By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
Two Del Rio natives were honored at the 16th Annual Texas Regional Radio & Music Awards (TRRMA) held March 23, 2026, at Texas Live in Arlington.
The Texas Regional Radio Report is a weekly chart that ranks Texas and Red Dirt songs based on airplay across participating stations, serving as a key benchmark for the genre’s popularity and momentum. Its annual awards show recognizes the top artists and industry professionals in the format.
Del Rio’s Radney Foster, a singer-songwriter known for blending traditional country with deeply personal storytelling, received the Living Legend Award from the group.
According to TRRMA’s founder, they are holding Foster up as a guiding light. “TRRMA likes to honor singer/songwriters that got their start in Texas/Oklahoma, and do this to not only give the artist their props, but also to show the younger generations in the region that they too can make their dreams happen. So, each year we choose someone that has “made it” in the industry, whether in the region or national. We chose Radney Foster this year because he came from small town Del Rio and made his way to national stardom and has always shown pride in his Texas roots and kept Texas music in his heart,” said Dave Smith Owner, Founder and President of the Texas Regional Radio Report and its awards program.
Foster’s Del Rio roots have long influenced both his writing and his perspective on small-town life. He paid direct tribute to his hometown with his breakout album, “Del Rio, TX 1959,” which produced two Billboard Top 10 hits — “Just Call Me Lonesome” and “Nobody Wins” — along with two additional Top 40 singles.
Today, Foster remains a key figure in Texas/Red Dirt music, having produced respected albums and mentored younger artists, including fellow Del Rio native William Beckmann, who continues to climb the country music ranks.
While Foster did not produce Beckmann’s latest album, Whiskey Lies & Alibis, the project was named Album of the Year by the TRRMA.
Beckmann previously released three albums — Outskirts of Town (2018), Faded Memories (2020) and Here’s to You. Here’s to Me. (2023) — before breaking through with his major-label debut on Warner Music Nashville.
The award-winning album marks Beckmann’s transition from a Texas scene standout to a national country artist.
While the album didn’t break through on the national charts, Whiskey Lies & Alibis solidified Beckmann’s standing in Texas country and earned him Album of the Year honors and respect in the music community.
It’s shaping up to be a big spring for Beckmann, who is set to open for George Strait at Austin’s Moody Center on April 9 and 11.
Here are the non-Del Rio natives who won awards at the event:
2026 Texas Regional Radio & Music Awards winners
Entertainer of the Year — Aaron Watson
Male Vocalist of the Year — Josh Weathers
Female Vocalist of the Year — Kylie Frey
Group/Band of the Year — Randy Rogers Band
Vocal Duo of the Year — Kylie Frey & Randall King
New Male Vocalist of the Year — Tristan Roberson
New Female Vocalist of the Year — Sandee June
New Vocal Duo/Event of the Year — Texas High Road
New Group/Band of the Year — Ghosts of Hill County
Single of the Year — “Nothin But Texas,” Wade Bowen
Album of the Year — Whiskey Lies & Alibis, William Beckmann
Brandon Jenkins Memorial Songwriters Award — “Last Cowboy Standing,” David Adam Byrnes
Music Video of the Year — “Is This Thing Workin’,” Randy Rogers Band/Parker McCollum
Record Producer of the Year — AJ Vallejo
Recording Studio of the Year — Fort Worth Sound, Fort Worth
Venue/Nightclub of the Year — Gruene Hall, New Braunfels
Festival of the Year — Larry Joe Taylor’s Texas Music Festival, Stephenville
Radio Station of the Year
Super Market — KFWR 95.9 The Ranch, Fort Worth
Large Market — KMWX 92.5 The Ranch, Abilene
Medium Market — KZAH 99.1, Kerrville
Small Market — KTTX 106.1, Brenham
Out of Region — KERP 96.3, Dodge City, Kansas
Internet — RedDirtTexasCountry.com
On-Air Personality of the Year
Super Market — Shayne Hollinger, KFWR, Fort Worth
Large Market — Rudy Fernandez, KMWX, Abilene
Medium Market — Justin McClure, KZAH, Kerrville
Small Market — Buzz Russell, KNES, Fairfield
Out of Region — Joshua Roesener, KERP, Dodge City, Kansas
Internet — Robert Miguel, Uvalde Radio
T3R Humanitarian Award — Josh & Kady Weathers
