The Red Clay Strays Win ACM Award for Group of the Year

The Red Clay Strays Win ACM Award for Group of the Year

The Red Clay Strays have earned their second career Academy of Country Music® Award for Group of the Year at Sunday night’s 61st annual award ceremony in Las Vegas. This is the band’s first time winning this category, following their 2025 win for New Duo or Group of the Year. Backed by a full gospel choir, The Red Clay Strays performed their latest single “Demons In Your Choir.” Rolling Stone said, “the performance showed why the Alabama band was worthy of their win for Group of the Year.” 

This milestone for the band comes ahead of their eagerly anticipated new album, Grateful, arriving via HBYCO Records/RCA Records on Friday, June 5. A collection of 11 rollicking, soul-searching songs that can spill out of dance halls on Saturday night and fill church steeples on Sunday morning in equal measure, Grateful marks the latest chapter in The Red Clay Strays’ inspiring journey from their hometown of Mobile, AL, to packing arenas around the world with audiences ready to partake in an old-school roots-rock revival. The record was produced once again by 9x GRAMMY® Award-winner Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit).

The band first set out with something to prove on 2022’s RIAA Gold-certified crowdfunded debut LP, Moment of Truth, and then carved a path through hardship on 2024’s acclaimed Made By These Moments, earning them 3x RIAA Platinum certification for the #1 hit single, “Wondering Why,” worldwide critical applause, and a growing collection of accolades including the Americana Music Honors & Awards’ 2024 “Emerging Artist of the Year,” the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards’ 2025 “New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year,” and the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards’ 2025 “Vocal Group of the Year.”

Photo Credit: @daniel