ABC and The Country Music Association have teamed up once again for the 48th Annual CMA Awards. The big event is held in the heart of “Music City” at The Bridgestone Arena in Nashville and the performance roster is stacked with A-listers. The nominees and winners are chosen by more than 7,000 industry members of CMA, which “was the first trade organization formed to promote an individual genre of music in 1958.”
If you’d like to watch the awards show live online, click here. And, if you’re following the awards goings-on via Twitter, use the hashtag #CMAawards for all the up-to-the-minute info. Read on for all the facts on tonight’s big performances, the winners, and the hosts.
1. Ariana Grande Is Performing at the Awards Show
As always, there will be some amazing collaborations for the event’s big performances and one of them is Ariana Grande teaming up with Little Big Town. Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild couldn’t help but be excited to perform with Grande and told KTIC Radio:
She’s an incredible singer. You listen to her live, if you YouTube her performance of whatever it is, she always nails it. I mean, it’s incredible!
Another big collaboration for the night is Meghan Trainor and Miranda Lambert performing Trainor’s hit “All About That Bass.” Check out a photo of the two stars below:
2. And the Winners Are …
Nashville, head to @BrdgstoneArena Plaza for a #CMAawards @GMA perf by @KeithUrban & @mirandalambert starting soon. http://t.co/8Q42q8lQbh
Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Meghan Trainor, Little Big Town, Ariana Grande, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, The Band Perry, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban are all performing at the 2014 CMA Awards. In fact, several of them have won awards already. On Good Morning America this morning, it was announced that the winner of the Musical Event of the Year went to Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert for “We Were Us.” In addition, the Best Music Video of the Year went to Dierks Bentley for “Drunk On A Plane.”
As for the rest of the winners, you’ll have to find out tonight.
3. Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood Are Hosting for Their 7th Year in a Row
Paisley and Underwood are co-hosting the CMA Awards for the seventh consecutive year. In addition to hosting, both of them will, of course, be performing. When it comes to their opening monologue, Paisley tells CMT:
The silver lining to a year like this is that you need it more, and people are really ready to laugh. So even though it feels like there’s less to laugh about, there’s more need, and I think that can be pretty fertile ground for comedy.
4. Keith Urban & Miranda Lambert Kicked Off the Pre-Show on Good Morning America
LIVE from Nashville on @GMA!! #KeithUrbanonGMA http://t.co/0iyaZLQuRC
This morning Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert appeared on GMA as a pre-CMA Awards kick-off event. Lambert showed up to talk about how great her marriage is with hubby Blake Shelton, but, most importantly, to talk about her new relationship with RAM trucks. Lambert is officially the first woman to be a spokesperson for a truck company. After Lambert’s short interview, Urban took the stage to talk about the CMA Awards as well as his family. Urban performed two songs for the crowd that was standing in the rain for hours waiting to see him – “Stupid Boy” and “Good Thing.” To check out Urban’s performance, check out the below link:
5. And the Nominees Are …
Country’s biggest night is tomorrow night at the #CMAawards! Check out the list of nominees: http://t.co/co8JO3hZV6 http://t.co/6OFJsENZK6
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban
Luke Bryan
Miranda Lambert
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
“Automatic”
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay, and Glenn Worf
RCA Nashville
“Drunk On A Plane”
Dierks Bentley
Produced by Ross Copperman, Jaren Johnston, and Arturo Buenahora, Jr.
Capitol Records Nashville
“Give Me Back My Hometown”
Eric Church
Produced by Jay Joyce and Arturo Buenahora, Jr.
EMI Records Nashville
“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s”
Tim McGraw feat. Faith Hill
Produced by Byron Gallimore and Tim McGraw
Big Machine
“Mine Would Be You”
Blake Shelton
Produced by Scott Hendricks
Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
Crash My Party
Luke Bryan
Produced by Jeff Stevens
Capitol Records Nashville
Fuse
Keith Urban
Produced by Benny Blanco, Nathan Chapman, Ross Copperman, Zach Crowell, Mike Elizondo, Dann Huff, Jay Joyce, Stargate, Keith Urban, and Butch Walker
Capitol Records Nashville
Platinum
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay, and Glenn Worf
RCA Nashville
Riser
Dierks Bentley
Produced by Ross Copperman, Jaren Johnston, and Arturo Buenahora, Jr.
Capitol Records Nashville
The Outsiders
Eric Church
Produced by Jay Joyce and Arturo Buenahora, Jr.
EMI Records Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))
“Automatic”
Nicolle Galyon, Natalie Hemby, and Miranda Lambert
“Follow Your Arrow”
Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, and Shane McAnally
“Give Me Back My Hometown”
Eric Church and Luke Laird
“I Don’t Dance”
Lee Brice, Rob Hatch, and Dallas Davidson
“I Hold On”
Brett James and Dierks Bentley
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Carrie Underwood
Kacey Musgraves
Martina McBride
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Blake Shelton
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Keith Urban
Luke Bryan
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
The Swon Brothers
Thompson Square
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to each artist)
“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s”
Tim McGraw feat. Faith Hill
Big Machine
“Somethin’ Bad”
Miranda Lambert Duet with Carrie Underwood
RCA Nashville
“We Were Us”
Keith Urban feat. Miranda Lambert
Capital Records Nashville
“You Can’t Make Old Friends”
Kenny Rogers Duet with Dolly Parton
Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville
“Bakersfield”
Vince Gill and Paul Franklin
Mercury Nashville
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Mac McAnally (Guitar)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Sam Bush (Mandolin)
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Automatic”
Miranda Lambert
Directed by Trey Fanjoy
“Bartender”
Lady Antebellum
Directed by Shane Drake
“Drunk On A Plane”
Dierks Bentley
Directed by Wes Edwards
“Follow Your Arrow”
Kacey Musgraves
Directed by Kacey Musgraves and Honey
“Somethin’ Bad”
Miranda Lambert Duet with Carrie Underwood
Directed by Trey Fanjoy
“Tornado”
Little Big Town
Directed by Shane Drake
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Brandy Clark
Brett Eldredge
Cole Swindell
Kip Moore
Thomas Rhett
Comments
CMA Awards 2014: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know