Noted Nashville singer, songwriter, and guitarist Shawn Camp, known to bluegrass lovers for his portrayal of Lester Flatt in The Earls of Leicester, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award next year during the 8th annual Arkansas Country Music Awards show.
But Shawn is a lot more than a Lester tribute act, as much as we love him in that role. He has written songs for country hitmakers like Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Porter Wagoner, Loretta Lynn, and Brooks & Dunn, and classic bluegrass numbers like Sis Draper, recorded by Ricky Skaggs and written by Camp with Guy Clark, and others for artists as diverse as Peter Rowan, The Gibson Brothers, and Yonder Mountain String Band.
Born and raised in Perryville, AR, Camp moved to Nashville at 20 years old to launch a career in the music business.
His bluegrass credits also include a stint with The Osborne Brothers, and has recorded a number of successful albums under his own name. Since joining up with The Earls, Shawn has been named Male Vocalist of the Year by the IBMA, in both 2015 and 2017.
Camp joins an elite list of artists winning the Lifetime Achievement Award, with Albert E. Brumley, Conway Twitty, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, and Levon Helm among those being named in recent years.
Speaking of this honor, Arkansas Country Music Awards President Nathan Hunnicutt said, “The honorees for 2025 have certainly carved their own special place in Arkansas music history. Once again, this list solidifies the magnitude and importance of the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the ones that have received it, both past and present.”
The Arkansas Country Music Awards also choose a Bluegrass Artist of the Year on their awards show, with recent recipients including Sycamore Special, East Nash Grass, Route 3, and Arkansauce.
Their 2025 Awards Show will be held on June 2 at the Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway, AR, located on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas. Submissions for the annual awards begin on January 1.
Also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in June are Colin Raye and John Hughey. Congratulations to all three!
