Lewis County based singer-songwriter Chris Guenther was recently recognized by the International Western Music Association (IWMA) for two Awards of Excellence nominations, a news release stated.
IWMA Awards of Excellence are juried awards that are selected and voted by western music industry members, including radio DJs, journalists and other recording artists. Each year, the IWMA recognizes the individuals, duos and groups for their talents in promoting and preserving western music and poetry, according to a news release from Guenther.
Guenther was nominated for Western Album of the Year for his 2024 Blackboard Records release “Singing to Cows.” Additionally, he was nominated for Western Songwriter of the Year.
The awards ceremony takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Nov. 15 during the annual IWMA Conference. Guenther will be attending the conference and award ceremony for the first time this year.
“It’s exciting to finally get the opportunity to attend this annual event,” Guenther said. “I am honored to be recognized by other professionals in the industry who appreciate my work.”
Guenther became a member of the IWMA in the spring of 2022 when releasing his “American Outlaw: Volume 1” album, a two-part, nonfiction-based western project that debuted at No. 6 on the IWMA Western Music Radio Top 30 Chart.
He followed its release with “American Outlaw: Volume 2” in 2023, which reached No. 2 on the same chart a year later. Both albums enjoyed positive reviews and chart success on western radio formats throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe, according to the release.
Guenther’s music is currently streaming on all major streaming platforms. For more information regarding his regional performance schedule, visit www.chrisguenthermusic.com.
Guenther was also the winner of the Best Musician category in The Chronicle's 2025 Best of Lewis County awards.
