The 2024 CMT Music Awards nominees have been announced. This year they’re spreading the wealth when it comes to nominations, with five different artists tying for most nominations with three each:  Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson and Megan Moroney.

First-time nominees include Amber Riley, Ashley Cooke, Bret Michaels (yes, the Poison frontman), Chayce Beckham, Hozier, Koe Wetzel, Stephen Wilson Jr., Tyler Childers, Warren Zeiders and Zach Bryan. The fan-voted award show, hosted by Ballerini, will air live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on April 7

The complete list of nominees is below:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top 6 nominees from the first round of voting, will be announced on April 1. The final 3 nominees, from the second round of voting, will be announced on show day, April 7. Final voting will be determined via social media and announced as the final category during the live show.

• Ashley McBryde – “Light On In The Kitchen”
• Brandy Clark feat. Brandi Carlile – “Dear Insecurity”
• Brothers Osborne – “Nobody’s Nobody”
• Cody Johnson – “The Painter”
• Darius Rucker – “Fires Don’t Start Themselves”
• HARDY – “Truck Bed”
• Jason Aldean – “Let Your Boys Be Country”
• Jelly Roll – “Need A Favor”
• Jordan Davis – “Next Thing You Know”
• Kacey Musgraves – “Deeper Well”
• Kelsea Ballerini – “IF YOU GO DOWN (I’M GOIN’ DOWN TOO)”
• Lainey Wilson – “Watermelon Moonshine”
• Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown – “Nothing Compares To You”
• Parmalee – “Gonna Love You”
• Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”
• Zach Bryan – “Nine Ball”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

• Ashley McBryde – “Light On In The Kitchen”
• Gabby Barrett – “Glory Days”
• Kacey Musgraves – “Deeper Well”
• Kelsea Ballerini – “Penthouse”
• Lainey Wilson – “Watermelon Moonshine”
• Megan Moroney – “I’m Not Pretty”
• Reba McEntire – “Seven Minutes In Heaven”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

• Bailey Zimmerman – “Religiously”
• Cody Johnson – “The Painter”
• HARDY – “Truck Bed”
• Jelly Roll – “Need A Favor”
• Jordan Davis – “Next Thing You Know”
• Luke Combs – “Fast Car (Official Live Video)”
• Morgan Wallen “Last Night (One Record At A Time Sessions)”

DUO/GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR

• Brothers Osborne – “Nobody’s Nobody”
• Dan + Shay – “Save Me The Trouble”
• Old Dominion – “Memory Lane”
• Parmalee – “Girl In Mine”
• The War And Treaty – “Have You A Heart”
• Tigirlily Gold – “Shoot Tequila”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

• Carly Pearce feat. Chris Stapleton – “We Don’t Fight Anymore”
• Ella Langley feat. Koe Wetzel – “That’s Why We Fight”
• Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan – “Cowboys And Plowboys”
• Justin Moore & Priscilla Block – “You, Me And Whiskey”
• Lukas Nelson + Promise of The Real feat. Lainey Wilson – “More Than Friends”
• Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown – “Nothing Compares To You”
• Old Dominion & Megan Moroney – “Can’t Break Up Now”

BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR, presented by Walt Disney World®

• Anne Wilson – “Rain In The Rearview”
• Ashley Cooke – “your place”
• Brittney Spencer – “Bigger Than The Song”
• Tigirlily Gold – “Shoot Tequila”

BREAKTHROUGH MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR, presented by Walt Disney World®

• Chayce Beckham – “23”
• Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”
• Warren Zeiders – “Pretty Little Poison”
• Zach Bryan – “Oklahoma Smokeshow”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

• Amber Riley – “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” (from CMT Smashing Glass)
• Bret Michaels & Chris Janson – “Nothing But a Good Time” (from CMT Crossroads)
• Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
• Cody Johnson – “Human” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
• Dierks Bentley – “Drunk On A Plane” (from CMT Storytellers)
• Dustin Lynch feat. MacKenzie Porter – “Thinking ‘Bout You” (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
• Hozier & Maren Morris – “Take Me To Church” (from CMT Crossroads)
• Jelly Roll – “Need a Favor” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
• Kelsea Ballerini – “IF YOU GO DOWN (I’M GOIN’ DOWN TOO)” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
• The War And Treaty – “On My Own” (from CMT Smashing Glass)

Source: People

Eric Church‘s “Chief’s” is no longer opening “sometime this year.” Yesterday the country star announced not only the date of the grand opening, but also his plans to play there.

The grand opening for the new Nashville venue is April 5, and to celebrate, Church has announced that he’s playing there live for the first few weeks it’s open. The shows, dubbed “Eric Church: To Beat the Devil,” will launch at the bar’s two-story live music venue, The Neon Steeple, the day “Chief’s” opens. That will kick off a 19-date run of shows for the new club owner at Nashville’s newest country bar. “These shows at Chief’s will be one of a kind, only for Chief’s and with some songs that will only ever be performed during these shows,” he said in a statement. “It’s the most unique show I’ll probably ever do, and I’m excited to enjoy this chapter of what Chief’s will be.”

To experience these shows first-hand, tickets will be first offered to premium members of the Eric’s “Church Choir” fan club through a sign-up system that began yesterday. All seats are reserved seating, with pricing ranging from $99 to $499, with no additional ticketing fees. A portion of each ticket sold will benefit Church’s nonprofit, “Chief Cares.” The sign-up will close March 17 at 11:59 p.m. CT, followed by the beginning of the Church Choir pre-sale, which begins March 20 at 10 a.m. CT. The public onsale, if tickets remain, begins March 22 at 10 a.m. CT.

Church’s residency will run through June, wrapping with three shows on June 7-9, which is the same timeframe that this year’s CMA Fest will take place in downtown Nashville, from June 6-9.

Source: Billboard

Jimmy Buffett made almost as many friends as he did fans over his more than half a century playing music. Many of those friends – and fans – are expected to turn up for a tribute concert held for the late music legend.

“Keep The Party Going: A Tribute To Jimmy Buffett” will be a star studded affair with some of the biggest names in music turning up to play and share Buffett’s music. Country stars Eric Church, Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown, Jake Owen and Brandi Carlile will be joined by music legends Paul McCartney, Jackson Brown, Sheryl Crow, Jon Bon Jovi, Pitbull, Jack Johnson and the Eagles, with Jimmy’s Coral Reefer Band taking the stage as well.

The concert will happen at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on April 11. Tickets go on sale on Friday (March 15) at 10AM PST via Ticketmaster.

Source: TasteOfCountry

You’ve probably heard someone cover a song, and thought, “They just can’t do it justice.”  But have you ever heard a singer live, who struggled to perform THEIR OWN SONG?  Carrie Underwood has.

Carrie told “Rolling Stone” that she takes pride in putting in the work on her vocals . . . because since she was a kid, she’s always been bothered by artists who don’t sound like how they’re supposed to sound.

She said, “[It’s] always so deflating.  I’d lose respect for them . . . I’d go to a concert . . . hear them drop keys, and I was like, ‘You can’t hit the notes!  Why’d you record them if you can’t sing them?’  That stuff is important to me.”

(Rolling Stone)