ACM Icon Award Winner Tony Brown Celebrates Dove Award Nominations and Teases First-Ever Documentary
Tune in on Tuesday, September 24, to the 17th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors (9:00 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. PT) on Merit Street
“In the world of modern country music history, Tony Brown has earned a critical spot…[as] one of the top creative minds of the past four decades.”
— Billboard.com
“Nineteen albums later, a working relationship based on his [Brown] and Strait’s ability to agree on roughly 90% of the music they cut — with Brown being trusted to choose the best take for the album — has been revived.” — The Tennessean
“George Strait’s 31st studio album, the feel-good “Cowboys and Dreamers,” marks five decades of record releases; a titanic career for a Texas troubadour whose greatest ambition seems to have always been the same: Make pretty, plain-spoken songs about life’s true pains and pleasures, and listeners will find their own resonance within them.” — ABC News
Tony Brown, the legendary producer behind some of country music’s most iconic records, marks a major milestone with the release of Cowboys and Dreamers, his 20th album collaboration with country music icon George Strait. Released on September 6, 2024, the album is available for streaming here.
Cowboys and Dreamers explores themes central to Strait’s career and persona, reflecting both his storied past and enduring presence in country music. This album speaks profound truths about life and legacy, serving as a tribute to those who have passed away close to Strait over the past year. Featuring 13 tracks, with Tony co-producing 9 of them, the album showcases Brown’s long-time collaboration with Strait. Brown has produced 37 of Strait’s 60 number-one hits, and historic albums such as Troubadour (2008), which earned Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, and the CMA Single of the Year for “I Saw God Today.”
The album highlights Strait’s timeless artistry, enhanced by Brown’s signature production style that merges authenticity with modern country soundscapes. This record underscores the duo’s enduring creative synergy, which has shaped George Strait’s illustrious career over the past two decades.
“I brought George back to Nashville for this album, and the town embraced it, like a return to where it all started,” Tony Brown shares. “We took a different approach this time, welcoming outside songs for the first time in years, which brought a new level of excitement. I wanted to capture the magic that made our past records great.”
For Tony, the album is especially meaningful. “I always wanted to have one more shot at producing George, and with this being my 20th album with him, it feels like a full-circle moment, especially with the success of his sold-out stadium tours. This may be the best moment of all.”
In his coffee table memoir Elvis, Strait to Jesus, George Strait praised Tony Brown: “Tony is going to leave a big footprint in the music world when he decides to step away. I love the fact that he’s been such a huge part of my history.”
In addition to the album’s success, Tony received the Icon Award at the 17th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors on August 21, 2024. The ceremony, held at the iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and hosted by Carly Pearce and Jordan Davis, will air Tuesday, September 24 (9:00 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. PT) on Merit Street.
Tony has also earned Dove Award nominations this year for his recent work in gospel and inspirational music. He is nominated for Bluegrass/Country/Roots Album of the Year for Gaither Tribute: Award Winning Artists Honor The Songs of Bill & Gloria Gaither and for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for “The Center of My Joy” by CeCe Winans and Gaither, produced by Tony Brown, Thomas Hardin, and Tyrone Jackson.
Following the success of his book Elvis, Strait, to Jesus, Tony is bringing those pages to life with the first-ever documentary about his incredible journey. The documentary will offer an intimate look at Brown’s life story, from his early days as Elvis Presley’s pianist to his role as president of MCA Records Nashville, where he produced over 100 number-one hits. Fans can expect to see exclusive behind-the-scenes moments with so many music icons Brown has worked with in his trailblazing career.
To learn more about Tony Brown and to stay up to date on the latest news, visit TonyBrownEnterprises.com.
Cowboys And Dreamers Tracklist (Songwriters in parentheses)
1) “Three Drinks Behind” (Benjamin Gaither, Jeff Silvey and Kim Williams)
2) “Cowboys And Dreamers” (Jessie Jo Dillon, Keith Gattis and Bubba Strait)
3) “To The Moon” (Marty Brown and Steve Clark)
4) “MIA Down in MIA” (Adam Craig and Dean Dillon)
5) “Wish I Could Say” (Keith Gattis)
6) “Calling From The Car” (Bobby Braddock)
7) “People Get Hurt Sometimes” (Jim Lauderdale, Kendell Marvel and Jimmy Ritchey)
8) “Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame” ft. Chris Stapleton (Chris Stapleton, Jameson Clark and Timothy James)
9) “The Little Things” (George Strait, Monty Criswell and Bubba Strait)
10) “The Book” (George Strait, Dean Dillon, Jessie Jo Dillon and Bubba Strait)
11) “Rent” (Guy Clark and Keith Gattis)
12) “Waymore’s Blues” (Curtis Buck and Waylon Jennings)
13) “The Journey Of Your Life” (Ronnie Bowman and Troy Jones)
To schedule an interview with Tony Brown or for more information, contact
Dead Horse Branding at the following:
Danielle Reiss
Dead Horse Branding
Phone: (949) 421-9787
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About Tony Brown
Tony Brown’s reputation as an unshakeable pillar of country music spans forty years. As an acclaimed record producer, the co-founder of Universal South Records, and the former President of MCA Records Nashville—a title he held for nearly a decade—Tony has worked with some of the biggest names in music. Having produced numerous hits by artists like George Strait, Reba McEntire, and Vince Gill, Tony is still one of the most sought-after and revered producers around.
Often credited with founding the Americana country movement, Tony was never afraid to push the envelope. He has proven the power of blending genres, helping establish the legendary careers of Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, and Nancy Griffith, among others, in the Americana format. Tony has earned several awards and recognitions for his achievements, including a Grammy Award, 7 Academy of Country Music Awards, including Producer of the Year, multiple CMA awards, 1 Dove Award for Best Instrumentalist, and many Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum album credits.
Over the course of his monumental career, Tony has yielded over 100 #1 singles and record levels of sales exceeding the $100 million mark, while simultaneously building a pantheon of stars unparalleled in music history.
Tony also produced most of the tracks on Lionel Richie’s Tuskegee, one of the highest-grossing albums of 2012, which features Lionel’s duets with Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker, Tim McGraw, Jimmy Buffet, Little Big Town, Kenny Rogers, and Willie Nelson. In 2014, Tony appeared in Dave Grohl’s television docuseries, Sonic Highways. Tony is currently the head of Tony Brown Enterprises.
In 2018, Tony released his first published coffee table book, Elvis, Strait to Jesus, under the Hachette Group. In 2021, Tony was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. His career began as a musician, playing piano with The Oak Ridge Boys, Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, and Rodney Crowell. Last year, Tony was a part of the Kenny Rogers 10-Song Collection, Life Is Like A Song, for his production on the Kenny and Dolly Parton duet “Tell Me That You Love Me.”
His remarkable career recently reached a new milestone with the release of Cowboys and Dreamers, his 20th album collaboration with country icon George Strait released on September 6, 2024. Brown was also awarded the ACM Icon Award at the 17th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors on August 21, 2024, and received two Dove Award nominations for his recent work in gospel and inspirational music. He is nominated for Bluegrass/Country/Roots Album of the Year for Gaither Tribute: Award Winning Artists Honor The Songs of Bill & Gloria Gaither and for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for “The Center of My Joy” by CeCe Winans and Gaither, produced by Tony Brown, Thomas Hardin, and Tyrone Jackson.
Photography Credit: Melissa Core-Caballo and Rick Caballo of Dead Horse Branding
Photography Credit: Melissa Core-Caballo and Rick Caballo of Dead Horse Branding
