LONDON – The Country Music Association presented its 2007 Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award to Alan Cackett, editor and publisher of Maverick Magazine earlier this week. The Award was given to Cackett by Bobbi Boyce, CMA International Director.

The Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievements in the media which contribute to the development of Country Music outside the United States. Radio, TV and print journalists; authors; editors; television writers and producers who reside outside the United States are eligible to win this award. It does not have to be presented annually. The award was named after Country Music Hall of Fame member Wesley Rose, who served as the first Chairman of the CMA Board of Directors.

“I’d like to thank CMA for presenting me with the Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award,” said Cackett. “For my peers in the Country Music industry to acknowledge my endeavors is quite humbling and unexpected. You know I only got into all of this because I’m so passionate about the music. For me it’s all about introducing as many people as possible to good music they’d otherwise miss out on. That’s what continues to drive me.”

Cackett launched the first British Country Music monthly magazine in the mid-60s with Country Music Monthly. He later wrote about the format for a variety of publications, including The Times, Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Music Week and Q, and many others. Cackett wrote a Country Music column for Kent Messenger from 1968-1997. He also served as a feature writer for Country Music People from the ‘70s through the early ‘90s before moving to Country Music International in 1994. He launched Maverick Magazine in 2002, which covers Country and roots music.

Cackett served as a promoter of many concerts, festivals and tours in the United Kingdom, including the acclaimed Good’n’Country Festival of the late ‘80s and ‘90s. He is also a founder of the Zebra Bar, one of the UK’s leading Country and roots music venues.

There will be more information and comments from Alan Cackett in the June issue of Maverick…

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