Big Machine Label Group CEO Scott Borchetta was awarded the 2025 CMA Irving Waugh Award of Excellence ahead of the 59th Annual CMA Awards. The surprise honor was presented on the red carpet by artist Riley Green. Borchetta, a key figure in modern country music, was also nominated for a 2025 CMA Award as a producer.
Award Presentation
On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, the Country Music Association (CMA) honored Scott Borchetta with the Irving Waugh Award of Excellence just before the 59th Annual CMA Awards ceremony. Borchetta, who founded, chairs, and serves as CEO of Big Machine Label Group, received the surprise on the red carpet from Riley Green, a Big Machine artist who won three CMA Awards that year.
Borchetta's Contributions
Borchetta has been nominated for a CMA Award in the musical event of the year category as a producer on Green's 'Don't Mind If I Do,' featuring Ella Langley, alongside Jimmy Harnen and Dann Huff. This marks his second CMA nomination, following a 2013 nod for producing Taylor Swift's album Red, which was up for album of the year.
Big Machine Label Group represents artists including Thomas Rhett, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Carly Pearce, Mötley Crüe, and Sheryl Crow. As an executive producer, Borchetta has supported projects like the tribute album Petty Country and the Grammy-winning documentary Glen Campbell… I’ll Be Me.
CMA CEO Sarah Trahern praised Borchetta in a statement: “Scott has played a pivotal role in shaping Country Music’s modern era. I’ve watched him navigate this industry with remarkable clarity and conviction — championing emerging talent, supporting legacy artists and investing in ideas that move our genre forward.”
Borchetta responded: “I truly did not see this coming. A sincere thank you to our extraordinary CEO, Sarah Trahern, and all on the CMA Board for this incredible recognition. Irving Waugh was a true visionary who did so much for Country Music and its culture, and I’m humbled to stand on his shoulders alongside so many who continue to shape and inspire the world of Country Music.”
Background on Irving Waugh
The award is named after Irving Waugh, a radio and TV executive active from the late 1940s to the early 1990s. Waugh joined WSM-Nashville in 1941 as a radio announcer, later holding roles like general manager and president of WSM’s radio and TV operations. He passed away in April 2007 at age 94.