• THANKSGIVING 2023 SOUNDBITES

    The Thanksgiving holiday tradition traces its origins to a 1621 celebration at Plymouth, in the state that’s now known as Massachusetts. The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest. While initially, the Plymouth colony did not have enough food to feed half of the 102 colonists, the Wampanoag Native Americans helped the Pilgrims by providing seeds and teaching them to fish. The practice of holding an annual harvest festival like this did not become a regular affair in New England until the late 1660s. People now celebrate the holiday by giving thanks for their blessings over the past year, as well as feasting on turkey and other festive goodies.

    Some festive fun facts about Thanksgiving:

    • President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday on October 3rd, 1863.
    • Harry Truman is often credited with being the first president to pardon a turkey, but that’s not quite true. He was the first to receive a ceremonial turkey from the National Turkey Federation – and he had it for dinner. John F. Kennedy was the first to let a Thanksgiving turkey go, followed by Richard Nixon who sent his turkey to a petting zoo. George H.W. Bush is the president who formalized the turkey pardoning tradition in 1989.
    • The average number of calories consumed on Thanksgiving is 4,500.
    • Butterball answers more than 100,000 turkey-cooking questions via their Butterball Turkey Hotline each November and December.
    • The tradition of football on Thanksgiving began in 1876 with a game between Yale and Princeton. The first NFL games were played on Thanksgiving in 1920.
    • The Wednesday before Thanksgiving has become known as “Drinksgiving.” Bars experience a huge boom the night before the holiday.

    Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 23rd, and most people might be enjoying time with a group of their friends and families, including some of your favorite country stars, such as Alan Jackson, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood, Catie Offerman, Caylee Hammack, Dalton Dover, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley,  Jon Langston, Jon Pardi, Josh Turner, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Maddie & Tae, Mickey Guyton, Parker McCollum, Priscilla Block, Reba McEntire, Sam Hunt, Travis Denning, Tyler Hubbard and more. They share their thoughts of thanks this year, their lessons in gratitude, memories and favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

    Audio / Alan Jackson talks about his favorite Thanksgiving dish.

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    AJ (Thanksgiving) OC: …enjoy it. :19
    “My favorite Thanksgiving dish would be the homemade dressin’ that we, cornbread-based kind of dressin’ that we always have with turkey. That recipe is a kind of a combination of my mama, and Denise has taken it and perfected it over the years, so that me and my children really enjoy it.”

    Audio / Brothers Osborne talk about their favorite Thanksgiving tradition – a Misfits Thanksgiving -- that they started when they moved to Nashville because they couldn’t afford to go home for the holiday.

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    Brothers Osborne (Misfits Thanksgiving) OC: (TJ) …Happy holidays, y’all. 1:02
    “What’s up, y’all? It’s Brothers Osborne here. And a Thanksgiving tradition that we did for so many years. John and I would host what we would call a Misfits Thanksgiving, and we would have everyone, I mean we must’ve done this for 15 years or so and it really started because we didn’t have enough money to go back home to see our family, so we would hang out in Nashville. And so everyone that was kind of in our same shoes, we’d all end up at our house, and it really turned into really blossoming some of our most cherished relationships. We would be there with Kacey Musgraves. It was the first time I really got to hang out with Mickey Guyton (JOHN: “Maren Morris.”) Maren Morris. They would come over and we just became like family to each other because we couldn’t get home to see our own families. And that’s a Thanksgiving tradition that we still to this day try to keep, and it’s a revolving door of who’s there or who’s not there, but yeah, it’s a wonderful tradition. And let me tell you, spending it with our friends in Nashville, there’s a little less arguing than back home. (laughs)” JOHN: “We’re still arguing, but we get over it faster.” (laughs) TJ: “Anyways, Happy Holidays, y’all.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood says she’s grateful for her family.

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    Carrie Underwood (Thanksgiving 2023) OC: …we all are. :30
    “I am grateful for so many things this Thanksgiving. I think the thing I’m most grateful for, though, is family. I mean, that’s what it’s all about, and that’s what this life is all about. I’m blessed to have two incredible boys that I get to take care of and that love on me daily, and they’re just giant blessings in my life, and of course, my extended family, as well. That’s what this time of year’s all about – getting together and just realizing how blessed we all are.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood says she and her family don’t have too many Thanksgiving traditions.

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    Carrie Underwood (Thanksgiving) OC: …the other one. :34
    “We don’t have too many set-in-stone Thanksgiving traditions. I find myself a lot of times working on or around Thanksgiving or unable to get home or whatever. We try to be together, but sometimes that just doesn’t work out. But yeah, I mean, I think it’s just about we eat. I eat a lot every year on Thanksgiving. [laughs] I never skip THAT tradition. But yeah, that’s the gist of it, and I’m kind of lucky. I get two Thanksgivings, because I also get to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving with my husband’s family, so if I don’t hit one, I’ll definitely be able to get the other one.”

    Audio / Catie Offerman

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    Catie Offerman (Thanksgiving) OC: …what I do. :17
    “I am so thankful for a lot of things. I think my family, the gift of being able to put music out this year has been huge for me. I think that’s something I’ve waited on for a really long time, and I’m so thankful for that. I’m thankful for my health and just being able to keep playing music and doing what I do.”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack says Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday, because she gets to just spend time with her family.

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    Caylee Hammack (Thanksgiving) OC: …favorite holiday. :27
    “Thanksgiving is the one holiday where we stay at home. We stay at my family’s house, and it’s just me, my mom and dad, my brother and sister and their families. We all sit around and just eat all day. And I love Thanksgiving because you don’t have to worry about getting gifts for people; you don’t have to worry about wrapping them. You just show up and you eat all day with the people you love. So, I absolutely love Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday.”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack talks about her favorite Thanksgiving dish.

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    Caylee Hammack (Thanksgiving eats) OC: …cranberry jelly. :15
    “My favorite Thanksgiving meal (dish) is definitely cornbread dressing. My mom makes the best, er, some people call it stuffing, but I’ve always called it dressing for some reason. But I love that with canned cranberry jelly.”

    Audio / Dalton Dover says this one dish HAS to be on the dinner table at Thanksgiving.

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    Dalton Dover (Thanksgiving eats) 1 OC: …at Thanksgiving. :04
    “Like I’m a big deviled eggs guy, so they got to be on the dinner table at Thanksgiving.”

    Audio / We asked Dalton Dover who makes the deviled eggs at Thanksgiving.

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    Dalton Dover (Thanksgiving eats) 2 OC: …best. :02
    “My grandma, and she makes the absolute best (deviled eggs).”

    Audio / Darius Rucker talks about his favorite part of Thanksgiving.

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    Darius Rucker (favorite part of Thanksgiving) OC: …my family. :17
    “My favorite part of Thanksgiving is easy – it’s food. It’s eating. It’s hanging out with family and getting some great food, ‘cause that’s really what Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for all of the great things you’ve got, and I always give thanks for the greatest thing I’ve got and that’s my family.”

     

    Audio / Zealous football fan Darius Rucker says Thanksgiving is his favorite sporting day of the year.

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    Darius Rucker (Thanksgiving Day favorite sporting day) OC: …big for me. :10
    “Thanksgiving Day is my favorite sports day of the year. It’s crazy how much football you get to watch (laughs) on Thanksgiving Day, so I really like that a lot. Thanksgiving is big for me.”

     

    Audio / Dierks Bentley, who is thankful for his wife, two daughters and son, talks about his Thanksgiving must-have! It’s an oldie, but a goodie!

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    Dierks Bentley (Thanksgiving must-have) OC: …for Thanksgiving. :34
    “You gotta have a big turkey. Thanksgiving is not possible without a turkey. We cook it traditionally, but when we’re in, a couple of Thanksgivings ago, we were here in Nashville, we did the whole fry the turkey up, and it was great. It just tasted so good; all those juices get locked in there, and I love that too. You really can’t, to me, cook a turkey wrong. I’m gonna eat it any way, and I have over the years. Trust me, I’ve played a lot of county and state fairs, where I’ve seen gigantic turkey legs, you know, I’ve had the flat meat. I’ve done turkey every way you could do it. I’m pretty good any way you want to cook it up, but you’ve got to have a turkey for Thanksgiving.”

    Audio / Jordan Davis talks about his childhood Thanksgiving traditions.

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    Jordan Davis (Thanksgiving) OC: …lot of football. :12
    “When I was growing up at Thanksgiving, we just got all the family together. You know, did the traditional turkey, ham, all the sides, but it was always at either one of my grandparents’ house. Just a lot of family, a lot of food and a lot of football.”

    Audio / Jordan Davis says his favorite Thanksgiving side dish makes him happy all year round.

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    Jordan Davis (Thanksgiving side dish) 2 OC: …Cheese guy. :09
    “My favorite Thanksgiving side dish – Macaroni and Cheese – anytime. Thanksgiving, a random Tuesday. I don’t care. I’m a Macaroni and Cheese guy.”

    Audio / Jordan Davis says one of his new favorite Thanksgiving traditions is frying a turkey.

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    Jordan Davis (Thanksgiving turkey) OC: …most forward to. :11
    “Favorite Thanksgiving tradition for me? I just recently got into frying the turkey, so I’m the turkey-frying guy, and I’m getting pretty good at it. So, I would have to say that’s my thing that I look most forward to.”

     

    Audio / Jordan Davis talks about the Davis family Thanksgiving.

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    Jordan Davis (Thanksgiving memory) OC: …really special. :17
    “A typical Thanksgiving in the Davis household growing up – we would always go to East Texas to my grandparents’ house. You know, during the day, me and my grandfather would always go fish. My grandma would always have a huge spread, and just get to spend time around a lot of family members I don’t get to see a lot of, so they were always really special.”

    Audio / Josh Turner shares his favorite Thanksgiving side dish.

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    Josh Turner (fave side dish) OC: …’em myself. [laughs] :24
    “Uh, deviled eggs! [laughs] Where I’m from in South Carolina, I don’t think I’ve tasted a bad deviled egg. It’s like everybody has their own twist on it, but they’re all good, but I always loved it when my mama made ‘em. I’m learning as I get older, making deviled eggs is no easy task. It’s more complicated than it looks, and so that’s probably why I never made ‘em myself.” [laughs]

    Audio / Josh Turner explains what he enjoys about the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

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    Josh Turner (holidays) OC: …the peace and quiet. :38
    “I love being outside in nature and the outdoors, and the holidays is a great time for me to go and partake in that part of my life. A lot of times, Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s a little cold to go fishing, but when it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s a great time to go hunting, especially in South Carolina, that’s when the temperatures are starting to drop and the conditions are getting right, and especially in November, kind of the tail end of the rut, as far as deer season. So, it’s a good time to get in the deer stand whether you kill anything or not, it’s just a great time to just get away from everything and get away from the noise and the lights and the diesel fumes [laughs] and just relax and just enjoy the peace and quiet.”

    Audio / Keith Urban's First Thanksgiving

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    My first Thanksgiving actually was with a family who, it was the Crane family. I was friends with the guy called Billy Crane and his brother was the guitarist in Charlie Daniels band. And so the Crane family, very, very, very Southern, that was my first Thanksgiving and it was the greatest experience because first of all, I realized like, I make sure you don’t eat two days before Thanksgiving. Don’t eat anything for two days because not only are there going to be like eight dishes all brought by all the relatives. All the relatives are watching to see if you eat their dish. And Billy Crane was saying to me, oh, you got to try this, you got to try that. And I’m like, I’m good. And I go, no, no, no, I’m saying you have because they’re watching. It was awesome.

    Audio / The members of Little Big Town love Thanksgiving since they get time off to be with their families.

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    LBT (Thanksgiving) 2 OC: (Kimberly) …and eat. :31
    KIMBERLY: “Thanksgiving—we love Thanksgiving, ‘cause we get to be with our families and we don’t often get to spend time with our families, our extended families, until the holidays. I love being around the table with my family and talking and laughing and cooking and eating…” JIMI: “And eating and eating and eating and eating…” PHILLIP: “The laughter around the eating, the good cheer, the celebration, the music…” JIMI: “The eating, going taking a nap, then coming back and eating.” KIMBERLY: “Go to bed with a full belly, take a nap, and then get up and eat.”

    Audio / Maddie & Tae talk about their Thanksgiving traditions.

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    Maddie & Tae (Thanksgiving) OC: (TAE) …I do. :41
    MADDIE: “I love Thanksgiving because I get to see my family, and it’s not as much pressure as Christmas I feel like because there are no gifts exchanged. It’s just all about quality time and I love quality time. My favorite dish is some broccoli-cheese casserole and Tae’s favorite dish, I know, is cranberry sauce, just plain. Just plain ole cranberry sauce, no turkey, just cranberry sauce.” TAE: “She knows.” MADDIE: “That’s it.” TAE: “I genuinely feel there’s something wrong with me. (MADDIE: “Out of the can.”) out of the can. My parents know just to have cranberry sauce for me, like no one else can touch it. There’s a home video where my brother Mason tries to eat it, and I’m like, ‘What are you doing? This is mine.’” MADDIE: “She eats it out of the can.” TAE: “I do.”

    Audio / Mickey Guyton talks about one of her favorite Thanksgiving traditions.

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    Mickey Guyton (Thanksgiving traditions) OC: …Thanksgiving traditions. :17
    “One of my Thanksgiving traditions is playing charades after Thanksgiving dinner. I’m not the most competitive person in the world, but as soon as you put some Charades in the picture, I am crazy, and you will definitely want to be on my team if we’re playing Charades. I’m just saying. So, that’s one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions.”

     

    Audio / Mickey Guyton reveals her favorite Thanksgiving dish.

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    Mickey Guyton (favorite Thanksgiving dish) OC: …both so much! :39
    “My favorite Thanksgiving dish that has to, has to, has to be at Thanksgiving dinner is dessert. Dessert is my favorite Thanksgiving dish. I mean, it doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s sweet. My mom actually makes an Italian cream cake that’s absolutely awesome. It’s homemade, and the entire family, that’s the first thing to go at Thanksgiving dinner. And my Grandma D, she makes a pecan pie that is awesome. She taught me how to make them when I was little, and I just love them, and that’s the other thing that I look forward to at Thanksgiving dinner, and I love them both so much!”

    Audio / Parker McCollum talks about his family’s Thanksgiving tradition.

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    Parker McCollum (Thanksgiving tradition) OC: …go there. :27
    “I mean, my parents have been split up for a long time, but they’re all from the same town. My mom and dad went to high school together and all that stuff and all the family still lives back there on both sides. So, we kind of do a Thanksgiving with my dad’s side of the family, but all my life, we’ve always gone to my mom’s parents’ house on Thanksgiving, and they got a big ole house and a bunch of property and it’s really where I grew up is right there. That’s kind of home for me, so that’s kind of our thing. We always go there.”

    Audio / One of Parker McCollum’s favorite dishes at Thanksgiving is his Aunt’s creamed corn.

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    Parker McCollum (Thanksgiving eats) OC: …creamed corn. Mmm hmmm. :04
    “My Aunt’s creamed corn is pretty bomb. I love creamed corn. Mmm hmmm.”

    Audio / Priscilla Block describes a typical Thanksgiving holiday with her family.

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    Priscilla Block (Thanksgiving) OC: …so much. :34
    “Thanksgiving has always been chaos, actually any holiday that my entire family is there is straight chaos. But for Thanksgiving, we all try so hard to be together and it’s such a fun holiday to, my family’s a little cheesy. Like, we actually still go around the table and being like, ‘What are you thankful for?’ ‘What are you thankful for?’ So, that means a lot where it’s not about presents, it’s not about anything else. It’s just about truly being thankful, and that’s why I love Thanksgiving so much.”

     

    Audio / Reba McEntire explains what she's most thankful for this year.

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    Reba McEntire (Thankful) OC: …happy camper. :39
    “Omigosh I wake up in the morning grateful that I can, that I’m alive, I can breathe, I can move, I can get out of bed on my own. (I’m) very grateful for the lifestyle that I have and if anybody needs help, please Lord please, direct me in what you want me to do. Just grateful for getting Rex in my life, my family being healthy and happy, my friends being healthy and happy. I’ve got a great job and people I love and get to work with, and I’ve got a huge faith. So, no matter what happens to me, I know where I’m going, so I’m a happy camper.”

    Audio / Sam Hunt talks about his favorite Thanksgiving eats.

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    Sam Hunt (Thanksgiving eats) OC: …disappears. :12
    “When I pile my plate up, it’s mostly turkey and then I’ll put a little dressing on the side, and I’ll usually go ahead and grab my dessert on the first run [laughs] and have it ready before it all disappears.”

    Audio / Travis Denning talks about a typical Thanksgiving holiday growing up.

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    Travis Denning (typical Thanksgiving holiday) OC: …a lot of people. :22
    “A typical Thanksgiving growing up was essentially and the men of the family – Dad and Uncle Mike and my granddaddy — watching football, while grandmama and my mom pretty much yelled at each other in the kitchen the whole day. But they threw down and made the best food you could ever imagine, which you know is kind of how it is for a lot of people.”

    Audio / Travis Denning talks about his ideal Thanksgiving menu.

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    Travis Denning (Thanksgiving menu) OC: …then beer. :17
    “The ideal Thanksgiving menu to me is a little bit of turkey, but definitely prioritizing ham. I’m a firm believer in ham at Thanksgiving. Squash casserole, broccoli casserole, stuffing and then beer.”

    Audio / Tyler Hubbard talks about his favorite Thanksgiving traditions.

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    Tyler Hubbard (Thanksgiving) OC: …I love it. :22
    “Favorite Thanksgiving tradition for me is probably just getting together with family, having a big meal and watching a little football and taking a nice long nap. I mean, we didn’t reinvent the wheel with Thanksgiving by any means. But my Nanny (grandmother) does make a pretty mean sweet potato casserole, so that’s one of my favorites that I look forward to and I don’t know if that’s a tradition or not, but in my head it is. I love it.”

    Audio / Tyler Hubbard This Year's Thanksgiving

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    Tyler Hubbard (Thanksgiving 2024) OC: …be grateful. :47
    “This year’s Thanksgiving, it’s a time to reflect and I feel like I have a lot to be thankful for. This year’s been incredible. On the personal front, on the professional front, I have so much to be grateful. (I) got to do my first headline tour. I got to put out my second album, got to go to Australia and Canada and yeah, it’s just been a great year. I had a lot of great time with the family, as well, got to go on some great trips and so I’m just in a place of gratitude all around. Life is good, and I can think back to times when life wasn’t so sweet and life was a lot more difficult, so this is truly a time where I’m just reflecting and being grateful for the things in my life – my kiddos, my wife, our house and just the time together. Anyway, it’s been a great year, and I’m excited to shut it down for a little bit of time and just reflect and be grateful.”

     

     

     

  • CMA AWARDS 2023

    The 57th Annual CMA Awards take place on Wednesday (November 8th), and UMG Nashville will be represented in many of the night’s categories, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist, Group, Duo, Single, Song, Music Video, Musical Event and New Artist.

    With three nominations, Chris Stapleton, the reigning CMA Male Vocalist of the Year, returns to both Entertainer and Male Vocalist categories, marking his seventh Entertainer nod and ninth Male Vocalist nomination. He is also up for Musical Event with Carly Pearce on the song “We Don’t Fight Anymore.” Chris has 34 career nominations.

    Jordan Davis is nominated for Single, Song and Music Video of the Year for his multi-week No. 1 smash, “Next Thing You Know.” The song, produced by Paul DiGiovanni, was written by Jordan, Greylan James, Chase McGill and Josh Osborne.

    Carrie Underwood is once again nominated for Entertainer of the Year, while Parker McCollum is up for New Artist of the Year.

    Last year, Brothers Osborne picked up their fifth CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year and are once again nominated in the category.

    Brothers’ John Osborne is also nominated as producer AND Mix Engineer of Ashley McBryde’s album, Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville. 

    Maddie & Tae return to the Vocal Duo of the Year category, while The War And Treaty earn their first CMA nod in the category.

    Little Big Town earns their 18th nomination in the Vocal Group Of The Year category, which they’ve taken home six times. This is their 32nd CMA nomination overall.

    CMA PERFORMERS INCLUDE:
    Luke Bryan – a medley of his hits, including “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” “One Margarita,” “That’s My Kind Of Night,” “Play It Again” and “Country Girl (Shake It For Me),”
    Chris Stapleton — performing his latest single “White Horse”)
    Jordan Davis – multi-week No. 1 smash “Next Thing You Know”
    Little Big Town will join newly-minted Country Music Hall of Famer Tanya Tucker on her iconic hit “Delta Dawn.”
    Alan Jackson – the 16-time CMA Award winner will perform during a tribute to recently passed singer-songwriter icon Jimmy Buffett. The tribute will also feature Kenny Chesney, longtime Coral Reefer Band member Mac McAnally and the Zac Brown Band.
    The War And Treaty, first-time nominee this year for Vocal Duo of the Year, will perform their song “That’s How Love Is Made.”

    Other artists who will take the stage to perform include previously announced performers — Jelly Roll, Old Dominion, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, Carly Pearce, Tanya Tucker, K. Michelle,  Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, HARDY, Cody Johnson, Post Malone, Ashley McBryde and Morgan Wallen.

    CMA PRESENTERS INCLUDE:

    Keith Urban, Darius Rucker, Jordan Davis, Parker McCollum, Nate Bargatze, Bill Anderson, Paula Abdul, Chris Young, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Hailey Whitters, Craig Morgan, Lady A, Brian Kelley, Tony award-nominated actor currently starring in the hit Broadway musical “Shucked,” Kevin Cahoon, Emmy and Tony award-winning and Oscar-nominated actress, singer, author and producer, Cynthia Erivo, 2023 World Series MVP, Corey Seager and “The Golden Bachelor,” Gerry Turner.

    The 57th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and NFL great Peyton Manning, will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 8th at 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC and the next day on Hulu.

     

    CMA AWARDS NOMINATIONS:

    Entertainer of The Year:

    • Luke Combs
    • Chris Stapleton
    • Carrie Underwood
    • Morgan Wallen
    • Lainey Wilson

    Female Vocalist of the Year:

    • Kelsea Ballerini
    • Miranda Lambert
    • Ashley McBryde
    • Carly Pearce
    • Lainey Wilson

    Male Vocalist of the Year:

    • Luke Combs
    • Jelly Roll
    • Cody Johnson
    • Chris Stapleton
    • Morgan Wallen

    Vocal Group of the Year:

    • Lady A
    • Little Big Town  
    • Midland
    • Old Dominion
    • Zac Brown Band

    Vocal Duo Of The Year:

    • Brooks & Dunn
    • Brothers Osborne  
    • Dan + Shay
    • Maddie & Tae
    • The War And Treaty

    Single of the Year:

    • “Fast Car”; Luke Combs; Producer: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathon Singleton; Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
    • “Heart Like A Truck”; Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
    • “Need A Favor”; Jelly Roll; Producer: Austin Nivarel; Mix Engineer: Jeff Braun
    • “Next Thing You Know”; Jordan Davis; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
    • “Wait In The Truck”; Hardy f/Lainey Wilson; Producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells; Mix Engineer: Joey Moi

    Album of the Year:

    • Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville; Producers: John Osborne, John Peets; Mix Engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne
    • Bell Bottom Country; Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
    • Gettin’ Old; Luke Combs; Producers Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews
    • One Thing At A Time; Morgan Wallen Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery Mix Engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind Nordland
    • Rolling Up the Welcome Mat; Kelsea Ballerini Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym; Mix Engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa Vanderheym

    Song of the Year:

    • “Fast Car”; Songwriter: Tracy Chapman
    • “Heart Like A Truck”; Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson
    • “Next Thing You Know”  Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne
    • “Tennessee Orange”; Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams
    • “Wait In The Truck”; Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt

    Musical Event Of The Year:

    • “Save Me”; Jelly Roll w/Lainey Wilson; Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
    • “She Had Me At Heads Carolina (Remix)” Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina; Producer: Zach Crowell
    • “Thank God”; Kane Brown w/Katelyn Brown; Producer: Dann Huff
    • “Wait In The Truck”; Hardy f/Lainey Wilson; Producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
    • “We Don’t Fight Anymore”; Carly Pearce f/Chris Stapleton; Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce

    New Artist of the Year:

    • Zach Bryan
    • Jelly Roll
    • Parker McCollum
    • Megan Moroney
    • Hailey Whitters

    Musician of the Year:

    • Jenee Fleenor
    • Paul Franklin
    • Rob McNelley
    • Derek Wells
    • Charlie Worsham

    Music Video of the Year

    • “Light On In The Kitchen”; Ashley McBryde; Director: Reid Long
    • “Memory Lane”; Old Dominion; Directors: Mason Allen, Nicki Fletcher
    • “Need A Favor”; Jelly Roll; Director: Patrick Tohill
    • “Next Thing You Know”; Jordan Davis; Director: Running Bear
    • “Wait In The Truck”; Hardy f/Lainey Wilson; Director: Justin Clough

     

     

    Audio / LUKE BRYAN TALKS ABOUT CO-HOSTING THE CMA AWARDS WITH PEYTON MANNING FOR A SECOND YEAR.

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    Luke Bryan (co-hosting with Peyton for second time) OC: …great night. :48
    “I thought we did a great job together. I think he is a crazy – no pun intended – he’s a crazy pro-preparer and he knows his brand; I know my brand. He’s a little drier humor, and I’m a little more slapstick, I guess, maybe that’s the way to say it. So, I think the partnership of he and I and when we wrapped after the show, all the producers, everybody was raving, and obviously the ratings were great, and the show was great. And I think we just gotta take what Peyton and I learned from last year and build upon it and make a great show. And like I said, I knew we did a good job when they were trying to lock me and Peyton down that night for the following year. So, it was a great night, and we were excited about it. So, it’s gonna be another great night.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan talks about co-hosting the CMA Awards with Peyton Manning.

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    Luke Bryan (co-hosting CMAs with Peyton) OC: …stress away. :50
    “The thing about co-hosting with Peyton is all gloves are off. We can cut up with one another, have a little fun, roast each other a little bit, but it takes a little pressure off during the night – even if I’ve got a performance, then Peyton can do one of the segments while I get a little more time to get ready for the performance and coming back in and out. But the bottom line is it’s gonna be a fun thing to share with Peyton, it’s gonna be fun to be backstage, kind of toasting right before we go out and he’s a pro and hopefully I’m a pro at this point. I still try to be a kid about all this, but I do have to take it serious now and then. But, yeah, I think having someone else to share some of the duties takes a little bit of the stress of it all being all on me, takes a little bit of the stress away.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan talks about hosting this year’s CMA Awards.

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    Luke Bryan (hosting the CMA Awards) OC: …chance to do. :31
    “To be a representative of the music that I love, to be someone to carry on a tradition and to be the host and conduct this show with elegance, class, humor, reverence, to really make the show an example of country music and to represent the show to the best of my ability to the people watching at home is a big task and it’s something I’m so honored to have the chance to do.”

    Audio / Chris Stapleton, who is up for three CMA Awards including Entertainer of the Year, says he’s always grateful for the moment of recognition.

    Download

    Chris Stapleton (grateful for awards) OC: …grateful for the moment. :30
    “Well I’ll take ’em home with me I guess once they send ’em. Yeah, I guess you have to at some point, but it still is a very… I’m thankful for it and it’s very nice and there’s a lot of great people doing a lot of great things making a lot of great music and working really hard and so when you get this kind of a thing going, I don’t think anybody deserves it. It’s a lot of luck and a lot of stars lining up so, I’m grateful for the moment.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood is honored to be nominated for CMA Entertainer of the Year.

    Download

    Carrie Underwood (CMA Entertainer nod) OC: …that category. :47
    “It is, I mean, obviously such an honor to be nominated in Entertainer of the Year. Obviously, that’s such a tough category to be in, ‘cause there’s just so, I don’t even want to call it competition, there’s just so many hard-working artists out there that are just you know pouring themselves and their time and their energy and their love and their artistry into what they do. You know, obviously just to even be in the final category is just absolutely amazing and hopefully, above all, we can all just remember that it’s a celebration of a great year in country music and in our careers as artists, so we’ll just see what happens, but definitely excited to be in that category.”

    Audio / Jordan Davis is nominated for three CMA Awards including Single, Song and Music Video of the Year.

    Download

    Jordan Davis (CMA 2023 reaction) OC: …home an award. :28
    “So, when I found out about my nominations for ‘Next Thing You Know,’ I was on the road. It was early. My buddy woke me up and gave me the news. I mean, I was shocked. I did not expect to be up for three CMAs. This song has just really taken on a life of its own. I’m super grateful and humbled to have three nominations at the CMA—biggest night in Country Music, and really excited to be a part of it and pumped to see if this song can bring home an award.”

    Audio / Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne talks about the pair’s nomination for Duo of the Year.

    Download

    Brothers Osborne (CMA Awards) OC: …awesome family. :49
    JOHN: “The Duo category can go any which way. I mean, you look at us, comparatively speaking, we’re kind of maybe somewhere in the middle in terms of the numbers and I don’t know (laughs) what it is. I don’t really know why we’re holding these up here and it’s super rad and I’m definitely going to be putting this on my mantle. I think one of the most amazing pieces of advice I was ever given was to work hard and be nice to people, and I think that’s why we have these. We work really hard, and we try to be respectful to everyone around us. And one of the things that I love about the country music genre is that it’s a family and we’re all really, really close. We’re all a bunch of misfits thrown together. We’re all a little different, but we love one another and respect one another. I’m just honored for the both of us to be a part of this awesome family.”

    Audio / Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne talks about his CMA nomination for Producer and Mix Engineer for Album of the Year for Ashley McBryde’s Lindeville.

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    Brothers Osborne (John’s nomination with Ashley McBryde) OC: …means the world. :55
    “It means the world, you know. We didn’t know when making that album if it would do anything, and for it to have been nominated, well it was nominated for a Grammy for Country Album as well. It’s awesome. I mean, we worked really, really, really hard on that, and we were doing it at a time where we were also working, so I spread myself way too thin, but I love, I love going out and playing our shows, I love writing our songs, but I love everything. I cannot make enough music. I I’ve always been like that since I was a kid. And then to get recognized for it is amazing. You don’t ever make it, that’s not your intended purpose. Your intended purpose is to make something that you love and are proud of, but to have the industry show their love, it means the world too. It’s just I love, just as much as touring and playing shows, I love getting in the studio and tinkering as well, and I wish there were more hours in the day to do both more. I just cannot get enough of it, so it’s certainly a high honor. It means the world.”

    Audio / LITTLE BIG TOWN’S KIMBERLY SCHLAPMAN SAYS SHE VIVIDLY REMEMBERS WINNING THEIR FIRST CMA AWARD IN 2012.

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    LBT (1st CMA Award) OC: …person there. :42
    “I remember almost everything about winning our first CMA Award. I remember being on the stage, our name is called, we’d been waiting a long, long time for that one. I think we made fools of ourselves pretty much because we were so crazy excited. I remember most vividly as we were standing up there, all of our friends in Nashville standing up on the floor giving us a round of applause, and I think that’s one of the most humble moments we’ve had in the band, ‘cause so many people have cheered us on for so many years and it was like, the whole town of Nashville was part of that award, not just us, but we shared that with every single person there.”

    Audio / Maddie & Tae's Taylor Kerr talks about awards nominations.

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    Maddie & Tae (Awards nominations) OC: …makes sense. :49
    “Nominations are so cool, whether it’s fan-voted or industry-voted. I think the weight it carries for Maddie and I is just like validation. I think when you’re head-down working on something and (it’s) kind of hard to look at it from a broad perspective and kind of see what other people are seeing. So, whenever you get a pat on the back with a nomination, it’ just like hey, you know, we’re doing something notable. We’re doing something that people are noticing and appreciating. So, we must be doing something right, and it definitely feels good. It doesn’t carry the weight of make or break, because we’ve had to sort of let that go, ‘cause obviously, we would love to win, but if that doesn’t happen for us, we know we’re still meant to be where we are, if that makes sense.”

     

    Audio / The War And Treaty (CMA 2023 reaction) OC: (MICHAEL) …This is crazy. :24 NOTE: quick cutoff at the end

    Download

    TANYA: “I can’t believe you got up and you gave me the phone (Michael laughs). The first thing you did, you passed me the phone and I started crying.” MICHAEL: “Text messages from everyone. Like to think, Oh My God, this is our first CMA nomination.” TANYA: “That’s insane.” MICHAEL: “WE.ARE.NOMINATED.FOR.A.CMA.” TANYA LAUGHS: “That’s crazy.” MICHAEL: “Are you serious?” TANYA: “I mean, all I can say is thank you to the fans and everybody. Thank you so much.” MICHAEL: “This is crazy.”

    Audio / CMA New Artist of the Year nominee Parker McCollum says he’s truly humbled and grateful for his success.

    Download

    Parker McCollum (grateful for his success) OC: …part of it all. :48
    “You know, not really like giddy about it or anything, but you know I’d just be flying home or something and be like damn, not bad for a kid from Conroe, Texas and no college degree and told everybody he was moving to Austin to be a country singer. Everybody looked at him like he had two heads. It’s certainly humbling and trying to be intentionally grateful. You know, I’m just incredibly blessed and done more and made more and been more places than I ever thought I would by 30 years old. So, it’s crazy, and you know truly the biggest thing for me is making my family proud and that’s a pretty cool feeling to see like how like they can’t believe it.  It’s crazy.  And that really is like the dopest part of it all.”

     

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan, Luke Grimes, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Parker McCollum

    Backstage at her Grand Ole Opry appearance, Reba McEntire was presented with a plaque for her song “Fancy.” It has been certified double-platinum and has more than 400 Million Streams.

    Luke Bryan was hosts the new special, DOLLY PARTON – FROM RHINESTONES TO ROCK & ROLL, on Tuesday (November 7th) at 10:01pm ET/9:01pm CT. The one-hour special , which features an in-depth interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, features appearances by Sting, Pat Benatar and husband Neil Giraldo, Keith Urban, Darius Rucker, Jordan Davis, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Carly Pearce, Luke Combs and Cody Johnson, among others.

     

    Luke Grimes is scheduled to perform on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live (check local listings) on Wednesday (November 8th).

    Carrie Underwood is offering fans a special limited edition green vinyl of her Christmas album, My Gift. The new special edition version will include all 11 tracks from the 2020 version of the album, as well as three additional songs including “Favorite Time of Year,” “All Is Well” and “Let There Be Peace/Something In The Water” that she performed on her HBO MAX special, My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood. Click here for more information.

    https://twitter.com/carrieunderwood/status/1720467097833062830

     

    If you are looking to purchase a vinyl copy of Chris Stapleton‘s new album, Higher, you’ll be able to choose from SIX different color variants: translucent milky clear, cola bottle clear, opaque baby pink, opaque bone, opaque brown and standard black. Higher, featuring the superstar’s latest single “White Horse,” is available on Friday (November 10th).

     

    Parker McCollum showed CMT his tour bus, complete with recliners, bunks, drinks, Halloween candy and a humidifier, which has been a game changer for him. Check it out below.

     

     

     

     

  • PARKER MCCOLLUM ANNOUNCES 2024 BURN IT DOWN TOUR.

    Parker McCollum is set to embark on a 41-date U.S. Burn It Down Tour 2024, bringing his electrifying live performance to audiences across the nation. Produced by Emporium Presents, the tour will kick off on January 18th at Spokane Arena in Spokane, WA making stops in Dayton, New Orleans, Indianapolis, and more before wrapping up in Corpus Christi, TX at American Bank Center Arena on August 31st. In addition, joining McCollum on select dates throughout the tour will be special guests Corey Kent, Larry Fleet, George Birge and Catie Offerman.

    https://twitter.com/ParkerMcCollum/status/1712872564303749422

     

    McCollum shared, “2024 is going to be the biggest and best show we have ever put together. I can’t wait for all the fans to come see what we are working up. The Burn It Down Tour is going to be absolutely epic.”

    The tour announcement comes on the heels of McCollum’s latest release, the critically acclaimed album “Never Enough” (released on May 12th via MCA Nashville) which includes his RIAA certified Platinum hit, “Handle On You,” and his explosive current radio single, “Burn It Down.” Most recently, he was notably nominated for New Artist of the Year at the 57th Annual CMA Awards.

    TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with presales beginning October 17th. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, October 20th at 10am local time and varies by city*; check local listings at EmporiumPresents.com  for more information.

    Burn It Down Tour 2024:

    Thu Jan 18 | Spokane, WA | Spokane Arena
    Fri Jan 19 | Everett, WA | Angel Of The Winds Arena
    Sat Jan 20 | Eugene, OR | Matthew Knight Arena
    Thu Jan 25 | West Valley City, UT | Maverik Center
    Fri Jan 26 | Idaho Falls, ID | Hero Arena Inside The Mountain America Center
    Sat Jan 27 | Billings, MT | First Interstate Arena at MetraPark
    Thu Feb 01 | Peoria, IL | Peoria Civic Center
    Fri Feb 02 | Huntington, WV | Mountain Health Arena
    Sat Feb 03 | West Lafayette, IN | Elliott Hall of Music
    Thu Feb 08 | Kalamazoo, MI | Wings Event Center
    Fri Feb 09 | Dayton, OH | Nutter Center
    Sat Feb 10 | St. Louis, MO | Chaifetz Arena
    Fri Mar 01 | Columbia, SC | Colonial Life Arena
    Sat Mar 02 | Savannah, GA | Enmarket Arena
    Thu Apr 04 | Abilene, TX | Taylor County Expo Center
    Fri Apr 05 | Edinburg, TX | Bert Ogden Arena
    Tue Apr 11 | New Orleans, LA | Smoothie King Center
    Sat Apr 12 | Lake Charles, LA | Lake Charles Civic Center
    Sat Apr 13 | Waco, TX | Touchdown Alley at McClane Stadium
    Tue Apr 18 | Roanoke, VA | Berglund Center
    Fri Apr 19 | Greensboro, NC | White Oak Amphitheatre
    Thu May 02 | Salina, KS | Tony’s Pizza Events Center
    Fri May 03 | Rogers, AR | Walmart AMP
    Sat May 04 | Columbia, MO | Mizzou Arena
    Fri May 24 | Saratoga Springs, NY | Broadview Stage at SPAC
    Sat May 25 | Gilford, NH | Bank of NH Pavilion
    Sun May 26 | Bangor, ME | Maine Savings Amp
    Sat Jun 01 | Jacksonville, FL | Daily’s Place
    Sat Jun 08 | Detroit, MI | Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
    Thu Jun 27 | Des Moines, IA | Wells Fargo Arena
    Fri Jun 28 | Indianapolis, IN | TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
    Sat Jun 29 | Kansas City, MO | Starlight Theatre
    Tue Jul 18 | Brandon, MS | Brandon Amphitheater
    Fri Jul 19 | Orange Beach, AL | The Wharf Amphitheater
    Thu Aug 15 | Nampa, ID | Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
    Fri Aug 16 | Bend, OR | Hayden Homes Amphitheater
    Sat Aug 17 | Ridgefield, WA | RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
    Fri Aug 23 | Rio Rancho, NM | Rio Rancho Events Center
    Sun Aug 25 | Morrison, CO | Red Rocks Amphitheatre
    Fri Aug 30 | College Station, TX | Reed Arena
    Sat Aug 31 | Corpus Christi, TX | American Bank Center Arena

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Reba McEntire, Eric Church, Jon Pardi, Parker McCollum, Darius Rucker

    Reba McEntire appeared on NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers on Wednesday night (October 12th). She talked about The Voice, her mom, her new album and book, Not That Fancy: Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating and Dusting Off Your Boots, her favorite tater tots “recipe,” the corn mazes reflecting her image and her restaurant, Reba’s Place.

     

    This weekend, Eric Church, Jon Pardi, Parker McCollum and Maren Morris are set to headline the 2023 GoldenSky Country Music Festival at Discovery Park In Sacramento, California. Jon and Maren lead the way on Saturday (October 14th), while Eric and Parker will be the closers on Sunday (October 15th). Jordan Davis, Lainey Wilson, Wynonna Judd, Jackson Dean, Megan Moroney and many others will also perform.

    Darius Rucker performed “Have A Good Time” from his new album, Carolyn’s Boy, on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Thursday night (October 13th).

     

    Darius Rucker will livestream his last show on his Starting Fires Tour from Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater on Saturday (October 14th). Tickets are available now at veeps.com.

    Darius has a few more upcoming media appearances including:

    • October 17th: ABC “ABC News Live Prime”
    • October 23rd: NBC “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (interview only)
    • November 1st: ABC “Nightline”

     

     

  • PARKER MCCOLLUM ENJOYS HIS FIRST-EVER NO. 1 PARTY HIGHLIGHTING MULTIPLE ACCOLADES.

    Parker McCollum was feted by the music industry at his inaugural No. 1 party in Nashville on Wednesday (September 13th). The Conroe, Texas native didn’t just celebrate one No. 1 song, but three consecutive chart-topping hits.

    Hosted by BMI, Parker, his producer Jon Randall and all songwriters were brought to the stage for remarks. While Parker served as a co-writer on each song, Randy Montana was highlighted for the success behind the singer’s double-platinum debut single “Pretty Heart,” followed by Rhett Akins for his follow-up platinum-certified No. 1 single, “To Be Loved By You,” and Monty Criswell for the platinum-certified No. 1, “Handle On You.” Parker was also surprised with certification plaques that encompassed all his recent achievements, including additional gold certifications for “Young Man’s Blues” and Gold Chain Cowboy.

    Along with headlining his own tour this summer, the CMA-nominated star will play stadiums with Morgan Wallen on Wallen’s One Night at a Time World Tour.

    Parker is currently making waves at radio with his latest smash, “Burn It Down.”

    Audio / Parker McCollum talks about seeing all of his hard work pay off.

    Download

    Parker McCollum (building career) OC: …pay off. :59

  • CMA NOMINATIONS HAVE BEEN REVEALED; CHRIS STAPLETON AND JORDAN DAVIS GARNER 3 NODS EACH.

    The nominees for “The 57th Annual CMA Awards” have been announced. Lainey Wilson leads the list with nine nominations. Chris Stapleton and Jordan Davis have three apiece.

    Chris, the reigning CMA Male Vocalist of the Year,  returns to both Entertainer and Male Vocalist categories, marking his seventh Entertainer nod and ninth Male Vocalist nomination. He is also up for Musical Event with Carly Pearce on the song “We Don’t Fight Anymore.” Chris has 34 career nominations.

    Jordan is nominated for Single, Song and Music Video of the Year for his multi-week No. 1 smash, “Next Thing You Know.” The song, produced by Paul DiGiovanni, was written by Jordan, Greylan James, Chase McGill and Josh Osborne.

     

     

    Carrie Underwood is once again nominated for Entertainer of the Year, while Parker McCollum is up for New Artist of the Year.

    Brothers Osborne and Maddie & Tae return to the Duo of the Year category, while The War And Treaty earn their first CMA nod in the category. Brothers’ John Osborne is also nominated as producer AND Mix Engineer of Ashley McBryde’s album, Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville. 

     

    Little Big Town earns their 18th nomination in the Vocal Group Of The Year category, which they’ve taken home six times. This is their 32nd CMA nomination overall.

     

    Entertainer of The Year:

    • Luke Combs
    • Chris Stapleton
    • Carrie Underwood
    • Morgan Wallen
    • Lainey Wilson

    Female Vocalist of the Year:

    • Kelsea Ballerini
    • Miranda Lambert
    • Ashley McBryde
    • Carly Pearce
    • Lainey Wilson

    Male Vocalist of the Year:

    • Luke Combs
    • Jelly Roll
    • Cody Johnson
    • Chris Stapleton
    • Morgan Wallen

    Vocal Group of the Year:

    • Lady A
    • Little Big Town  
    • Midland
    • Old Dominion
    • Zac Brown Band

    Vocal Duo Of The Year:

    • Brooks & Dunn
    • Brothers Osborne  
    • Dan + Shay
    • Maddie & Tae
    • The War And Treaty

    Single of the Year:

    • “Fast Car”; Luke Combs; Producer: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathon Singleton; Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
    • “Heart Like A Truck”; Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
    • “Need A Favor”; Jelly Roll; Producer: Austin Nivarel; Mix Engineer: Jeff Braun
    • “Next Thing You Know”; Jordan Davis; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
    • “Wait In The Truck”; Hardy f/Lainey Wilson; Producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells; Mix Engineer: Joey Moi

    Album of the Year:

    • Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville; Producers: John Osborne, John Peets; Mix Engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne
    • Bell Bottom Country; Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
    • Gettin’ Old; Luke Combs; Producers Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews
    • One Thing At A Time; Morgan Wallen Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery Mix Engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind Nordland
    • Rolling Up the Welcome Mat; Kelsea Ballerini Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym; Mix Engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa Vanderheym

    Song of the Year:

    • “Fast Car”; Songwriter: Tracy Chapman
    • “Heart Like A Truck”; Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson
    • “Next Thing You Know”; Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne
    • “Tennessee Orange”; Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams
    • “Wait In The Truck”; Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt

    Musical Event Of The Year:

    • “Save Me”; Jelly Roll w/Lainey Wilson; Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
    • “She Had Me At Heads Carolina (Remix)” Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina; Producer: Zach Crowell
    • “Thank God”; Kane Brown w/Katelyn Brown; Producer: Dann Huff
    • “Wait In The Truck”; Hardy f/Lainey Wilson; Producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
    • “We Don’t Fight Anymore”; Carly Pearce f/Chris Stapleton; Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce

    New Artist of the Year:

    • Zach Bryan
    • Jelly Roll
    • Parker McCollum
    • Megan Moroney
    • Hailey Whitters

    Musician of the Year:

    • Jenee Fleenor
    • Paul Franklin
    • Rob McNelley
    • Derek Wells
    • Charlie Worsham

    Music Video of the Year

    • “Light On In The Kitchen”; Ashley McBryde; Director: Reid Long
    • “Memory Lane”; Old Dominion; Directors: Mason Allen, Nicki Fletcher
    • “Need A Favor”; Jelly Roll; Director: Patrick Tohill
    • “Next Thing You Know”; Jordan Davis; Director: Running Bear
    • “Wait In The Truck”; Hardy f/Lainey Wilson; Director: Justin Clough

     

    The 57th CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena November 8th at 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC.

     

    Audio / JORDAN DAVIS TALKS ABOUT WRITING HIS TWO-WEEK NO. 1 SMASH, "NEXT THING YOU KNOW."

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    Jordan Davis (writing Next Thing You Know) OC: …song is today. :59
    “There’s a saying that says ‘raising kids – the days are long, the years are short,’ and that’s what this song is to me. I kind of came in wanting to write something like that, you know kind of a slow down time song, and Greylan had this idea. The idea initially was about going to a bar or going somewhere and meeting somebody and then just the progression of a relationship. I kind of hijacked the title and said, ‘Hey man. I love that title, but we’re going to write it in the sense of having kids, watching ‘em grow up and hopefully becoming a grandparent, you know? Chase McGill and Josh Osborne both have kiddos, and I think they kind of grabbed on it. Greylan, hats off to him. He’s the single kid of the group, so he was like, ‘Man, I’ll go there. I don’t know how much input I can be able to say in this, but I’ll go there with you.’ I mean, he’s a great writer, and it was fun to kind of see the title that he threw out evolve into what the song is today.”

    Audio / CHRIS STAPLETON SAYS HE’S ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR THE MOMENT OF RECOGNITION.

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    Chris Stapleton (grateful for awards) OC: …grateful for the moment. :30
    “Well I’ll take ’em home with me I guess once they send ’em Yeah I guess you have to at some point, but it still is a very… I’m thankful for it and it’s very nice and there’s a lot of great people doing a lot of great things making a lot of great music and working really hard and so when you get this kind of a thing going, I don’t think anybody deserves it. It’s a lot of luck and a lot of stars lining up so, I’m grateful for the moment.”

    Audio / Michael and Tanya Trotter of The War And Treaty react to their first CMA nomination.

    Download

    The War And Treaty (CMA 2023 reaction) OC: (MICHAEL) …This is crazy. :24 NOTE: quick cutoff at the end

    TANYA: “I can’t believe you got up and you gave me the phone (Michael laughs). The first thing you did, you passed me the phone and I started crying.” MICHAEL: “Text messages from everyone. Like to think, Oh My God, this is our first CMA nomination.” TANYA: “That’s insane.” MICHAEL: “WE.ARE.NOMINATED.FOR.A.CMA.” TANYA LAUGHS: “That’s crazy.” MICHAEL: “Are you serious?” TANYA: “I mean, all I can say is thank you to the fans and everybody. Thank you so much.” MICHAEL: “This is crazy.”

    Audio / From backstage at last year's CMA Awards, Brothers Osborne are giddy after winning the Duo of the Year Award.

    Download

    Brothers Osborne (CMA Award) OC: …awesome family. :49
    JOHN: “The Duo category can go any which way. I mean, you look at us, comparatively speaking, we’re kind of maybe somewhere in the middle in terms of the numbers. I don’t know what it is (laughs), I don’t know why we’re holding these up here, but it’s super rad and I’m definitely going to put this on my mantel. You know, I think one of the most amazing pieces of advice I was ever given was to work hard and be nice to people, and I think that’s why we have these. We work really hard and we try to be respectful to everyone around us. And one of the things I love about the country music genre is it’s family and we’re all really, really close. We’re all a bunch of misfits thrown together. We’re all a little different, but we love one another and respect one another, and I’m just honored for the both of us to be part of this awesome family.”

    Audio / CARRIE UNDERWOOD TALKS ABOUT HER CMA ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINATION.

    Download

    Carrie Underwood (CMA Entertainer nod) OC: …that category. :47
    “It is, I mean, obviously such an honor to be nominated in Entertainer of the Year. Obviously, that’s such a tough category to be in, ‘cause there’s just so, I don’t even want to call it competition, there’s just so many hard working artists out there that are just you know pouring themselves and their time and their energy and their love and their artistry into what they do. You know, obviously just to even be in the final category is just absolutely amazing and hopefully, above all, we can all just remember that it’s a celebration of a great year in country music and in our careers as artists, so we’ll just see what happens, but definitely excited to be in that category.”

  • LABOR DAY 2023 LINERS

    Audio / LINER Billy Currington (Labor Day)

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    Hey y’all! It’s Billy Currington, wishing you a very happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Brad Paisley (Labor Day)

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    Hey everybody, it’s Brad Paisley, wishing you a Happy and work-free Labor Day Weekend.

    Audio / LINER Brothers Osborne (Labor Day)

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    This is TJ, and I’m John, and we are Brothers Osborne, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (Labor Day Weekend)

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    Hey everyone! I’m Carrie Underwood, hoping you have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Catie Offerman (Labor Day Weekend)

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    Hey everybody! This is Catie Offerman, wishing you a fun and work-free Labor Day Weekend.

    Audio / LINER Caylee Hammack (Labor Day)

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    Hey y’all! This is Caylee Hammack. I’m wishing you a fun and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Dalton Dover (Labor Day)

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    Hey y’all, this is Dalton Dover, hoping you have a work-free Labor Day Weekend.

    Audio / LINER Darius Rucker (Labor Day)

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    Hey! It’s Darius Rucker, and I hope you have a have a happy work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Eric Church (Labor Day)

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    Hey! It’s Eric Church, and I hope you have a have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Jon Langston (Labor Day)

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    Hey! I’m Jon Langston. Hope you have a Happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Jon Pardi (Labor Day weekend)

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    Hey! It’s Jon Pardi, and I hope you have a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Jordan Davis (Labor Day)

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    Hey! I’m Jordan Davis, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Kacey Musgraves (Labor Day weekend)

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    Hey! It’s Kacey Musgraves, hoping you have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (Labor Day weekend)

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    Hi everybody! This is Keith Urban, wishing you a very happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Kip Moore (Labor Day)

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    Hey—what’s happening guys? This is Kip Moore, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day Weekend.

    Audio / LINER Kylie Morgan (Labor Day)

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    Hey, it’s Kylie Morgan, wishing you a fun and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER LBT (Labor Day)

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    Hi! We’re Little Big Town, hoping you have a work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Luke Bryan (Labor Day)

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    Hey! It’s Luke Bryan, and I hope you have a have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Maddie & Tae (Labor Day)

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    Hey everybody! I’m Maddie, and I’m Tae, and we’re Maddie & Tae, hoping you have a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Parker McCollum (Labor Day)

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    Hey everybody, I’m Parker McCollum, wishing you a work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Priscilla Block (Labor Day)

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    Hey, it’s Priscilla Block, wishing you a fun and work-free Labor Day Weekend.

    Audio / LINER Reba McEntire (Labor Day)

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    Hey everybody, this is Reba McEntire, wishing you and your family and all your friends a Happy Labor Day Weekend.

    Audio / LINER Sam Hunt (Labor Day)

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    Hey everybody! I’m Sam Hunt. Have a great and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER The War And Treaty (Labor Day)

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    Hey everybody, I’m Michael, and I’m Tanya, and we’re The War And Treaty, wishing you a Happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Travis Denning (Labor Day)

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    Hey y’all. It’s Travis Denning, hoping you have a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Tyler Hubbard (Labor Day)

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    Hey y’all, it’s Tyler Hubbard, wishing you a fun and work-free Labor Day Weekend.

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Luke Bryan, Parker McCollum, Carrie Underwood, Kacey Musgraves, The War And Treaty, Jon Pardi

    After the success of his Boldly Grown Popcorn last year, Luke Bryan continues his partnership with Fendt to launch Luke Bryan’s Boldly Grown Peanuts. Going back to his Georgia roots when he worked with his father at the family’s peanut mill, Luke has handpicked three different flavors of the Boldly Grown Peanuts — Homegrown Honey Roasted, Sizzlin’ Sriracha Ranch and Down South Dill. Boldly Grown Peanuts will go on sale at noon ET on Thursday, August 31, for $5 per can. In addition, Fendt will donate $50,000 to the National FFA Organization when supplies are gone. For more information and to purchase your own peanuts, go to boldlygrowngoods.com.

    Parker McCollum is set to perform on ABC’s Good Morning America on Tuesday (August 22nd). He will also appear on the network’s GMA3.

    You can go backstage and behind-the-scenes in Parker McCollum‘s tour diary on Grammy.com. Included are photos and commentary from the Texas star on his sold-out North American tour, which feature his childhood dream performance at Houston Rodeo to his most recent sold-out show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.

     

    Carrie Underwood returned to the Grand Ole Opry stage over the weekend, playing four times over the course of Friday (August 18th) and Saturday (August 19th). You can listen to her performance, including several of her biggest hits and selections from her latest album, Denim & Rhinestones, on Tuesday (August 22nd) at 9pm ET/8pm CT on Carrie’s Country on SiriusXM channel 60.

    Kacey Musgraves and The War And Treaty are featured guests on Zach Bryan’s forthcoming album scheduled for release August 25th. Kacey joins Zach on the song, “I Remember Everything,” while The War And Treaty are featured on the song, “Hey Driver.” The 15-track collection will also include appearances by The Lumineers and Sierra Ferrell.

    Jon Pardi‘s official music video for his latest single, “Your Heart Or Mine,” has hit No. 1 on CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown, as the song is making its way to the top of the country radio charts.

    https://twitter.com/cmtHot20/status/1693295740020236596

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Parker McCollum, Mickey Guyton

    Parker McCollum  just had a pinch-me moment when NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning came out on stage to sing Brooks and Dunn’s “Red Dirt Road” with him at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.

    https://twitter.com/WhiskeyRiff/status/1690009975362392067

     

    Mickey Guyton is featured on a new song by Maroon Five called “Middle Ground,” which is now available for download. The song was just released on Friday (August 11th), and her voice blends so well with lead singer Adam Levine.

    In the meantime, Mickey just hit the airwaves with her new single, “Nothing Compares To You,” featuring Kane Brown.