Them Fly Bros win Record Label of the Year at 2026 Josie Music Awards

CR Pendleton and Luke Mills, the production team known as Them Fly Bros, were honored at the 2026 Josie Music Awards at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry on Sept. 20. Their win came alongside multiple nominations for artists they produced, underscoring their role in artist development and independent country music.

Why it matters: - Them Fly Bros’ recognition signals growing influence for a production team working across artist development, songwriting and label partnerships in independent country music. - The awards also spotlighted several artists linked to the team, showing the reach of Pendleton and Mills’ production work beyond a single win.

What happened: - CR Pendleton and Luke Mills, known together as Them Fly Bros, received Record Label of the Year at the 2026 Josie Music Awards. - The awards were held Sept. 20 at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. - Tim Zach won Song of the Year – Country Male for “Nightmares,” a song he co-wrote with Pendleton and produced by Pendleton and Mills. - The ceremony also honored Vince Gill, Billy Dean, Brent Mason, Tony Orlando and others, with Gill performing during the event.

The details: - Pendleton said the stage at the Grand Ole Opry carried special meaning because he and Mills grew up admiring artists who performed there. - Pendleton also said he had not been at the venue since the early 2000s, when he was previously recognized as a producer through the GMA Dove Awards. - Mills said the award felt like vindication and reflected the work the team puts into developing artists and helping them find their sound. - Pendleton said the Record Label of the Year category does not fully capture Them Fly Bros’ structure, since the team operates primarily as a production partnership while Mills is more directly tied to AMC Label Group and its independent label work. - Pendleton said the team’s work does not always fit neatly into one category because music-biz roles can overlap. - K.C. Cameron, represented by AMC Label Group through Suntone Records, received nominations for Rising Star of the Year and Country (Male) Song of the Year for “Still Got The Whiskey.” - Mills said the team was especially proud of Cameron’s recognition and described him as an authentic artist with strong artistry. - Kimberly Meyer, represented through AMC Label Group’s United Republic Records division and produced by Them Fly Bros, received nominations for EP of the Year – Country/Multi-Genre Infused for Dirt Road Detour, Song of the Year – Country Female for “Two Lane Therapy,” and Social Impact Song of the Year – Multi-Genre for “Music City Miseries.” - Taylor Fugitt, under Starday/AMC, was nominated for Vocalist of the Year – Country Female and Song of the Year – Country Female for “Shouldn’t Have To.” - Caleb Kenner, also under Starday/AMC, was nominated for Songwriter Portfolio and Male Fan Choice Artist of the Year. - Kiley Barwick of Suntone Records/AMC was nominated for Song of the Year – Country Female for “Thinkin’ of You.” - Downtown Nowhere of Suntone Records/AMC was nominated for Group of the Year – Folk/Americana.

Between the lines: - The nominations suggest Them Fly Bros has become a behind-the-scenes engine for a broader independent artist pipeline, not just a single award-winning project. - The team’s comments point to a strategy built on tailoring music to each artist’s identity rather than forcing a uniform sound. - That approach appears to be paying off across multiple genres and categories, which can matter in the crowded independent-music market.

What’s next: - Them Fly Bros plan to keep producing new material in Dallas-Fort Worth and Salt Lake City in the coming weeks. - The team’s primary partnership with Fijack Entertainment is still seeking new artists and artist-development opportunities. - Mills said the team is “still very much in the building phase” and expects more music to follow. - Them Fly Bros said its work will continue across country, Americana, roots, rock and multi-genre projects.