The legendary country singer and the groundbreaking record label executive will share honors at the 40th annual Symphony Ball on December 14, 2024, at Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Randy Travis Photo Credit: Robert Tractenberg
Nashville, Tenn. (Nov. 14, 2024) — The Nashville Symphony Association and Symphony Ball 2024 co-chairs Jason Bradshaw and Bob Deal announced today that country music legend Randy Travis and longtime Warner Music Nashville CEO John Esposito are the co-recipients of the 2024 Nashville Symphony Harmony Award. Travis and Esposito will be honored during the 40th annual Symphony Ball on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville. For tickets, visit nashvillesymphony.org.
Presented annually by the Nashville Symphony since 1986, the Harmony Award recognizes individuals who exemplify the harmonious spirit of Nashville’s music community.
“As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Symphony Ball, we are thrilled to recognize two remarkable figures in Nashville’s music community,” said Symphony Ball co-chairs Bradshaw and Deal. “Each in his own way, Randy Travis and John Esposito have revolutionized and reinvigorated country music, and their talents are matched only by their commitment to raising up the next generation of music makers.”
“Randy Travis is one of the most important and influential performers in country music history,” said Nashville Symphony CEO and President Alan D. Valentine. “His immense musical legacy, personal resilience, and heart for philanthropy all embody the spirit of the Harmony Award. Through the Randy Travis Foundation, he has worked to provide music education and enrichment opportunities for at-risk youth while raising awareness about stroke and aphasia.
“John Esposito has dedicated his life to music, from his earliest days as an avid fan and performer to his transformative leadership of Warner Music Nashville, turning it into the country music powerhouse it is today,” Valentine continued. “The Nashville music community owes him an immeasurable debt, and we are honored to recognize his contributions.”
Country artist Randy Travis is a living legend. An instrumental figure in country’s neotraditional movement of the 1980s and ’90s, Travis has recorded more than 20 essential albums, yielding more than 50 hit singles and 23 No. 1s around the globe, including such enduring country classics as “On the Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen,” and “Three Wooden Crosses.” Over the course of his career, he has won seven Grammys, six CMA Awards, and 11 ACM Awards, along with countless other honors.
While a severe stroke in 2013 left Travis physically limited and largely ended his performing career, years of physical therapy have allowed him to return to the stage in a different capacity.
“My passion for music brought me to Nashville and my love for Nashville kept me here — they are my lifeline,” said Travis. “The opportunities and challenges found in music changed my direction in life in such a positive way. I’m honored to receive the Harmony Award from the Nashville Symphony, joining them in sharing our passions of today to create avenues in music for our generations of tomorrow.”
John Esposito is a lifelong musician and music lover, from his college days playing in bands and DJing for the campus radio station, to serving as COO of former entertainment retail chain The Wiz, to executive roles at record labels including Polygram and Island Def Jam.
As Chairman and CEO of Warner Music Nashville for 15 years, Esposito was instrumental in the success of chart-topping artists and hitmakers like Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, the Zac Brown Band, Cole Swindell, Dan + Shay, Hunter Hayes and Ashley McBryde. He is a past chairman of the CMA’s board of directors, governor of the board of NARAS’ Nashville chapter, and executive committee board member of the Country Radio Broadcasters Association. Since 2023, he has been chairman of the Board of Trustees of the T.J. Martell Foundation.
“Music saved my life and then became my life,” said Esposito. “It was music education that gave me my voice. I am honored to be chosen for the Harmony Award and proud to be part of a fun night that will raise funds that help music education.”
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 $12 million for the Symphony, sustaining the organization’s mission of inspiring and engaging a diverse and growing community with extraordinary live orchestral music experiences.
Past recipients of the Harmony Award include 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.
About Randy Travis
With lifetime sales exceeding 23 million, Randy Travis is one of the most successful multi-genre artists of all time and a 2016 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1986. His accolades include seven Grammy Awards, 11 Academy of Country Music Awards, 10 American Music Awards, two People’s Choice Awards, seven Music City News Awards, eight Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association, and five Country Music Association Awards. Three of his performances earned CMA Song of the Year honors: “On the Other Hand” (1986), “Forever and Ever, Amen” (1987), and “Three Wooden Crosses” (2002).
To date, he has 23 No. 1 singles, 31 Top 10 hits, and more than 40 appearances in feature films and television shows. His discography includes four Gold albums, four Platinum albums, one Double Platinum album, one Triple Platinum album, and one Quintuple Platinum album. In 1992, Travis was recognized by the USO for his support and dedication to U.S. Troops, including five USO tours, and was named the recipient of the Bob Hope Entertainment Award. In 2004, Travis was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is celebrated on Nashville’s Music City Walk of Fame.
Since his near-fatal stroke in 2013, Travis, with the support of wife Mary and rigorous physical therapy, has made significant strides in his recovery, including improvements in speaking, walking and singing. In 2019, he released his critically acclaimed memoir Forever and Ever, Amen, co-authored with Ken Abraham. In 2021, CMT named Travis the CMT Artist of a Lifetime. In 2022, he released his award-winning documentary More Life, garnering six Telly Awards.
In May 2024, with the assistance of AI, Travis and Warner Music Nashville released “Where That Came From,” marking his first new recording in more than a decade, showcasing his signature vocals. The single debuted at No. 45 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, receiving an enthusiastic reception from both fans and country radio. For more information, visit RandyTravis.com.
About John Esposito
John Esposito led Warner Music Nashville for 15 years. In that role, he oversaw a period of historic growth during which time WMN quadrupled its market share. Throughout his tenure its artists earned more than 80 chart-topping singles, dozens of gold and platinum sales certifications, and GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, Billboard, AMA and People’s Choice awards ranging from New Artist to Entertainer of the Year. The Music Row powerhouse includes Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Cole Swindell, Ashley McBryde, Cody Johnson and a group of young artists who represent the genre’s next generation such as Ingrid Andress, Gabby Barrett and Bailey Zimmerman, to name a few. Esposito was appointed Chairman, Board of Trustees for the T.J. Martell Foundation in January 2023.
A native of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Espo is a lifelong musician who attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He soaked in music from all angles, from spinning records at his campus radio station to playing in bands, while he earned a B.A. in journalism. Espo began his music industry career with retail chain The Wiz as COO of its Music and Movies division. He went on to executive roles at Polygram’s Polymedia Division and Island Def Jam Music Group. Espo’s Warner career began with a stint as president/CEO of WEA, WMG’s sales and marketing division, before being named to the post at WMN in 2009.
The industry staple has been chairman of the board of the Country Music Association, governor of the Nashville Chapter Board of NARAS, and an Executive Committee board member of the Country Radio Broadcasters Association. Other leadership roles include Leadership Music, board director for the Nashville Convention & Visitor’s Bureau and executive board member of Senator Bill Frist’s Nashville Health board. Esposito created WMN’s environmental campaign, for which he was awarded Music Biz’s Green Award for Environmental Responsibility and the Natural Resources Defense Council’s “Forces for Nature” honor. He also served on Warner Music Group’s global ERG board, helping guide large-scale corporate social responsibility efforts. Additional achievements span the Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement (Music biz), the Innovator of the Year Award (Innovation in Music Awards) and an honorary doctorate of music from Monmouth University.
About the Nashville Symphony
Led by Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero, the Nashville Symphony inspires and engages a diverse and growing community with extraordinary live orchestral music experiences. Since its founding in 1946, the Nashville Symphony has been celebrated for its dedication to contemporary American orchestral music, innovative programming across multiple genres, and a prolific recording schedule that has produced 14 GRAMMY® Awards and 27 nominations. The Nashville Symphony reaches more than 400,000 students and adults across Middle Tennessee annually through its 20 free and low-cost education and community programs. Learn more about educational programs and initiatives at nashvillesymphony.org/education.
The Nashville Symphony is a nonprofit organization supported by individuals, corporations, and foundations. For more information about the Nashville Symphony or to donate, please visit nashvillesymphony.org.
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