Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

Lauren Alaina, Brothers Osborne and Dustin Lynch announced the final nominees for “The 51st Annual CMA Awards” Monday morning live from ABC’s “Good Morning America” studio in New York’s Times Square.

Alaina emerged as a first-time nominee, making her debut in the New Artist of the Year category. Brothers Osborne will once again vie for Vocal Duo of the Year and also received a first-time nomination for Music Video with their anthemic “It Ain’t My Fault.”

The artists revealed six categories live on-air, then announced the remaining six categories, along with finalists for the CMA Broadcast Awards, on GoodMorningAmerica.com as well as via “Good Morning America’s” Facebook page through Facebook Live and simulcast on “Good Morning America’s” YouTube channel.

Little Big Town and Keith Urban each garner four nominations, tying for the second most nominations this year.

Little Big Town’s nominations include Single, produced by Jay Joyce and mix engineered by Jason Hall and Joyce; Music Video of the Year directed by Becky Fluke and Reid Long for “Better Man”; Album of the Year for The Breaker, also produced by Joyce; and Vocal Group of the Year. This is Little Big Town’s fourth nomination for Music Video. They have been nominated in past years for “Pontoon” (2012), “Tornado” (2013), and “Girl Crush” (2015). They are seven-time CMA Awards winners and this year’s nods bring their career total to 26 nominations. Taylor Swift received her 23^rd nomination for writing “Better Man,” marking her second nomination for Song of the Year and first CMA Awards nod since 2014.

Urban tallied up nominations for Entertainer of the Year, Single and Music Video of the Year for “Blue Ain’t Your Color” and Male Vocalist. This is his thirteenth nomination for Male Vocalist and he is a three-time consecutive winner in this category (2004-2006). Urban is a 10-time CMA Awards winner. Songwriters for “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey, and Steven Lee Olsen earned a nod for Song of the Year. “Blue Ain’t Your Color” Music Video Director Carter Smith is a first-time nominee. “Blue Ain’t Your Color” producer Dann Huff and mix engineer Chris Lord-Alge also earned nods. Urban received one nomination for Single of the Year, but can receive an additional trophy as producer.

Eric Church and Chris Stapleton each earned three nominations.

Church scored recognition in the Entertainer of the Year category, as well as Male Vocalist, his sixth consecutive nomination, and Musical Event of the Year for “Kill A Word” featuring first-time nominee Rhiannon Giddens. He is a three-time CMA Award winner with 25 total career nominations.

Five-time CMA Awards winner Stapleton is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist and Album for From A Room: Volume 1, which was produced by Dave Cobb and Stapleton. He receives one nomination for album, but can receive an additional trophy as producer. This is Stapleton’s third consecutive nomination for Male, which he’s won the past two years. He was also nominated for Entertainer last year and won Album for Traveller in 2015. He is an 11-time CMA Awards nominee.

Brothers Osborne, Sam Hunt, Lady Antebellum and Jon Pardi garnered two nominations.

Reigning CMA Vocal Duo of the Year Brothers Osborne earns their third nomination in this category. They also received their first Music Video nod for “It Ain’t My Fault,” directed by Wes Edwards and Ryan Silver. They’ve earned five career nominations.

Hunt was recognized in the Single and Song categories for the record-setting “Body Like A Back Road,” produced and mix engineered by Zach Crowell, and written by Crowell, Hunt, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne. In 2015, Hunt received the same nods for “Take Your Time.” He is a five-time CMA Awards nominee.

Lady Antebellum is nominated for Vocal Group of the Year and Album for their latest effort Heart Break, produced by busbee. Their previous records Need You Now (2010) and Own The Night (2012) both received Album nods. They are a 10-time consecutive (2008-2017) Vocal Group nominee and have won the category three years back to back (2009-2011).

Newcomer Pardi burst onto the Awards scene with his first two CMA nominations this year. “Dirt On My Boots,” which he co-produced with Bart Butler, earned him a nod in the Single of the Year category. He receives one nomination as the artist, but can receive an additional trophy as producer. The song was mix engineered by Ryan Gore. “Dirt On My Boots” songwriters Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure, and Ashley Gorley are also nominees. Additionally, Pardi received a New Artist of the Year nomination.

Other first time CMA Awards nominees include Alaina, Combs, and Young in the New Artist of the Year category, and LOCASH in Duo. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit debuted in Album of the Year with The Nashville Sound, produced by Cobb.

The 51st Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, will be broadcast live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, November 8th at 8pm ET on ABC.

For more information and a full list of nominees, visit CMAawards.com.

 
The Final Nominees for “The 51st Annual CMA Awards” (by ballot category order):

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Garth Brooks

Luke Bryan

Eric Church

Chris Stapleton

Keith Urban

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

(Award goes to Artist, Producer(s), and Mix Engineer(s))

“Better Man” – Little Big Town

Producer: Jay Joyce

Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce

“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban

Producers: Dann Huff, Keith Urban

Mix Engineer: Chris Lord-Alge

“Body Like A Back Road” – Sam Hunt

Producer: Zach Crowell

Mix Engineer: Zach Crowell

“Dirt On My Boots” – Jon Pardi

Producers: Bart Butler, Jon Pardi

Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore

“Tin Man” – Miranda Lambert

Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse, Glenn Worf

Mix Engineer: Eric Masse

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))

The Breaker – Little Big Town

Producer: Jay Joyce

From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton

Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton

Heart Break – Lady Antebellum

Producer: busbee

The Nashville Sound – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Producer: Dave Cobb

The Weight of These Wings – Miranda Lambert

Producers: Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf, Eric Masse

SONG OF THE YEAR

(Award goes to Songwriter(s))

“Better Man”

Songwriter: Taylor Swift

“Blue Ain’t Your Color”

Songwriters: Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey, Steven Lee Olsen

“Body Like A Back Road”

Songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne

“Dirt On My Boots”

Songwriters: Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley

“Tin Man”

Songwriters: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Kelsea Ballerini

Miranda Lambert

Reba McEntire

Maren Morris

Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Dierks Bentley

Eric Church

Thomas Rhett

Chris Stapleton

Keith Urban

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Lady Antebellum

Little Big Town

Old Dominion

Rascal Flatts

Zac Brown Band

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

Brothers Osborne

Dan + Shay

Florida Georgia Line

LOCASH

Maddie & Tae

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

(Award goes to each Artist)

“Craving You” – Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris

“Funny How Time Slips Away” – Glen Campbell with Willie Nelson

“Kill A Word” – Eric Church featuring Rhiannon Giddens

“Setting the World on Fire” – Kenny Chesney with P!nk

“Speak to a Girl” – Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

(Award goes to Artist and Director(s))

“Better Man” – Little Big Town

Directors: Becky Fluke and Reid Long

“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban

Director: Carter Smith

“Craving You” – Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris

Director: TK McKamy

“It Ain’t My Fault” – Brothers Osborne

Directors: Wes Edwards and Ryan Silver

“Vice” – Miranda Lambert

Director: Trey Fanjoy

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Lauren Alaina

Luke Combs

Old Dominion

Jon Pardi

Brett Young

Sixty-one tour dates, an average of 37 songs per night, totaling over 200 hours of live music. That’s what Eric Church ultimately played in a five-month period spanning January 13 through May 27, 2017. In an issue takeover, Church hinted something big was to come post-tour telling Billboard, “We recorded all of it. We had some [songs] that I was adamant that I wouldn’t rehearse with the band. I would tell the band a couple hours before the show, ‘This is the song we’re going to do,’ and then I wouldn’t see them until we did it, when we played live…’” says the man Stereogum calls “our greatest working rock star.” Now, those recordings are being released across 61 Days in Church. Beginning today fans will have access to 30 initial live recordings from various stops across North America. Then, subsequent releases through the end of the year – including some catalogue and cover songs as well as songs inspired by events that happened while he was on the road – released chronologically to complete the list. The tracks will initially be released only on the Apple Music platform for a two-week period before being made available on all streaming services. 

“I had so much fun learning songs that were unique to whatever city we found ourselves in,” Church reflects. “I learned a lot about each place, and it was special to see the crowd react to the songs that were only for them.  I’m glad we recorded it and can relive it forever.”

With the unique, individual tour posters from each tour stop serving as the artwork for each week’s release, 61 Days in Church drops just as fans can see a different show from Church as he takes the stage in Tahoe this Labor Day weekend for two sold-out nights at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena.

Church’s Holdin’ My Own Tour sold 930,000 tickets at the end of its run notching his as the top music tour in the first quarter of 2017 (Pollstar), but as Dave Brooks (Billboard Magazine) noted, “Fans will remember that tour by another metric: the marathon three-and- a-half hours Church played nightly as he crisscrossed the United States and Canada.”

Information on 61 Days in Church can be found here: ericchurch.com/sixtyonedaysinchurch and see remaining 2017 shows at ericchurch.com/events.

Kip Moore is ready to release his new album, Slowheart, on Friday (September 8th). You may wonder why he is a Slowheart, however his diehard fans already know since that’s also the official fan club name.

“It’s slowly coming into who I am still as a man. It’s slowly coming around on certain ideals I’ve had of who I am, where I want to go, who I want to be, slowly coming around on the idea of even love and what that means and the vulnerability that exposes and what I hope to be in that aspect, what I hope to be to somebody one day, where I’ve fallen short on that, where I can face that one day cause I know I’ve felt it but I’ve yet to really grasp it and grab a hold of it,” says Kip. “Slowheart is who I [am]. That’s why I got that nickname was somebody said I don’t show my cards and it takes me a while to come around, so I named the band that, the Slowhearts and then the fans the Slowhearts.”

Slowheart features Kip’s latest Top 10 single, “More Girls Like You.”

Kip will launch his Plead the Fifth Tour, featuring Jordan Davis and Drake White in Bowling Green, Ohio October 19th.

Sam Hunt will appear on ESPN’s College GameDay as a guest picker on Saturday (September 2nd) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in advance of the game between No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Florida State (8pm on ABC). The multi-platinum superstar, whose recent single “Body Like a Back Road” was just certified triple platinum, is the first guest picker during the show, which airs from 9am to noon ET on ESPN.

Sam is also set to co-host the next new episode of SportsCenter presents: Marty Smith’s America on Tuesday (September 5th) at 9pm ET on ESPN2. He will join the host as they highlight the return of football at the University of Alabama-Birmingham after being shut down for two years due to financial reasons.

Kip Moore takes fans behind-the-scenes of “Plead the Fifth,” which is from his upcoming album, Slowheart, available September 8th. Check out the video below.

For many decades, Labor Day was seen as a day for workers to voice their complaints and discuss better working conditions and pay.

U.S. Congress declared Labor Day a national holiday in 1894, and on Monday, September 4th, we will once again celebrate the people in every occupation whose work and dedication make this nation great. Labor Day in the United States is a holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is a celebration of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers.

Labor Day weekend also signals the unofficial end to summer, and many of the hottest country stars are taking a look back at some of the toughest jobs they had prior to making their mark in music or talking about their dream job now.

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Alan Jackson’s AJ’s Good Time Bar launches a weekend-long #HonkyTonks4Texas initiative to aid in flood relief for Houston, TX, and its surrounding cities. Beginning Thursday, August 31, and running through the bar’s close on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, AJ’s Good Time Bar will donate $1 for every item sold to the Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund administered through The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

“I’ve toured a lot over the years in east Texas, played the Houston Rodeo 23 times and I hate to see what’s happening down there. It’s tough to watch…and I can’t imagine what my fans and all the people of Texas are goin’ through…and I hope this allows folks in Nashville to feel like they can do a little something to help,” says Jackson.

“Just seven short years ago, we were all impacted by a crippling flood in Nashville, and we couldn’t have made it through it without the overwhelming amount of support we received nationwide,” says Matt Harville, General Manager at AJ’s Good Time Bar who was working in downtown Music City during the city’s 2010 floods. “Finding a way to give back is an easy choice, and we hope other bars and honky tonks on Broadway will join us in this effort.”

For Nashville-area businesses interested in joining the #HonkyTonks4Texas movement, please contact Matt Harville at info@ajsgoodtimebar.com.

For more on AJ’s Good Time Bar, please visit ajsgoodtimebar.com.

AJ’s Good Time Bar on the web:
Facebook: facebook.com/AJsgoodtimebar
Instagram: instagram.com/AJsgoodtimebar
Twitter: twitter.com/AJsgoodtimebar

About AJ’s Good Time Bar:
The four-story entertainment mecca officially opened all four floors in May 2017 and sits proudly near the corner of 4th Avenue and lower Broadway as the only 100% artist-owned bar in the heart of Nashville – a stretch of road commonly called the “Honky Tonk Highway,” just like Jackson’s 2017 tour. Following the Honky Tonk Highway Tour’s sold-out stop at the city’s Ascend Amphitheater in May, Jackson and his eight-piece band made a surprise appearance on the first floor’s “AJ’s Honky Tonk” stage … and, as sole owner and visionary behind the venue, he’s known to make appearances at AJ’s during the week and when not on the road. Jackson is also a majority owner in ACME Feed & Seed, located just blocks away at 1st Avenue and Broadway.

About Alan Jackson:
Just announced as an inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Alan Jackson’s membership among country music’s all-time greats is the latest in a long line of career-defining accolades that include three CMA Entertainer of the Year honors, more than 25 years of membership in the Grand Ole Opry, a 2016 Billboard ranking as one of the Top 10 Country Artists of All-Time, induction to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Heritage Award as the most-performed country songwriter-artist of ASCAP’s first 100 years. The man from rural Newnan, Ga. has sold nearly 60-million albums worldwide, ranks as one of the 10 best-selling male vocalists of all-time in all genres. He has released more than 60 singles – registering 50 Top Ten hits and 35 #1s (including 26 Billboard chart-toppers). He has earned more than 150 music industry awards – including 18 Academy of Country Music Awards, 16 Country Music Association Awards, a pair of GRAMMYs and ASCAP’s Founders and Golden Note Awards. Jackson is one of the most successful and respected singer-songwriters in music. He is in the elite company of Paul McCartney and John Lennon among songwriters who’ve written more than 20 songs that they’ve recorded and taken to the top of the charts. Jackson is one of the best-selling artists since the inception of SoundScan, ranking alongside the likes of Eminem and Metallica.

The Music City Walk of Fame will pay tribute to the Ryman Auditorium in celebration of the historic venue’s 125^th anniversary with the induction and presentation of stars to Little Big Town, the Country Music mega-group in residency at the Mother Church, along with two luminaries in the Ryman’s past: Tom Ryman, the riverboat captain who was inspired by a revival preacher to build the Union Gospel Tabernacle; and Lula C. Naff, the theater manager who helmed the Auditorium for more than 40 years and famously booked the Grand Ole Opry there.

The induction ceremony that will take place on Thursday, September 14th, 2017 at 1 pm in Walk of Fame Park. The event is free and open to the public.

“Tom Ryman had a vision. Lula Naff had a plan. And their tenacity and skill created one of Nashville’s most beautiful and iconic buildings – and one of the greatest music venues the world has ever seen,” Mayor Megan Barry said. “Now Little Big Town is adding a new chapter to the story of the Mother Church of Country Music with its unprecedented Ryman residency. The induction of each of these legends into the Music City Walk of Fame couldn’t be more appropriate as the Ryman celebrates 125 years of gorgeous music and amazing history.”  Check out their reaction below.

The inductees will receive the 75^th, 76^th and 77^th stars on the Music City Walk of Fame. Inductees are recognized for their significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and for contributing to the world through song or other industry collaboration.

In celebrating the Ryman’s 125^th anniversary, Little Big Town will have performed 10 shows by the end of 2017 at the Ryman Auditorium during their year-long residency. Consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, and Jimi Westbrook, Little Big Town is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, had the biggest country single of 2015 with “Girl Crush,” and earlier this year released their seventh studio album, The Breaker, which debuted No. 1 on the Billboard Country Charts.

The Music City Walk of Fame was created in 2006 on Nashville’s Music Mile, a roughly one-mile stretch that connects downtown to Music Row. Permanent sidewalk medallions with the names of the inductees are displayed in a star-and-guitar design.

Little Big Town’s currently making their way up the country charts with their latest single, “When Someone Stops Loving You.”
 

So incredibly grateful!#MusicCityWalkofFame • @VisitMusicCity pic.twitter.com/Xo19DFy0Hs

— Little Big Town (@littlebigtown) August 30, 2017

Thoughts & prayers are w/ all affected by the storm. My family & friends were personally affected in surrounding areas. God bless us all.-GS

— George Strait (@GeorgeStrait) August 29, 2017

We are working on putting together relief efforts with the whole country music community. – GS

— George Strait (@GeorgeStrait) August 29, 2017

Texas, we are praying for you. We love you. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/hPnmJLuCrr

— Kimberly Schlapman (@ohgussie) August 29, 2017

Remember to text HARVEY to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross Hurricane Harvey relief fund. It literally takes seconds.

— Brothers Osborne (@brothersosborne) August 28, 2017

Praying for everybody in Texas effected by #HurricaneHarvey. God Bless all y'all and sending many prayers your way. pic.twitter.com/7yohwPvEih

— Clare Dunn (@ClareDunnMusic) August 28, 2017

https://twitter.com/KaceyMusgraves/status/902541631609548800

Got Texas on my heart today. Sending my love & prayers. #HoustonStrong https://t.co/Qg99qQrwBW

— Canaan Smith (@canaansmith) August 29, 2017

We can put words into action by texting HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation ❤️ pic.twitter.com/92OtPEA0mW

— Mickey Guyton (@MickeyGuyton) August 28, 2017

As a native Texan I had to record a message about #HurricaneHarvey. Keep praying & call 1-800-RED CROSS or text HARVEY 90999 to donate $10. pic.twitter.com/oIDuRzuSir

— Eric Paslay (@ericpaslay) August 28, 2017

Please join Tae and I in donating to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and help my fellow Texans. Anything helps. – M https://t.co/VoGVVemp8P pic.twitter.com/7HDk5jSbXU

— Maddie & Tae (@MaddieandTae) August 30, 2017