Keith Urban leads the list of nominees with four for this year’s CMT Music Awards, tying with Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini for most nominations. He’s up for Video of the Year for “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” as well as Male Video, Collaborative Video for “The Fighter” featuring Carrie Underwood and Social Superstar.

Voting is now open and continues until June 5^th at CMT.com.

The CMT Music Awards, featuring performances from Luke Bryan and many others, will air live from Nashville’s Music City Center on Wednesday, June 7th at 8pm ET.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

Artists of Then, Now & Forever “Forever Country”

Brad Paisley “Today”

Brett Eldredge “Wanna Be That Song”

Carrie Underwood “Church Bells”

Cole Swindell “Middle Of A Memory”

Dierks Bentley and Elle King “Different For Girls”

Florida Georgia Line “H.O.L.Y.”

Jon Pardi “Dirt On My Boots”

Keith Urban “Blue Ain’t Your Color”

Kelsea Ballerini “Peter Pan”

Little Big Town “Better Man”

Luke Bryan “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day”

Miranda Lambert “Vice”

Thomas Rhett “Star of the Show”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

Carrie Underwood “Church Bells”

Kelsea Ballerini “Peter Pan”

Lauren Alaina “Road Less Traveled”

Maren Morris “80s Mercedes”

Miranda Lambert “Vice”

Reba McEntire “Back To God”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

Blake Shelton “Came Here To Forget”

Eric Church “Record Year”

Jason Aldean “Lights Come On”

Keith Urban “Blue Ain’t Your Color”

Luke Bryan “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day”

Thomas Rhett “Star of the Show”

DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

Big & Rich Feat. Tim McGraw “Lovin’ Lately”

Brothers Osborne “21 Summer”

Dan + Shay “How Not To”

Florida Georgia Line “H.O.L.Y.”

LOCASH “I Know Somebody”

GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

Eli Young Band “Saltwater Gospel”

Lady Antebellum “You Look Good”

Little Big Town “Better Man”

Midland “Drinkin’ Problem”

Old Dominion “Song For Another Time”

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

Brett Young “In Case You Didn’t Know”

Jon Pardi “Dirt On My Boots”

Kane Brown “Used to Love You Sober”

Lauren Alaina “Road Less Traveled”

Luke Combs “Hurricane”

Raelynn “Love Triangle”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

Artists of Then, Now & Forever “Forever Country”

Chris Young Feat. Vince Gill “Sober Saturday Night”

Dierks Bentley Feat. Elle King “Different for Girls”

Florida Georgia Line Feat. Tim McGraw “May We All”

Keith Urban Feat. Carrie Underwood “The Fighter”

Kenny Chesney With Pink “Setting the World on Fire”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR:

Jason Aldean “Hicktown (From CMT Concert of the Summer)”

Jason Derulo and Luke Bryan “Want to Want Me (From CMT Crossroads)”

John Mellencamp and Darius Rucker “Pink Houses (From CMT Crossroads)”

Alicia Keys and Maren Morris “80s Mercedes (From CMT Crossroads)”

Meghan Trainor, Jill Scott and Kelsea Ballerini “You’re Still the One/Any Man of Mine/Man I Feel Like a Woman (From CMT Artists of the Year)”

Nick Jonas and Thomas Rhett “Close (From CMT Crossroads)”

SOCIAL SUPERSTAR:

Brett Eldredge

Jake Owen

Keith Urban

Kelsea Ballerini

Lauren Alaina

Thomas Rhett

The members of Little Big Town slayed the National Anthem prior to Game 3 of Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues.

The band follows Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan in performing the Anthem during the Preds Stanley Cup Playoff run.

The Preds got the ‘W’ to lead the series 2 to 1.  Game four takes place Tuesday night in Nashville.

So great to meet @demarcomurray today! Go preds! Titan up!#predspride #nashvsstl https://t.co/PSnqVXhFFG pic.twitter.com/RZBTmKJBwC

— Jimi Westbrook (@JimiWestbrook) April 30, 2017

ABC’s Good Morning America announced the line-up for their Summer Concert Series, and loads of country stars are taking the stage, including Eric Church in his first-ever morning show concert appearance, as well as Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum and Dierks Bentley.

GMA Summer Concert Series Schedule:

5/19 — Green Day
5/26 — Florida Georgia Line & Nelly
6/2 — Fifth Harmony
6/9 — The Chainsmokers
6/16 — The Lumineers
6/23 — Little Big Town
6/30 — Bebe Rexha (in studio, not in the Park)
7/7– Big Sean
7/14 — Lady Antebellum
7/21 — Zedd & Alessia Cara
7/28 — Imagine Dragons
8/4 — Linkin Park
8/11– Bleachers
8/18 — Eric Church
8/25 — Paramore
9/1 — Jason Derulo
Date & location TBD — Dierks Bentley

The 2017 @GMA Summer Concert Series lineup has been revealed! pic.twitter.com/k7c8umHsB6

— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 9, 2017

The members of Little Big Town hit the small screen this weekend. The band will appear on HBO’s Sesame Street on Saturday (April 29th) and on Sunday Today With Willie Geist on NBC on Sunday (April 30th).

WATCH: "We do take care of each other." @littlebigtown talks family, music and more this weekend with @WillieGeist on #SundayTODAY pic.twitter.com/Ny9eClL9o2

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 28, 2017

The Country Music industry came together Wednesday evening to honor 31 music educators as the 2017 CMA Music Teachers of Excellence. Five-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town hosted the event at Nissan Stadium, and more than a dozen other artists attended the ceremony, as well as CMA and CMA Foundation Board members, community leaders, and CMA Foundation beneficiary programs.

CMA Music Teachers of Excellence, now in its second year, honors music educators and their indelible impact on students and school communities through the power of music. The program was created in partnership with Metro Schools’ “Music Makes Us” initiative, which was formed as a result of a 2015 study that highlighted the challenges of local music teachers.

Twenty-five Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) teachers were recognized. Additionally, six recipients from other cities were acknowledged by Give a Note Foundation’s “Music In Our Schools Tour” presented by Radio Disney. Each honoree receives a stipend from the CMA Foundation in recognition of their commitment.

“These educators are building and inspiring a generation, equipping students with tools they will continue to use throughout their lives,” said Joe Galante, CMA Foundation Chairman.

“Music City is Music City because of the Country Music Association,” said Dr. Shawn Joseph, MNPS Director of Schools. “[The CMA Foundation] has set the bar high and established new standards for public/private partnerships between Metro Schools and business partners in Nashville and Davidson County.”

In addition to Little Big Town members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook, Country artists and songwriters Kix Brooks, Chase Bryant, Kristian Bush, Lindsay Ell, Seth Ennis, David Fanning, Chelsea Gill, Hunter Hayes, Olivia Lane, Dustin Lynch, Scotty McCreery, William Michael Morgan, Jerrod Niemann, and Corey Smith were in attendance.

CMA Foundation funds are generated by CMA Music Festival ticket proceeds and presented on behalf of the artists who donate their time. Nissan Stadium is home to the Festival’s Nightly Concerts.

“We are living proof that dreams do come true. Our teachers always reminded us that anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and patience,” said Little Big Town’s Schlapman.

“Learning music gives students the ability to achieve success, build self-esteem and self-confidence, while teaching them the importance of working as a team,” added Little Big Town’s Sweet.

In a surprise, emotional pre-event gathering, Little Big Town was reunited with their childhood music teachers Sarah Glover and Jim Walker of Alabama (Westbrook), Billy Jack Green of Georgia (Fairchild), and Julia Lansford of Arkansas (Sweet). Earlene Rentz of Kentucky and Robert Ivey of Georgia, who taught Schlapman, shared heartfelt video and written messages in their absence. Fairchild serves on the CMA Foundation Board of Directors.

The City of Nashville showed its support by lighting up downtown landmarks Ascend Amphitheater, Bridgestone Arena, Korean Veterans Boulevard Bridge, Omni Hotel, and Westin Hotel in CMA blue lights, in honor of the event.

“Nashville is a city that is committed to our music teachers and values the impact that they have on our Metro Nashville Public Schools students,” said Nashville Mayor Megan Barry in a video message. “CMA has worked alongside our school district in an effort to provide the best music program for our community, our state, and the country.”

Throughout the evening, videos of well-wishes were shared from entertainers Cam, Brad Paisley, Cassadee Pope, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band, and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” announcer Dicky Barrett and musical director Cleto Escobedo III.

Grammy Award-winning vocal group Little Big Town’s critically-acclaimed new album, The Breaker, recently debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200, marking the group’s fourth Top 10 project on the Billboard 200 chart. “Better Man,” the hit lead single from The Breaker, recently spent two weeks topping the Country airplay charts (Billboard, Mediabase) and is the group’s second two-week No. 1 at Country radio. The reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year continues to make headlines with their historic, year-long artist residency at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium – the first ever artist residency in the venue’s 125-year history – with additional dates announced for May, July, September, and November. For more information on Little Big Town, visit littlebigtown.com.

Little Big Town announced the launch of their new merchandise line, Boondocks, from backstage at the Grand Ole Opry House on Tuesday night (April 25th). The new line, named after the band’s 2005 hit “Boondocks,” features branded clothing, glassware, note cards, leather products, jewelry, fashion and much more, and is available at the Opry Store.

LBT’s Karen Fairchild heads up her own Fairchild fashion collection available at Macy’s, and Kimberly Fairchild has her own home goods collection at Cracker Barrel and her dishware line, Love & Daisies, via HSN.

The members of Little Big Town, who also recently launched their own wine, are making their way up the country charts with their latest single, “Happy People.”

Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman is set to launch a new line of kitchenware through HSN.

“My first set of dishes my daddy bought for me when I was a little girl. And I still have them today,” she tells People. “I meet no stranger when it comes to a pretty dish. So when I found out we could do this beautiful line of kitchen and home things with HSN, I was like, ‘I’m in.’”

The collection, which includes essentials like pots and pans and knife sets, will debut on April 19th. The designs are inspired by Kimberly’s childhood, flea market finds and her love of cooking, which she’s passed down to her oldest daughter, Daisy, who inspires the name of the line.

Kimberly with her bandmates are making their way up the country charts with “Happy People.”

The nominees for the 2017 Billboard Music Awards were announced and several of your favorite country artists are up for awards. Luke Bryan is nominated in the all-format fan-voted Billboard Chart Achievement category, as well as for Top Country Tour.

Keith Urban has several BBMA nods, including Top Country Album for Ripcord and Top Country Song for “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” as well as a nomination for Top Country Artist.

Chris Stapleton is up against Keith as Top Country Artist, as well as Top Country Album for Traveller.

Little Big Town’s “Better Man” is up for Top Country Song, while Dierks Bentley’s “Different for Girls” featuring Elle King, Eric Church’s “Kill a Word” with Rhiannon Giddens and Vince Gill’s appearance on Chris Young’s “Sober Saturday Night” are up for Top Country Collaborations.

Hillary Scott & the Scott Family have three BBMA nominations, including Top Christian Artist, Top Christian Album for Love Remains and Top Christian Song for “Thy Will.”

The Billboard Music Awards will air on May 21 at 8PM on ABC.

Billboard Chart Achievement Award Presented by Xfinity:
Luke Bryan
Nicki Minaj
The Chainsmokers
The Weeknd
Twenty One Pilots

Top Country Artist:
Florida Georgia Line
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban
Chris Stapleton
Jason Aldean

Top Country Tour:
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Dixie Chicks

Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean, They Don’t Know
Florida Georgia Line, Dig Your Roots
Blake Shelton, If I’m Honest
Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Keith Urban, Ripcord

Top Country Song:
Kenny Chesney Featuring Pink, “Setting The World On Fire”
Florida Georgia Line, “H.O.L.Y.”
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw, “May We All”
Little Big Town, “Better Man”
Keith Urban, “Blue Ain’t Your Color”

Top Country Collaboration:
Dierks Bentley Featuring Elle King, “Different For Girls”
Kenny Chesney Featuring Pink, “Setting The World On Fire”
Eric Church Featuring Rhiannon Giddens, “Kill A Word”
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw, “May We All”
Chris Young Featuring Vince Gill, “Sober Saturday Night”

Top Christian Artist:
Lauren Daigle
Hillsong Worship
Hillary Scott & the Scott Family
Skillet
Chris Tomlin

Top Christian Album:
Casting Crowns, The Very Next Thing
Lauren Daigle, How Can It Be
Joey + Rory, Hymns
Hillary Scott & The Scott Family, Love Remains
Skillet, Unleashed

Top Christian Song:
Lauren Daigle, “Trust In You”
Hillary Scott & The Family, “Thy Will”
Skillet, “Feel Invincible”
Ryan Stevenson Featuring GabeReal, “Eye Of The Storm”
Zach Williams, “Chain Breaker”