genre international entertainment movement where legendary performers, unknown dreamers, independent artists, international entertainers, songwriters, musicians, and rising voices are able to stand together under one growing worldwide platform.
Until Royal Affinity Concert Hall (RACH) is physically completed, THE ROCK serves as the digital worldwide entertainment home of the Honky Tonk Music Association inaugural season while planning discussions continue regarding Affinity Publishing Group’s planned corporate headquarters, entertainment initiatives, and future venue development connected to Murfreesboro’s growing role in entertainment and media.
Philomena Begley of Ireland Honored as 2026 Queen of Honky Tonk Music
Legendary Irish entertainment icon Philomena Begley of Ireland is being honored as one of the living Queens of Honky Tonk Music for 2026, standing alongside Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Lorrie Morgan, Deana Carter, and Tanya Tucker.
Honky Tonk Music Association Shines a Global Spotlight on Philomena Begley
For more than 64 years, Philomena Begley has carried the emotion, endurance, love, truth, and storytelling spirit of traditional entertainment across generations, oceans, and borders.
Her journey began in 1962, launching a remarkable career that would span more than six decades in country music history.
The Honky Tonk Music Association proudly places Philomena Begley alongside legendary living honorees Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Deana Carter, Lorrie Morgan, and Tanya Tucker as part of the 2026 Queens of Honky Tonk Music recognition.
The Silver Dollar Award
The Honky Tonk Music Association proudly announces the creation of the Silver Dollar Award, a worldwide competition connected to the search for the 2026 New Queen of Honky Tonk Music.
The Silver Dollar Award is open worldwide. Anyone in the world can compete — famous or unknown, major label or independent, international or local.
This special honor is inspired by Philomena Begley and Cowboy Copas, two artists whose music represents emotional honesty, humility, storytelling, and timeless spirit.
The competition is searching for emotionally authentic entertainers who embody heart, storytelling, strength, stage presence, grace, authenticity, perseverance, and the enduring spirit of real entertainment culture.
Jordan McCullough Named 2026 King of Gospel Music and 2026 Gospel Horizon Award Winner
The Honky Tonk Music Association officially announces Murfreesboro native Jordan McCullough as the recipient of the 2026 King of Gospel Music Award and a 2026 Gospel Horizon Award Winner during the historic inaugural awards season.
The Horizon Award is a special artist-support recognition created by the Honky Tonk Music Association to help encourage, recognize, and support rising artists believed to represent the future of music and entertainment.
According to the organization, Jordan McCullough symbolizes the beginning of a new era for Murfreesboro, Tennessee — one where the city no longer exists merely in the shadow of Nashville, but stands as a powerful entertainment force and international music destination in its own right.
It will be the honor of the Honky Tonk Music Association to present Jordan McCullough with the 2026 King of Gospel Music Award.
Breaking News & Featured Awards
William Hitchell Wins 2026 King of Soul Music and King of Honky Tonk Music Honors
William Hitchell has won the 2026 King of Soul Music Award for his performance of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and the 2026 King of Honky Tonk Music Award for his performances of Willie Nelson’s “Crazy” and Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky.”
THE VINTAGE EXPLOSION of Scotland Named 2025–2026 Band of the Year
THE VINTAGE EXPLOSION of Glasgow, Scotland continues to stand as one of the defining international stories of the HTMA inaugural season.
THE VINTAGE EXPLOSION is from Glasgow, Scotland. Band members include lead vocals Will Hitchell, guitar Connor Smith, double bass Richard Anderson, drums Ian Hendry, piano Dan Brown, tenor sax The Great Jimmy Steele, and baritone sax Konrad Wiszniewski.
The group is recognized by HTMA as 2025–2026 Band of the Year and Affinity Radio Lifetime Award winner. Will Hitchell is recognized as 2026 Entertainer of the Year, 2026 King of Soul Music, 2026 King of Honky Tonk Music, and Best New Pop Song winner for “Thinkin’ of You.”
The Great Jimmy Steele Wins 2026 Musician of the Year
The Great Jimmy Steele from Scotland has won the Honky Tonk Music Association 2026 Musician of the Year Award.
“Thinkin’ of You” Written by Will Hitchell Wins 2026 Best New Pop Song
“Thinkin’ of You,” written by Will Hitchell, has won the 2026 Best New Pop Song Award by Honky Tonk Music Association.
Artist Spotlights & Nominee News
Kevin Costner & Modern West Nominated
Kevin Costner & Modern West are nominated for the 2026 Best Rock Song Award for “Stand Strong.”
Kevin Costner & Lily Costner Nominated
Kevin Costner & Lily Costner are nominated for the 2026 Best Father/Daughter Duet Award for “Let Me Be The One.”
Tayla Lynn Wins 1st Daughter Award and Sunshine Award
Tayla Lynn has won the Honky Tonk Music Association 1st Daughter Award and Sunshine Award.
Tyler Reese Tritt — 2026 Pop Horizon Award Winner
Tyler Reese Tritt has been named a 2026 Pop Horizon Award Winner.
Emmy Russell — 2026 Pop Horizon Award Winner
Emmy Russell has been named a 2026 Pop Horizon Award Winner.
Colton Bowlin Nominated
Colton Bowlin is nominated for 2026 Best New Honky Tonk Artist, and “On My Way” is nominated for 2026 Best New Honky Tonk Song.
Roy Caudill Nominated
Roy Caudill is nominated for 2026 Best New Honky Tonk Artist, and “Memory” is nominated for 2026 Best New Honky Tonk Song.
Georgette Jones — Horizon Award Winner
Georgette Jones is a 2025–2026 Honky Tonk Horizon Award Winner.
Grayson Marlow Nominated
Grayson Marlow is nominated for 2025–2026 Best New Honky Tonk Artist and 2026 Best New Artist.
Ebbing Family Band Nominated
Ebbing Family Band is nominated for 2026 Best Bluegrass Band.
Kameron Marlowe Nominated
Kameron Marlowe is nominated for 2025–2026 Best New Honky Tonk Artist and 2026 Best New Artist.
High Carbon Steel Band Nominated
High Carbon Steel Band is nominated for 2026 Best Bluegrass Band.
Bryan Touney Nominated
Bryan Touney is nominated for 2025–2026 Best New Honky Tonk Artist, 2026 Best New Artist, and 2026 Best New Pop Artist.
Take It To The Limit Band Winner
Take It To The Limit Band has been recognized as the 2026 Tribute Band of the Year Winner.
Travis & Cris Mobley Nominated
Travis & Cris Mobley are nominated for 2025–2026 Best New Honky Tonk Duet and 2025–2026 Best New Song for “Missing You Tonight.”
Ernie Lynn & Tayla Lynn Nominated
Ernie Lynn & Tayla Lynn are nominated for 2025–2026 Best New Honky Tonk Duet.
Travis Yee Nominated
Travis Yee is nominated for 2026 Best New Honky Tonk Artist.
Corporate Headquarters, THE RACH & Murfreesboro Development News
Affinity Publishing Group, Inc. Plans for New Corporate Headquarters
Affinity Publishing Group, Inc., Murfreesboro’s 1st Music Publisher, is working with the City of Murfreesboro’s Planning Department regarding a planned corporate headquarters and the future Royal Affinity Concert Hall (RACH), internally known as THE ROCK.
The planned development initiative is connected to Affinity’s corporate direction, Music Row Murfreesboro, and the company’s expanding entertainment, publishing, artist development, media, and event initiatives.
April 21, 2026 — Affinity Publishing Group, Inc., Murfreesboro’s 1st Music Publisher, is working closely with the City of Murfreesboro’s Planning Department to find a suitable location for its planned corporate headquarters.
Royal Affinity Concert Hall (RACH), internally known as THE ROCK, is planned as an entertainment and event venue initiative designed to support concerts, television productions, live entertainment events, special events, corporate functions, and expanded tourism opportunities for Middle Tennessee.
Official Awards Registry Archive
Official 2025–2026 HTMA Winners & Nominees Archive
The complete foundational registry is preserved below in a cleaner archive format so visitors can review the history without making the entire homepage feel too long.
Guardian Angels
- Patsy Cline
- Hawkshaw Hawkins
- Cowboy Copas
- Randy Hughes
- Loretta Lynn
- George Jones
- Tammy Wynette
- Waylon Jennings
- Kenny Rogers
- Earl Scruggs
- Bill Monroe
- Johnny Cash
- Keith Whitley
- Ernest Tubb
- Lester Flatt
- Hank Williams
- Conway Twitty
- Merle Haggard
- Freddy Fender
- Elvis Presley
- Marty Robbins
- Jeannie C. Riley
- Kitty Wells
- Minnie Pearl
- June Carter Cash
Honky Tonk Horizon Award Winners
- Kameron Marlowe
- Hunter Cook Band
- Daniel Wheeler
- Travis & Cris Mobley
- Frank Ray
- Hannah Marie Kelley
- Lisa Freeman
- Georgette Jones
- Travis Yee
- Ron Haynes
- Makayla Renee
- Grayson Marlow
- Tre Twitty
- Roy Caudill
- Colton Bowlin
- Tayla Lynn
- Jordan McCullough
Five Kings of Honky Tonk
George Strait, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Clint Black
Five Queens of Honky Tonk
Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Tanya Tucker, Lorrie Morgan, Deana Carter
Major Winners
- Best Honky Tonk Female Artist: Hannah Marie Kelley
- Band of the Year: THE VINTAGE EXPLOSION
- Entertainer of the Year: William Hitchell
- Musician of the Year: The Great Jimmy Steele
- Affinity Radio Lifetime Award: THE VINTAGE EXPLOSION
- 2026 King of Soul Music: William Hitchell
- 2026 King of Gospel Music: Jordan McCullough
- Best New Pop Song: “Thinkin’ of You,” written by William Hitchell
- Best Gospel Quartet: Work In Progress Quartet
- MC of the Year: Michael Henderson
- Best New Tribute Band: Take It To The Limit
Honky Tonk Music Pioneer Award Winners
- Tracy Lawrence
- Pam Tillis
- Reba McEntire
- Lorrie Morgan
- Mark Wills
- Trace Adkins
- Travis Tritt
- Billy Dean
- Tracy Byrd
- Garth Brooks
- Deana Carter
- Ricky Van Shelton
- Mark Chesnutt
- Doug Stone
- LeAnn Rimes
- John Berry
- Jason Sanders
Other Award Recognitions
- Heart of Honky Tonk: Travis Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, Brad & Kimberly Williams Paisley
- Golden Cowboy: Willie Nelson, Billy Dean, Clint Black
- Sunshine: Randy Travis, Barbara Mandrell, Faith Hill, Tayla Lynn
- Best Affinity Demo Singer: Josh Leonard
- Kenny Rogers Award: Ron Haynes
- Miss Minnie Award: Lisa Freeman
- Grandfather of Honky Tonk Lifetime Award: Alan Jackson
- Best Male Honky Tonk Artist: Zach Top
- Ballad King of Honky Tonk: Vince Gill
- Ballad Queen of Honky Tonk: Trisha Yearwood
- First Lady of Honky Tonk Music Lifetime Award: Tanya Tucker
- First Son Award: Tre Twitty
- First Daughter Award: Tayla Lynn
Pop / Rock / Hip-Hop / R&B Horizon Award Winners
- Tyler Reese Tritt — Pop
- Emmy Russell — Pop
- Donna Marie Underwood — Pop
- Lily Costner — Pop/Rock
- Maurice R. Ross — R&B/Hip-Hop
- Diana Bugg — R&B/Pop/Hip-Hop
- Devlin Wayne — Gospel Hip-Hop
All awards will be presented in 2026 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Location, date, and time will be announced by Honky Tonk Music Association and Xcelsius Media.
About Xcelsius Media & HTMA
Who Is Xcelsius Media?
Xcelsius Media is the only official news website for Affinity Publishing Group, Inc. and Honky Tonk Music Association.
Affinity Publishing Group, Inc. is a multimedia entertainment corporation located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The corporation was established in 1999 and incorporated in 2000 by Angela R. Anderson, President & CEO, with C. Blake Parks as Secretary.
Angela R. Anderson is also a Pega Certified Business Architect, author, BMI songwriter, musician, country music singer, TV show host, producer, actress Bryangela Dusti Roads, and founder of Honky Tonk Music Association.
Affinity Publishing Group, Inc. divisions include Honky Tonk Music Association, The Dusti Roads Show, Honky Tonk Network, Xcelsius Media, Xcelsius Music, Affinity Ministries, Apocalypse of God, Tape To DVD Treasures, and Bryangela Entertainment Fashions.
What Is Honky Tonk Music Association?
Honky Tonk Music Association is a division of Affinity Publishing Group, Inc. and part of a multi-genre international entertainment movement honoring authentic artists, performances, musicianship, songwriting, and entertainment culture.
Cowboy Copas, Guardian Angels & The Artist-Support Mission
Honky Tonk Music Association Is a Dream Come True for Guardian Angel Cowboy Copas
Honky Tonk Music Association honors Guardian Angel Cowboy Copas and the idea that artists and songwriters deserve protection, visibility, and opportunity.
Honky Tonk Music Association is a dream come true for Guardian Angel Cowboy Copas. A music veteran comes out of the shadows and into the limelight and initiates a needed course correction with the launch of Honky Tonk Music Association.
Cowboy Copas wanted to help protect music, sound, songwriters, and artists. Honky Tonk Music Association Horizon winners, Band of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, and Affinity Award winners are beneficiaries of the dream to change the direction of the music industry and help artists at different stages in their careers.
One of Dusti’s first jobs in the music industry was working in “The Vault” at Acuff-Rose Publishing/Opryland Music Group. Her task was to review contracts and wills of songwriters and make sure the correct beneficiaries were receiving royalties.