Winning the Inspirational Country Music’s Male Vocalist of the Year award was a full-circle moment for Owensboro native Steve Bridgmon. He can recall being a young boy working at the WBIO station and reading the ICM magazine, longing to one day be in the same space as the people he read about.
The awards were presented in Nashville over the weekend. Bridgmon said when they got down to the last few categories to present, he ruled out that he could win the hallmark Male Vocalist category. When his name came across the screen, he was surprised it was his moment.
“When I saw the (finalists’) names, I thought there’s no way on the planet I’m gonna win this one because this is one of the biggest ones, and so when they called my name, I was a little overwhelmed,” Bridgmon said. “… It was legit a shock because I was up against some heavy hitters. It was just an honor. I’m really excited.”
Bridgmon said the win is the culmination of the last 2 years’ effort to redefine his artistry after leaving his producer and recreating his team.
In the past, he said, he felt he had “hit a ceiling” and began looking for more opportunities to make music. In inspirational country radio, he wanted a new lane for the mainstream country sound.
After discussing the matter with radio stations and producers, he said he now thinks they are producing music that inspires listeners while blending the beloved country sound.
“I don’t want to say it, but I really have changed the landscape of inspirational radio. The mainstream sound belongs there. You can have inspirational lyrics on mainstream Inspirational Country radio, and it works if you’re going to build a real fan base, and that is my goal,” Bridgmon said.
Now, Bridgmon is looking forward to releasing his new album, “Broken.” He said he felt that after years of grieving the loss of his father and sister in 2020, he was able to put an album out that reflected more than the sadness he felt.
“We’ve got six up-tempo songs on the album that are all about grief. How odd is that, but it works,” Bridgmon said.
The songs document different parts of his grieving journey, with “Hit the Ground Prayin” as the album’s lead single. It will be released on June 14. Bridgmon is also selling signed copies of the album here.
