One of the biggest nights in Country music, Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning host the 56th annual Country Music Association Awards in Nashville.
Country music legend and icon Loretta Lynn died recently; the 56th CMA Awards opens with a tribute to the star with performances from Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, and Miranda Lambert.
Hosts Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning compared the CMA Awards with football.
The Creek Cloggers danced to “Rocky Top” – Peyton called it his favourite Country song. Manning went to Tennessee; “Rocky Top” is the university’s fight song.
Luke Bryan said that as a host he had one goal – for everybody to have fun.
Ashley McBryde performs “When Will I Be Loved” with Brandy Clark, Caylee Hammack, Pillbox Patti, and John Osborne.
Cody Johnson performs his new hit song “Til You Can’t”.
Reba and Rex Linn present the first award of the night for “Song of the Year” to Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins, and Matt Jenkins for “Buy Dirt”.
Cole Swindell performs his hit song “She Had Me at Heads Carolina”. He was joined by Jo Dee Messina.
Fourteen time CMA Award winner Miranda Lambert performs “Geraldene”.
Wynonna Judd presented the award for Vocal Duo of the Year to the Brothers Osborne. Judd received some rousing applause and a standing ovation when she was introduced. This is the brothers fifth Vocal Duo CMA. The brothers said that they were honoured to receive the award from Wynonna.
Carrie Underwood performed her new single “Hate My Heart”.
Luke Combs performs “The Kind of Love We Make”.
The award for Vocal Group of the Year went to Old Dominion. This is the band’s fifth Vocal Group CMA. Band members noted that none of them in the category would be there without Alabama who just lost one of its founding members.
Two time Entertainer of the Year and host Luke Bryan performs his hit “Country On”.
Carly Pearce performs wrote a tribute song for Loretta Lynn. She performed the song on the CMA stage “Dear Miss Loretta”. Pearce noted that she never got the meet the icon but wished that she had.
Budding songwriters get your pens ready, Chevrolet is sponsoring a contest to write a verse of a new Breland song…and sing the song on stage.
The Zac Brown Band and Marcus King take the stage for a performance of “Out in the Middle”. Jimmie Allen was scheduled to join in the performance but had to back out due to illness.
The award for Single of the Year went to Cody Johnson for “Til You Can’t”.
Thomas Rhett and Katy Perry pair up for a performance of “Where We Started”.
Hardy and Lainey Wilson take the stage to perform “Wait in the Truck”.
The award for Album of the Year went to Luke Combs for “Growin’ Up”.
Kelly Clarkson, Carley Pearce, and Kelsea Ballerini join up for a performance of “You’re Drunk, Go Home”.
Lady A presented the award for New Artist of the Year to Lainey Wilson.
Morgan Wallen performs “You Proof”.
Kentucky natives Chris Stapleton is joined by Patty Loveless perform “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive”.
New Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member and “American Idol” judge Lionel Richie presents the award for Female Vocalist of the Year to Lainey Wilson.
Brothers Osborne pair up with War and Treaty for a performance of the Rolling Stones song “It’s Only Rock and Roll (But I Like it)”. Host Luke Bryan noted that Country music artists will pay tribute to the Rolling Stones with the release of a new album next year. This performance is a taste of what’s to come.
The award for Male Vocalist of the Year went to Chris Stapleton.
Ray Charles, Pete Drake, Keith Whitley, Eddie Bayers, The Judds, and Jerry Lee Lewis were all inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame for 2022.
In a tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis, Elle King and the Black Keys perform “Great Balls of Fire”
Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, and Lainey Wilson pay tribute to Alan Jackson – the 2022 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Jackson himself took the stage for a performance. Jackson said that he has been blessed and that Country music has been good to him.
The final award of the night was for Entertainer of the Year and went to Luke Combs.
Awards not presented during the live television broadcast:
Musical Event of the Year: “Never Wanted to Be that Girl” by Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
Music Video of the Year: “Til You Can’t” by Cody Johnson
Musician of the Year: fiddler Jenee Fleenor
feature photo credit: Country Music Association logo.png