The 53rd CMA Awards Show was broadcast live on ABC on Nov. 12, hosted by Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood and Reba McEntire. Here are the night’s winners from Bridgestone Arena:
Entertainer of the Year
• Garth Brooks
Music Event of the Year
- ‘Old Town Road (Remix)’ – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
New Artist of the Year
- Ashley McBryd
Album of the Year
- ‘Girl’ – Maren Morris
Single of the Year
- “God’s Country” – Blake Shelton
Song of the Year
- “Beautiful Crazy” – Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III, Robert Williford
Female Vocalist of the Year
- Kacey Musgraves
Male Vocalist of the Year
- Luke Combs
Vocal Group of the Year
- Old Dominion
Vocal Duo of the Year
- Dan + Shay
Musician of the Year
- Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle
Music Video of the Year
- “Rainbow” – Kacey Musgraves
The show included a history-making opening performance focusing on the female artists of Country music, past and present: Terri Clark • Sara Evans • Crystal Gayle • The Highwomen • Martina McBride • Reba McEntire • Jennifer Nettles • Dolly Parton • Tanya Tucker • Carrie Underwood • Gretchen Wilson.
More women of Country were featured in a special set: Kelsea Ballerini • Lindsay Ell • Ashley McBryde • Carly Pearce • Little Big Town • Maddie & Tae • Runaway June.
Also, a special tribute to Kris Kristofferson with Dierks Bentley, Sheryl Crow, Chris Janson and John Osborne.
Sony Music Nashville teamed up with Wrangler to put on a CMA Awards ‘viewing party’ just a few blocks down Broadway at Acme Feed & Seed. During the party, Sony showcased some of their emerging artists, including Robert Counts, Niko Moon, Seaforth, Rachel Wammack and Jameson Rodgers.
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“I Know Country” Q&A from www.IKnowCountry.com
QUESTION: Name the male country artist whose achievements include: Eleven consecutive albums that debuted at No. 1, 25 No. 1 singles, one of the highest-grossing tour in country music history, and a movie career.
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Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has released the slate of artists for this year’s CRS New Faces of Country Music® Show voting. The nominees for 2020 are Ingrid Andress, Morgan Evans, Riley Green, HARDY, Ryan Hurd, Tyler Rich, Runaway June, Matt Stell and Mitchell Tenpenny. The New Faces of Country Music® Show is one of the most anticipated events at Country Radio Seminar, the annual ‘industry only’ event to be held in Nashville in February 2020. Five emerging artists who have achieved significant success at Country Radio during the qualification period are selected each year to perform. The New Faces of Country Music® Show has played a pivotal role in the careers of almost every major Country star. The annual showcase was formed in 1970, making CRS 2020’s New Faces event the 50th Anniversary show. The seminar and the New Faces Show are ‘industry only’ and not open to the public.
Sometimes, good planning really does pay off. In Chris Janson’s case it was his wife Kelly’s plans, all written down in her ‘little black book,’ according to an interview in the Nashville Tennessean. Kelly doesn’t use voice memos or her iPhone’s calendar app, preferring to keep meticulous notes in a black book. Chris’s single, “Good Vibes,” was released in February. Chris and Kelly planned to have the single hit No. 1 on the Country Radio Airplay charts at the same time as his album, Real Friends, was released. Kelly then penciled in a chart position in the corner of every Monday in her black book. That was the chart position they believed that “Good Vibes” would need to have reached each week to achieve the goal. They even prayed over Kelly’s little black book and kept focused on the single’s progress. The album, Real Friends, was released October 18. “Good Vibes” topped the Country Radio Airplay charts three days later. “That’s all Jesus and Kelly Janson,” Chris told the Tennessean. (Real Friends entered the Country Album charts at No. 12 for the week of Nov 12.)
The annual ASCAP Awards were held Monday evening. ASCAP is a performing rights organization representing songwriters and their music publishers. The Song of the Year Award went to Steven Battey for writing the Luke Combs hit “One Number Away.” Battey’s story is inspiring for struggling songwriters: his parents died when he was in his teens, he moved to Los Angeles and earned money as a busking street performer. He moved to Nashville to write country music. “One Number Away” is his first country hit and first ASCAP Award. Adding to his achievement, he is a self-published songwriter, rather than being signed to a big publishing house.
Kentucky boy Ashley Gorley won the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award for the seventh time!
Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Top 5 for the week of November 16, 2019 [last week’s position in parentheses]
- (1) “10,000 Hours” Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber
- (2) “One Man Band” Old Dominion
- (3) “Even Though I’m Leaving”Luke Combs
- (4) “One Thing Right” Marshmello & Kane Brown
- (6) “Prayed For You” Matt Stell
Miranda Lambert’s latest studio album Wildcard debuted at No. 1 on Bilboard’s Top Country Albums charts. It’s her seventh solo album to debut at No. 1.
Hootie & The Blowfish debut at No. 3 on the Country Albums charts with Imperfect Circle, their first album since 2005 (not counting Darius Rucker’s solo albums).
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“I Know Country” Q&A ANSWER: Tim McGraw, married to his Soul2Soul co-star, Faith Hill.
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On this day in Country Music
Nov. 13, 1950 The No. 1 song on the country singles chart was Hank Snow’s “I’m Movin’ On”. It stayed at the No. 1 spot for 21 weeks. Snow also wrote the song. The song’s huge success led to Hank joining the Grand Ole Opry the same year.
Nov. 13, 1974 Dolly Parton’s “Love Is Like a Butterfly” was No. 1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart. The song led to Dolly using the butterfly as part of the logo for her Dollywood theme park.
This week’s Country Music Birthdays
November 10 Chris Cagle, 1968
Miranda Lambert, 1983
November 11 Narvel Felts, 1938
November 16 Keith Burns (Trick Pony), 1963
Mark Orr (Kentucky Headhunters), 1949
Preshias Harris is the author of “I Know Country” with 366 daily country music questions and answers. You can buy and instantly download your e-book copy at www.IKnowCountry.com.
Preshias is also a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Visit www.collegeofsongology.com for more details. Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
