Brian O’Connell Honored with Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award

Nashville’s top country touring expert, Brian O’Connell, received the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award tonight at a sold-out event at the Opry House. The evening supports the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund.

As President of Country Music Touring and Festivals at Live Nation, O’Connell is an avid fan. His passion for the artist, live performances, and fan experience remains deeply rooted in his award-winning career spanning over 30 years. O’Connell not only shapes some of the biggest careers in country music but also has helped revolutionize country touring.

Artists who performed this evening included Lauren Alaina, Dierks Bentley, Clint Black, Rascal Flatts, Tyler Hubbard, Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, and Keith Urban. Speakers tonight were Dan Rogers, Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, Grand Ole Opry; Bob Roux, President of US Concerts at Live Nation;T.K. Kimbrell, TKO Artist Management; Joey Lee, William Morris Agency; Rod Essig, Creative Artist Agency; and Curt Motley, United Talent Agency.

The Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award was established over ten years ago to recognize the distinguished career of veteran country radio host Bob Kingsley.

Other past prestigious honorees include Joe Galante (2015), Jim Ed Norman (2016), Lorianne Crook & Charlie Chase (2017), Clarence Spalding (2018), Lon Helton (2019), Bart Herbison & Erika Wollam Nichols (2023), Sarah Trahern (2024), and Scott Borchetta (2025).

The Opry Trust Fund was formed in 1965, the Opry’s 40th birthday, by Opry management as a means to help those in the Country music industry who have fallen on hard times.  The purpose of the fund is to give financial assistance in time of need, emergency or catastrophe to people who were or are actively engaged in the country music industry.  Most often, disbursements help pay medical bills and living expenses for people that are undergoing medical care and unable to work.