The 54th Annual CMA Awards air tonight on ABC (8 pm) and while it will be different than past years, with no audience due to the coronavirus, it will still be a great show.
Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker host this year’s event from Nashville, which, as usual, will be filled with a boatload of performances. This year’s confirmed performers include: Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett featuring Reba, Hillary Scott and Chris Tomlin, Carly Pearce and Charles Kelley, Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Ingrid Andress, Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber, Jenee Fleenor, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Keith Urban, and Morgan Wallen.
Kicking off this year’s CMAs will be multi-song tribute to the late Charlie Daniels and there will also be tributes to other artists we lost this year, including Kenny Rogers, and Joe Diffie. Old Dominion will also help celebrate the 40th anniversary of “Urban Cowboy” with a performance of Johnny Lee’s “Looking for Love.”
In addition, Charley Pride will be honored with the 2020 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, which is awarded to an “iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music.”
This year’s presenters include Thomas Rhett’s wife Lauren Akins, Lauren Alaina, Bobby Bones, Charles Esten, Sara Evans, supermodel Taylor Hill, Jake Owen, Patrick Schwarzenegger and gospel artist CeCe Winans
As for the nominees, Miranda Lambert leads this year’s pack with seven, including a nod for Entertainer of the Year. Miranda’s new nominations extend her record for the most nods for a female artist in CMA history with 55. Coming in close behind Miranda this year is Luke Combs, who has six nods, and Maren, who has five.
Artists in the running for the coveted Entertainer of the Year award include Miranda, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church and Keith Urban. Check out the complete list of nominees below:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s), and Mix Engineer
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber) (Producer: Dan Smyers; Mix Engineer: Jeff Juliano)
“Beer Never Broke My Heart” – Luke Combs (Producer: Scott Moffatt; Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley)
“Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert (Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce)
“The Bones” – Maren Morris (Producer: Greg Kurstin; Mix Engineer: Greg Kurstin)
“I Hope” – Gabby Barrett (Producers: Ross Copperman, Zach Kale; Mix Engineer: Buckley Miller)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist and Producer(s)
“Heartache Medication” – Jon Pardi (Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi)
“Never Will” – Ashley McBryde (Producers: Jay Joyce, John Peets)
“Old Dominion” – Old Dominion (Producers: Shane McAnally, Old Dominion)
“What You See Is What You Get” – Luke Combs (Producer: Scott Moffatt)
“Wildcard” – Miranda Lambert (Producer: Jay Joyce)
SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Songwriters
“Bluebird” (Songwriters: Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert)
“The Bones” (Songwriters: Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz)
“Even Though I’m Leaving” (Songwriters: Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III, Ray Fulcher)
“I Hope You’re Happy Now” (Songwriters: Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Carly Pearce, Jonathan Singleton)
“More Hearts Than Mine” (Songwriters: Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis, Derrick Southerland)
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artists and Producer(s)
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber) (Producer: Dan Smyers)
“Be A Light” – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban (Producer: Dann Huff)
“The Bones” – Maren Morris with Hozier (Producer: Greg Kurstin)
“Fooled Around And Fell In Love” – Miranda Lambert (feat. Maren Morris, Elle King, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes & Caylee Hammack) (Producer: Jay Joyce)
“I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice (Producer: busbee)
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director
• “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber) (Director: Patrick Tracy)
• “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert (Director: Trey Fanjoy)
• “Homemade” – Jake Owen (Director: Justin Clough)
• “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice (Director: Sam Siske)
• “Second One To Know” – Chris Stapleton (Director: David Coleman)
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Jimmie Allen
• Ingrid Andress
• Gabby Barrett
• Carly Pearce
• Morgan Wallen
