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Renowned Multi-Hyphenate McAnally Joins Top-Tier CAA Agent, Rod Essig To Share Honors At 42nd Annual Symphony Ball December 12, 2026 at Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Nashville, Tenn. (September 15, 2026) – The Nashville Symphony Association and Symphony Ball 2026 co-chairs Haden Cook and Lynn Scarola recently announced that the prestigious 2026 Harmony Award, presented by Amazon, will be co-presented to veteran singer-songwriter, performer and producer Mac McAnally and to star-making CAA agent Rod Essig. The pair will be honored at the 42nd annual Symphony Ball on Saturday, December 12, at Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
McAnally is a 10-time CMA Musician of the Year and longtime member of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band who has penned some of the biggest hits in country music, including “Two Dozen Roses,” “Old Flame,” and “Down The Road,” a massive No. 1 duet with Kenny Chesney. He will be joined onstage by 6-time GRAMMY-winner Amy Grant, whose acclaimed new album he produced and who will perform in his honor.
Essig, who co-founded CAA’s Nashville office in 1993, has been instrumental in the careers of some of modern music’s most important artists, including Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, and Martina McBride, among many others, and was LeAnn Rimes’ first agent. He will be joined by a surprise guest to present him with his award.
Presented annually by the Nashville Symphony since 1986, the Harmony Award recognizes individuals who exemplify the harmonious spirit of Nashville’s music community.
“Our 2026 Harmony Award honorees have spent their careers sharing the sound and spirit of Nashville with audiences around the world,” said Symphony Ball co-chairs Haden Cook and Lynn Scarola. “As a member of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, a prolific writer of chart-topping hits for other artists, and a stellar solo performer, Mac McAnally has delighted audiences of all ages for decades. Rod Essig, as head of Nashville’s CAA office, has launched and shepherded the careers of some of the most significant artists in country and pop music. Both of them truly embody the spirit of the Harmony Award, and we are honored to celebrate them.”
“I am both surprised and honored to be selected for the Harmony Award by the Nashville Symphony,” said Mac McAnally. “As long as I can remember, I’ve heard all kinds of music in my head and wondered whether my head was the only place it belonged. To join the amazing list of past honorees is one more example of life outshining my ‘wildest’ dreams.”
“I’m particularly proud to be recognized by the Nashville Symphony because they, like myself, have continually gone out of their way to honor and appreciate all genres of music,” McAnally continued. “I believe music in all its forms has the power to unite us beyond any and all barriers, be they language or geography or politics. I salute the Nashville Symphony. I am living proof that it’s possible to feel honored without necessarily feeling worthy. I pledge to continue to work toward that as a goal.”
Rod Essig said, “Nashville has always been a haven for music of all kinds, and the connection between Music Row and the Schermerhorn is a vital one, as this summer’s amazing Dolly Parton tribute concerts proved. I have worked with so many wonderful artists over the years, and I truly believe some of the finest musicians in the world are right here in the Nashville Symphony. It’s a true honor to receive this award, and I look forward to many more years of helping promote these superb artists, and instrumental excellence in all genres.”
Mark Cantrell, President and CEO of the Nashville Symphony, said, “I’m eagerly anticipating my first Symphony Ball, and I can’t think of a more dynamic duo to honor than Mac McAnally and Rod Essig. The breadth and depth of Nashville’s musical talent, across all forms and genres, is one of the many reasons I was thrilled to join this team and put down roots in Music City. It is a privilege to recognize two individuals who have made such meaningful contributions to Nashville’s music community, and I look forward to celebrating with the Nashville Symphony’s dedicated patrons on December 12.”
The Symphony Ball is Nashville’s premier winter social event and one of the Nashville Symphony’s annual signature fundraisers. Since its inception in 1985, the Ball has raised more than $15 million for the Symphony, sustaining the organization’s mission of inspiring and engaging an evolving and growing community with extraordinary live orchestral music experiences.
Past recipients of the Harmony Award include T Bone Burnett, the Grand Ole Opry, Randy Travis, John Esposito, Kix Brooks, Lady A, Maren Morris, Keb’ Mo’, Kelsea Ballerini, Toby Keith, Steven Tyler, Béla Fleck, Miranda Lambert, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Trisha Yearwood, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Amy Grant, LeAnn Rimes, Michael W. Smith, Mike and Linda Curb, Lyle Lovett, Steve Winwood, Vince Gill, Wynonna and Naomi Judd, Chet Atkins, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and Marty Stuart.
Patrons packages for the 2026 Symphony Ball are on sale now at nashvillesymphony.org/symphonyball. Tickets for the white-tie gala will go on sale in October.
About the Nashville Symphony
The Nashville Symphony inspires and engages audiences across Middle Tennessee with extraordinary live orchestral music experiences. Founded in 1946, the Symphony is celebrated for its commitment to contemporary American orchestral music, innovative programming across genres, and a prolific recording legacy, earning 14 GRAMMY® Awards and 27 nominations. Today, the Symphony performs in the world-class, acoustically superb Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and reaches nearly 550,000 Middle Tennesseans annually through its free and low-cost education and community programs. Globally, the orchestra connects with almost 13 million listeners worldwide through its recordings, broadcasts, and streaming activities. The Nashville Symphony is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching its community and inspiring the next generation of music lovers. Learn more at nashvillesymphony.org.
About Mac McAnally
GRAMMY-nominated, Mac McAnally’s journey is one of divine providence and musical mastery. With an astonishing 10x Country Music Association Musician of the Year awards and a place in the Nashville Songwriters Hall, the Mississippi Musicians Hall, and the Alabama Music Hall of Fames, McAnally’s contributions to the world of music are nearly unparalleled. Born into a family of gospel musicians in a dry county, McAnally’s early years were steeped in the rich traditions of Southern music, sacred and secular. Those humble beginnings paved the way for a career marked by extraordinary talent, deep humility, and unwavering dedication. As a songwriter, McAnally has penned chart-topping hits for Alabama, Kenny Chesney, and Jimmy Buffett, while his musical abilities have enriched albums by Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Toby Keith, Dolly Parton, Keith Whitley, and George Strait. In addition, he’s released 17 studio albums, including his most recent, Once In A Lifetime. Despite the numerous accolades and collaborations with music royalty, McAnally remains grounded in his love for the art itself. For the soft-spoken creative force, music is not a career, but a calling—a testament to the joy of melody and the power of storytelling. With each note he plays and every lyric he writes, McAnally continues to inspire and uplift people around the world, leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of American music. He was recently awarded the 2025 Academy of Country Music Poet’s Award and is currently featured in Country Music Hall of Fame’s “Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising” exhibit. McAnally continues to perform with Scotty Emerick for select Margaritas & Memories performances, and with Jimmy Buffett’s critically acclaimed Coral Reefer Band, is currently touring the nation on his headlining All The Way Around tour. For more information, visit MacMcAnally.com.
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