Country Music Minute-RIP Jeff Cook, Everything CMAs, Chris Young Honors Veterans and More

Posted November 9, 2022

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The 56th Annual CMA Awards take place on Wednesday (November 9th), and UMG Nashville will be represented in many of the night’s categories, including Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist, Male Vocalist, Group, Duo, Single, Song, Musical Event and New Artist.

The evening will begin with a tribute to the late Loretta Lynn. Performers announced for the show include Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Kelly Clarkson, HARDY, Marcus King, Miranda Lambert, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson and Zac Brown Band.

Alan Jackson will receive the 2022 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, Carrie Underwood and Lainey Wilson will take the CMA Awards stage for an all-star tribute to the Country Music Hall of Fame member. The CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award is for an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music. The award recognizes an artist who has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, streaming numbers, record sales and public representation at the highest level. The artist receiving this award has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre throughout a course of years that have proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on fans and industry alike.

Chris Stapleton has five nominations including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year (“I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”), Single and Song of the Year for “You Should Probably Leave.” With this year’s five nods, Stapleton has amassed 39 career nominations. He is a six-time nominee for Entertainer of the Year and an eight-time nominee for Male Vocalist, a category he has won five times. “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” collects Stapleton his third nomination for Music Video, a category he won in 2016. The video is directed by Lively and is performed with 27-time nominee Taylor Swift. “You Should Probably Leave” marks Stapleton’s fifth nomination for Single of the Year and third nomination for Song. He is a two-time winner in both categories, claiming both trophies in 2018 and 2021. Stapleton co-produced the single with Dave Cobb and it was mixed by Vance Powell. He co-wrote the song with Chris DuBois and Ashley Gorley.

Carrie Underwood earned three nominations including Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Musical Event of the Year for “If I Didn’t Love You” with Jason Aldean. With this year’s nominations, Underwood has garnered 40 career nods since 2006. This year marks her 16th nomination for Female Vocalist, a trophy she’s claimed five times. She is a four-time nominee for Musical Event, earning a nod this year for “If I Didn’t Love You,” a duet with Jason Aldean produced by Michael Knox. She collects her fifth nomination for the night’s most coveted trophy, Entertainer of the Year.

Jordan Davis has two CMA nominations for Single of the Year for the multi-week No. 1 single “Buy Dirt” featuring Luke Bryan (who is also nominated); and for Song of the Year for “Buy Dirt,” which he wrote with his brother Jacob Davis (who earned his first CMA nomination), along with Matt and Josh Jenkins.

Jon Pardi has a pair of nominations for his collaboration with Midland on “Longneck Way To Go” for Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year. The song also appears on Jon’s brand-new album, Mr. Saturday Night.

2020’s Entertainer of the Year Eric Church is nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year, while Little Big Town has a nomination for Vocal Group of the Year, a category which they’ve won SIX times!

Reigning CMA Vocal Duo of the Year Brothers Osborne and Maddie & Tae are up for Vocal Duo of the Year.

Dierks Bentley is nominated along with BRELAND and HARDY for Musical Event of the Year for the trio’s chart-topping tune, “Beers On Me.”

Parker McCollum earns his first CMA nomination for New Artist of the Year

The 56th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will broadcast LIVE from Nashville November 9th at 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC.

CMA PERFORMERS INCLUDE:
Luke Bryan – “Country On”
Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, Carrie Underwood and Lainey Wilson – All-Star tribute to Alan Jackson
Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart”
Brothers Osborne and The War & Treaty – “It’s Only Rock & Roll (But I Like It)”
Caylee Hammack and John Osborne (Brothers Osborne) join Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark and Pillbox Patti — “When Will I Be Loved”
Chris Stapleton with Patty Loveless — “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive”
A special performance from Reba McEntire

Other artists who will take the stage to perform include Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Brandy Clark, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Combs, HARDY, Cody Johnson, Elle King, Marcus King, Miranda Lambert, Carly Pearce, Katy Perry, Cole Swindell, The Black Keys, Thomas Rhett, Morgan Wallen and Zac Brown Band.

CMA PRESENTERS INCLUDE:
This year’s CMA Awards presenters include two-time World Series champ, MVP and Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts, CMA Musical Event of the Year nominee this year, BRELAND, from the much-anticipated upcoming limited series, “George & Tammy,” Academy Award winner, Jessica Chastain, two-time CMA nominee this year, Jordan Davis, Apple TV’s “Amber Brown” and Lifetime’s “Reindeer Games Homecoming,” Sarah Drew, “Yellowstone” star Cole Hauser, multi-platinum and award-winning songwriter/artist Tyler Hubbard, five-time Grammy winner, Country Music Hall of Fame Member, and one-half of the legendary duo, The Judds, Wynonna Judd, CMA Vocal Group of the Year nominee this year, Lady A, CBS’s “Young Sheldon” and ABC’s “Big Sky” actor Rex Linn, multiple CMA Award-winning band and Vocal Group of the Year nominee this year, Little Big Town, CMA New Artist of the Year nominee this year, Parker McCollum, six-time CMA Awards winner and Country Music Hall of Fame member, Reba McEntire, stars of the hit HGTV shows “HomeTown” and “HomeTown Takeover,” Ben and Erin Napier, 55-year Grand Ole Opry member with over 5,000 performances, and the third female Country artist to win a Grammy, Jeannie Seely, from the much-anticipated upcoming limited series, “George & Tammy,” Academy Award nominee, Michael Shannon, and six-time CMA nominee this year, Lainey Wilson.

The 56th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and NFL great Peyton Manning, will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 9th at 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC.

CMA AWARDS NOMINATIONS:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Morgan Wallen

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)

Growin’ Up – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineers: Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews
Humble Quest – Maren Morris
Producer: Greg Kurstin
Mix Engineer: Serban Ghenea
Palomino – Miranda Lambert
Producers: Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, Mikey Reaves
Mix Engineer: Jason Lehning
Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineer: F. Reid Shippen
Time, Tequila & Therapy – Old Dominion
Producers: Shane McAnally, Old Dominion
Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer 

“Buy Dirt” – Jordan Davis featuring Luke Bryan
Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
“half of my hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini (feat. Kenny Chesney)
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Ross Copperman, Jimmy Robbins
Mix Engineer: Dan Grech-Marguerat
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore
“’Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson
Producer: Trent Willmon
Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke
“You Should Probably Leave” – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Mix Engineer: Vance Powell

SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Songwriter(s) 

“Buy Dirt”
Songwriters: Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl”
Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce
“Sand In My Boots”
Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy, Josh Osborne
“Things A Man Oughta Know”
Songwriters: Jason Nix, Jonathan Singleton, Lainey Wilson
“You Should Probably Leave”
Songwriters: Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley, Chris Stapleton

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Carrie Underwood
Lainey Wilson

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Eric Church
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
LOCASH
Maddie & Tae

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s) and Producer(s) 

“Beers On Me” – Dierks Bentley with BRELAND & HARDY
Producers: Dierks Bentley, Ross Copperman
“If I Didn’t Love You” – Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood
Producer: Michael Knox
“Longneck Way To Go” – Midland (featuring Jon Pardi)
Producers: Dann Huff, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
“Never Say Never” – Cole Swindell (with Lainey Wilson)
Producer: Zach Crowell
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s) 

“I Bet You Think About Me” (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) – Taylor Swift (featuring Chris Stapleton)
Director: Blake Lively
“Longneck Way To Go” – Midland (featuring Jon Pardi)
Director: Harper Smith
“Never Say Never” – Cole Swindell (with Lainey Wilson)
Director: Michael Monaco
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
Director: Alexa Campbell
“’Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson
Director: Dustin Haney

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR