Three locals have been nominated by the Arkansas Country Music Awards for their contributions to the genre, Prescott native Rachel Hale, Spring Hill’s Wyatt Putman and Hope’s Hempstead Hall, which contains a state-of-the-art stage often used to host country music performers.

Rachel Hale said on her Facebook page after hearing news of her nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year said, “I am completely blown away and beyond grateful to be nominated for @arkansascma’s Female Vocalist of the Year! Waking up to the news was a dream come true. I am honored to call Arkansas my home state and am counting down the days until the award show in June!”

Country singer Wyatt Putman was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year and Hope’s Hempstead Hall was nominated for Venue of the Year.

Both Putman and Hale released new music in 2024, with Putnam’s new album My Kinda Country coming out in March and Hale releasing the singles “Louder” and “Just Breathe (Daddy’s Song).”  On January 18th Putman opened for Justin Moore at Little Rock’s Simmons Bank Arena. Hale performed at the Super Bowl Players' Tailgate in New Orleans.

Hempstead Hall hosted many country concerts in 2024 and will host Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives Thursday, February 20th. 

The awards show will take place Monday June 2, 2025 at University of Central Arkansas’ Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway.