Dosey Doe, KSTAR, Payton Riley among those nominated for music … – Courier of Montgomery County

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The public can vote for the winners at the organization’s website through Aug. 15. 

Here’s more about the nominees from Montgomery County:

KSTAR Country 

KVST 99.7 known as KSTAR Country on the FM dial has been nominated in the Radio Station of the Year category. 

KSTAR has been a part of Conroe for decades. The station started life as KMCO, then became KIKR and in 1992 was named KVST or KSTAR. 

The station kicks the day off with the “Funny Farm” featuring Lisa Christi and Producer Josh from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Then, Larry Galla and Mary McCoy host a Country classic show from 10 a.m. to noon. Local businesses are advertised, and the station also covers local events like the Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival.

Earlier this year, McCoy was named a Guinness World Record holder as the longest female DJ on the radio at 72 years. She started on-air with KMCO as a teen. 

Other regular DJs include Brad Witt, Zakk United, Dave Horton and Cindy Bell. 

Visit the station’s website for more. 

Dosey Doe 

Dosey Doe’s Big Barn is a music venue in The Woodlands. This venue has been nominated in the Best Music Venue category. 

The venue is in a 165-year-old former tobacco barn moved from Kentucky to its spot on Interstate 45 just north of the Rayford Sawdust intersection. 

Artists from around the world praise the spot for its fine acoustics and intimate storyteller experience. The venue also offers a full night out with a three-course meal served prior to the concert. 

Visit the Dosey Doe website for more. 

Payton Riley 

Riley, 14, is a singer/songwriter from Conroe. She has been nominated in the Young Artist of the Year category. 

Riley will be a freshman at Covenant Christian Academy in the fall and has been singing and playing guitar on local stages for years in the Country and Christian music genre. 

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She has a three-song EP and she’ll release her latest song “Long Live Cowboys” at the Table at Madeley at 7:30 p.m. Friday. 

She is also a supporter of the Conroe-based nonprofit Love Heals Youth that offers counseling to children in foster care. She wrote a song based on her work with the group called “Love Heals.” 

Visit her website for more on the young musician. 

Payton Howie 

Payton Howie, who grew up in Willis, is nominated in the Emerging Artist category. 

Howie brings her own grit to Country music with her first EP bringing more than 1 million streams. 

She played in Cleveland, Texas over the weekend with Country legend Janie Fricke and her new song “Orange” is now on streaming platforms.

See her website for more. 

Nate Coon 

Nate Coon is the drummer for Country artist Aaron Watson and the Willis-based musician is nominated for Best Drummer. 

He’s twice before taken home the honor. Coon’s parents were missionaries and Coon was born and grew up in Austria. He followed his brother to Texas where they both got jobs and he played with bands like the Scott Hall Band and Hudson Moore Band before signing on with Watson. 

In previous interviews, Coon has said he’s an eternal student, always learning and studying the craft. 

Visit his website for more.