The War and Treaty to receive first Origins Vanguard Award in Nashville
The War and Treaty will receive the first Origins Vanguard Award at the third annual Origins Impact Awards in Nashville.
The ceremony will take place on Thursday, Nov. 19 at the Woolworth Theatre. Nashville-based music and entertainment organisation Origins Music Group announced the honour alongside finalists across 18 categories for the 2026 awards, according to Billboard.
The War and Treaty are the husband-and-wife duo of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter. They have received two Grammy nominations, including best new artist, the Recording Academy's prize for breakthrough acts. They have also received three nominations for vocal duo of the year at the CMA Awards, the Country Music Association's annual awards.
The Vanguard Award is new this year. It recognises artists whose artistry, influence and impact have helped shape country music's changing landscape while opening doors for others. The War and Treaty are its first recipients.
Artist of the Year will be one of the closest watches on the night. The 2026 finalists are Pynk Beard, Blanco Brown, 2'Live Bre and Kashus Culpepper. The full list covers 18 categories in total, all focused on emerging and working talent.
The Origins Impact Awards puts the spotlight on independent music artists, acts building careers outside the three major label groups, Universal, Sony and Warner. Independent releases are often funded, marketed and distributed without major-label backing, which can make national recognition harder to secure.
Last year's show offers a guide to the format. The second Origins Impact Awards were held on Nov. 20, 2025 at The Cowan in Nashville. Angie K won Artist of the Year at that edition, as reported by MusicRow.
Origins Music Group leads the event. The organisation is headed by chief executive and co-founder Corey Jones. It presents both the awards and Origins Sessions, its live performance platform for developing artists.
For fans, this means a quick turnaround. The finalists are set, the venue is booked, and the winners will be named in November. The Vanguard presentation will bring a Grammy-nominated duo onto the same stage as the independent names looking for their next step.
