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Toby Keith is posthumously heading to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The singer sadly passed away at the age of 62 on February 5. Toby‘s Country Music Hall of Fame status was announced just over a month after he lost his battle with stomach cancer.

Keep reading to find out more…

At the official announcement on Monday (March 18) in Nashville, Tenn., Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern expressed her regret that Toby didn’t know about his upcoming induction, as the votes were confirmed one day before his death.

According to People, she explained that when she learned of the results, “my heart sank … knowing that we missed the chance to inform Toby while he was still with us.”

Sarah continued, “But I have no doubt that he’s smiling down on us, knowing that he’ll always be ‘as good as he once was,’” referencing Toby‘s 2005 hit song...

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees John Anderson, James Burton and Toby Keith (Photo Credit: CMA)

James Burton, John Anderson, and Toby Keith have earned their way into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The three artists make up the 2024 class of inductees, voted on by members of the Country Music Association and announced during a press conference hosted by Brooks & Dunn.

“This year’s nominees exemplify the excellence of our genre,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “James, John, and Toby have each made an indelible impact and brought their distinctive contributions to Country Music, enriching our format. Their influence is evident throughout the longevity of their careers, ensuring each legacy will thrive indefinitely. It is with great pride that we welcome these three remarkable individuals into the esteemed ranks of the Country Music Hall of Fame.”

James Burton will join the Hall of Fame class of...

Toby Keith is one of the 2024 inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The songwriter died Feb. 5 after a long battle with stomach cancer — one day before the names of the final inductees were to be delivered to the Hall of Fame staff.

Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, announced Keith as one of this year’s inductees and walked through the nomination process during a press conference in the Hall of Fame’s Rotunda Monday morning. “My heart sank that Tuesday afternoon knowing that we had missed the...

Dierks Bentley and Elle King will be joined by Lainey Wilson as the trio cohosts the upcoming CMA Fest summer concert special, airing Wednesday, July 19 on ABC, the Country Music Association announced on Monday.

The three-hour primetime event will be filmed in Nashville, Tennessee, during CMA Fest’s milestone 50th anniversary, scheduled for June 8-11. This year also marks the 20th consecutive year that CMA has produced a summer concert TV special.

“I could not be more excited to welcome Dierks, Elle and Lainey as our CMA Fest hosts this year,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern in a statement. “As fans experienced last year, the energy Dierks and Elle bring to the stage is palpable and will only be amplified with the addition of Lainey this year. Each of these artists have a deep passion for CMA Fest and Country Music fans from around the globe who travel to Nashville for the event.

The Country Music Association’s biggest music event of the summer, CMA Fest, is set to air on Wednesday, July 19, on ABC and will be hosted by three of country music’s biggest stars, Dierks Bentley, Elle King, and Lainey Wilson. “I could not be more excited to welcome Dierks, Elle, and Lainey as our CMA Fest hosts this year,” CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern said in a statement. “As fans experienced last year, the energy Dierks and Elle bring to the stage is palpable and will only be amplified with the addition of Lainey this year.” Trahern continued, “Each of these artists have a deep passion for CMA Fest and Country Music fans from around the globe who travel to Nashville for the event. We are thrilled to have all three of them together to help us celebrate 50 years!” Bentley, who released his 10th studio album in February,...

An original documentary film that tells the story of the world’s largest and longest-running country music festival debuts on Hulu Wednesday, July 5.

CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair marks CMA’s first feature-length film, with CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern and CMA Senior Vice President of Marketing, Content & Communications Strategy Kelly Striewski serving as the film’s executive producers.

The documentary covers the festival’s beginnings as Fan Fair in 1972, which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium, its move to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in 1982, and then to downtown Nashville in 2001, which now draws 80,000 fans a day across four days.

The 75-minute documentary features exclusive interviews with Bill Anderson, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Breland, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Shy Carter, Luke Combs, Vince Gill, Valierie Ellis Hawkins, Wynonna Judd, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Reba McEntire, Mark Miller, Craig Morgan, Lorrie Morgan, Dolly Parton, Carly Pearce,...

The Country Music Association documentary “CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair” will feature exclusive interviews with Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Wynonna Judd and more, releasing July 5 on Hulu.

The original documentary will tell the story of CMA Fest, the world’s largest and longest-running country music festival.

The feature-length film will also include exclusive interviews with Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Breland, Brothers Osborne, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Lainey Wilson, Trisha Yearwood among others.

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“CMA Fest has taken several shapes throughout its storied history,” CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said. “As we step into our 50th year, our hope with this film is to underscore the one thing that has remained with the festival—its heart. We are thrilled to share the evolution and magic...

Jerry Lee Lewis, one of the pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll, has died at age 87.

Lewis was known for such iconic rock hits as “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On”.

Born in Ferriday, Louisiana in 1935, Lewis melded the various musical influences — including gospel, blues and country — into a unique piano-driven sound, with his incendiary stage performances earning him the nickname “The Killer”.

In 1956, Lewis entered a Memphis recording studio with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins to form the very first supergroup, dubbed the Million Dollar Quartet.

Read More: Jerry Lee Lewis Is ‘Recuperating’ After Suffering Minor Stroke

According to a release issued by the late rocker’s talent agency, Lewis had been in poor health for the past few years, having “abused his body so thoroughly as a young man he was given little chance of lasting through middle age, let alone old age.

Country music is coming together to honour Alan Jackson.

The 2022 Country Music Association Awards will present Jackson with a lifetime achievement award. The official title of the award is the 2022 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Past recipients include Kenny Rogers (2013), Johnny Cash (2015), Dolly Parton (2016) and Loretta Lynn (2021).

Read More: Leslie Jordan Spoke About His ‘Unexpected’ New Country Music Career In Final Interview Before Death

Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, Carrie Underwood and Lainey Wilson will perform an all-star tribute to Jackson at the 56th Annual CMA Awards.

“A three-time CMA Entertainer of the Year, he is responsible for so many iconic moments in CMA Awards history,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer in a press release. “Just as Alan has been influenced by many Country legends throughout his career, he too has inspired a generation of artists to stay true to the authenticity of Country Music.

“We are so excited to bring Dierks,...

The Country Music Association and ABC have announced that two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and NFL superstar Peyton Manning will host “The 56th Annual CMA Awards.” Bryan revealed the news this morning while guest hosting “Live with Kelly and Ryan.” Country Music’s Biggest Night broadcasts live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 p.m. Est) on ABC. Being a part of such a historical night that honors my peers and Country Music is such a privilege,” says Bryan. “When I was asked if Peyton Manning is someone I would consider co-hosting with, I didn’t hesitate. We have become great friends through the years, and what he brings to the table is gonna make it even more of a blast. I know he’s been to the CMA Awards before, but he’s never been with me. Hey Peyton, I hope...

Ralph Emery, a radio and TV host who became as famous in the country world as most of the stars he interviewed over the decades, died Saturday at Tristar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville. He was 88. No immediate cause of death was given.

Emery’s renown as, alternately, “the Dick Clark of country music” or “the Johnny Carson of country” was significant enough to earn him a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007, in addition to the more expected plaudits befitting a top broadcaster in the industry, like his membership in the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame, an honor that came in 1989.

“Ralph Emery’s impact in expanding country music’s audience is incalculable,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.”On radio and on television, he allowed fans to get to know the people behind the songs. Ralph...

Less than a month away from its airdate, CMA Awards producers have put an end to the speculation among country fans about who would host the 2021 show by announcing Luke Bryan would take over duties for the show, to be broadcast live Nov. 10 on ABC.

This marks the third year in a row that the network and the Country Music Association have changed up the hosting approach, after Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood had an 11-year run, from 2008 to 2018. Two years ago, Underwood returned to co-host with Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton, and last year McEntire came back to share the stage with Darius Rucker. Earlier this month. McEntire told Billboard she was not coming back “to my knowledge.”

For the CMA and ABC, putting Bryan in the role is a virtually no-risk gambit, as the singer not only remains one of the most reliable ticket-sellers in the industry but...

The CMA Awards will remain on ABC for another five years, as the network and the Country Music Association have extended their deal through 2026. The pact means the CMA Awards (dubbed “Country Music’s Biggest Night”) and specials including “CMA Fest” and “CMA Country Christmas” will continue on the Alphabet network through at least mid-decade.

“Continuing our long-standing relationship with CMA is a top priority and opportunity—together, we bring unforgettable experiences to our audiences that capture the heart and soul of the country music community,” said Rob Mills, executive vice president, unscripted and alternative entertainment, Walt Disney Television. “We look forward to delivering many more memorable moments with celebrated icons as well as aspirational artists and are proud to be the home for these incredible and distinguished specials.”

As part of the deal, it’s believed that the CMA telecasts will stream on Hulu after their initial runs, and...

ABC is staying in business with the Country Music Association. The network and the CMA have extended their broadcast deal through 2026. The new, five-year pact will keep the CMA Awards, as well as CMA broadcast specials CMA Fest and CMA Country Christmas on ABC.

The deal represents a big commitment to live awards shows, which have suffered ratings declines since the start of the pandemic. ABC and CMA’s current agreement was set to expire this year. ABC has aired the annual awards since 2006.

“Continuing our long-standing relationship with CMA is a top priority and opportunity—together, we bring unforgettable experiences to our audiences that capture the heart and soul of the country music community,” said Rob Mills, executive vice president, Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, Walt Disney Television. “We look forward to delivering many more memorable moments with celebrated icons as well as aspirational artists and are proud to be...

ABC has confirmed its renewal of with the Country Music Association for the CMA Awards, which TheWrap exclusively reported on Wednesday.

The new agreement carries a license fee of at least $22 million a year for a multiyear contract, according to two individuals familiar with the deal, which was possible because Disney could draw on funding from Hulu and Disney+ in addition to ABC. As part of the new deal, Hulu and Disney+ are expected to feature additional shoulder programming around the annual event, which is held every November.

The renewal, which includes specials “CMA Fest” and “CMA Country Christmas,” is through 2026. ABC has aired the CMA Awards since 2006.

Like all other award shows, the CMAs have suffered heavy declines in TV viewership, losing fully half of its audience since 2017.

Last year’s show drew a record-low 7.1 million in November, the first time it failed to hit double-digit viewership. From 2019 to...

The 2021 edition of CMA Fest will not take place due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This makes a second consecutive year that the annual multi-day country-music event in Nashville has been canceled. CMA Fest is slated to return in 2022, with dates announced for June 9th through 12th.

The Country Music Association issued the following statement on the decision to cancel this year’s festival:

“After thoughtful deliberation, we are saddened to share that CMA Fest will not take place in 2021. We know our fans near and far have hoped that...

Walter C. Miller, an award-winning television director and producer who served as an executive producer, producer and consulting producer for the CMA Awards for more than 40 years, died Friday night in Nashville. He was 94 years old.

“Walter was an absolute television legend,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “When you worked with him, you instantly knew you were in the presence of greatness. He brought so much innovation and brilliance to the CMA Awards over the 40 years he worked with the organization.”

“Walter Miller was my friend and mentor,” said Robert Deaton, CMA Awards Executive Producer. “Everything I know about producing great television I learned from Walter Miller. Walter had a long list of accomplishments and credits and working with the biggest names in entertainment, however I know that working in Nashville and with the CMA Awards was closest to his heart. He loved our artists, and in return...

Walter C. Miller, a former executive producer for the Country Music Association Awards, died on Nov. 13, the organization revealed on Saturday. He was 94.

Miller worked for the CMA’s for four decades in various producing capacities. “Walter was an absolute television legend,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer. “When you worked with him, you instantly knew you were in the presence of greatness. He brought so much innovation and brilliance to the CMA Awards over the 40 years he worked with the organization.”

He was born in 1926 and began his television career in ...

Walter C. Miller, a former executive producer for the Country Music Association Awards, died on Nov. 13, the organization revealed on Saturday. He was 94.

Miller worked for the CMA’s for four decades in various producing capacities. “Walter was an absolute television legend,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer. “When you worked with him, you instantly knew you were in the presence of greatness. He brought so much innovation and brilliance to the CMA Awards over the 40 years he worked with the organization.”

He was born in 1926 and began his television career in ...

Walter C. Miller, a five-time Emmy-winner best known for producing or directing the Grammys, Tonys and CMA Awards in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, died on Friday evening, the Country Music Association confirmed to Variety. He was 94.

“Walter was an absolute television legend,” said CMA chief executive officer Sarah Trahern in a statement. “When you worked with him, you instantly knew you were in the presence of greatness. He brought so much innovation and brilliance to the CMA Awards over the 40 years he worked with the organization.”

Miller also served at the helm of other awards shows, as well, including the Emmys, People’s Choice Awards and Latin Grammys.

Miller was nominated for 19 prime-time Emmy Awards, taking home five trophies between 1972 and 1999 — four of them from directing the Tony Awards. He was also nominated for two daytime Emmys. Miller was a three-time Directors Guild of America winner. In 1993, he won...

For the last nine months, television awards shows have been busy trying to reinvent wheels when it comes to novel ways of presenting a telecast without reaction shots. That’s why Wednesday night’s CMA Awards felt like the novelty of the year so far in the awards space, just by virtue of having something resembling a traditional live audience. It wasn’t the usual arena crowd: The 15,000 or so people who would usually be packed into Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for the show were replaced by fewer than 100 people, all of them performers or presenters on the show and their guests. But it did feel, on the surface, like a return to kudo-cast normalcy — even if the offstage drama that transpired, with five performers dropping out after they or someone in their circle tested positive for Covid-19, was anything but normal.

Variety got the show’s longtime executive producer,...

Next month’s Country Music Association Awards will honor Charley Pride with its lifetime achievement award, the CMA announced Thursday morning.

The award was dubbed the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award after Nelson was the first recipient of lifetime honors from the CMA in 2012. Subsequently it has been given to Kenny Rogers in 2013, Johnny Cash (posthumously) in 2015, Dolly Parton in 2016 and Kris Kristofferson last year.

Pride, country music’s first Black superstar, will receive the award during the telecast Nov. 11. It airs at 8 p.m. Et/Pt on ABC and will be broadcast live from Nashville’s convention center, Music City Center, in lieu of the traditional full-audience telecast from the Bridgestone Arena.

Pride is both a former host of the CMAs and the winner of its top honor. He hosted the show alongside Glen Campbell in 1975. His entertainer of the year wins came in 1971-72, when he was also...

Darius Rucker and Reba McEntire have been announced as co-hosts for the 54th annual CMA Awards. The ceremony will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Music City Center, airing November 11th on ABC.

This will be the fifth time hosting the event for McEntire, a six-time CMA Award winner, and the first time for Rucker, who has been nominated for five CMA Awards and won Best New Artist in 2009, after transitioning from his tenure as the leader of Hootie & the Blowfish to a country solo career.

“I’m thrilled to...

The Country Music Association announced Monday that Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker will co-host this year’s 54th annual CMA Awards.

The event will be broadcast from the Music City Center in downtown Nashville on Nov. 11, to be broadcast on ABC.

This will be the fifth time for McIntyre — a six-time CMA Award winner — to emcee the event, and the first time for Rucker, a CMA winner who first rose to fame as frontman of Hootie and the Blowfish before moving into country a decade ago.

“I’m thrilled to be back hosting the CMA Awards and even more thrilled that I get to share the stage with Darius Rucker,” McEntire said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to a night of celebrating great Country Music and hope you’ll tune in and watch!”

Rucker added, “I look forward to the CMA Awards every year because of the incredible...

Reba McEntire will repeat her co-hosting duties from last year’s Country Music Association Awards when the show returns to ABC Nov. 11, while Darius Rucker (of solo and Hootie & the Blowfish fame) has signed on as a host for the first time.

The announcement of the hosts — revealed on the network’s “Good Morning America” Monday morning — solves the longstanding riddle of who would fill those roles this year, as all of the major country music awards shows have been playing musical chairs recently. McEntire will be presiding over the CMA Awards for the fifth time in 2020. But historically she’s been even more associated with the Academy of Country Music Awards, a telecast that takes place (in non-pandemic years) in the spring. That show, she’s hosted 16 times. In 2019, McEntire confounded all expectations by co-hosting both the ACMs and the CMAs, a sign of just how at ease producers...

Country music icons Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker are set to host the 54th Annual CMA Awards which will air live 8 from Nashville’s Music City Center on November 11, 8-11Pm Est on ABC. McEntire and Rucker announced the news live this morning on Good Morning America.

“I’m thrilled to be back hosting the CMA Awards and even more thrilled that I get to share the stage with Darius Rucker,” said McEntire. “We’re looking forward to a night of celebrating great Country Music and hope you’ll tune in and watch!”

“I look forward to the CMA Awards every year because of the incredible performances and the opportunity to celebrate the year in Country Music,” added Rucker. “To be invited to host this year’s awards alongside Reba—are you kidding me?! —is an absolute honor. Even though this year will look a little different than normal, I...

Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker have been tapped to host the 54th annual CMA Awards.

The Country Music Association said Monday that the duo — both of whom are previous CMA Awards winners — will host the show, airing live from 8-11 p.m. Et on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from Music City Center in downtown Nashville.

This will mark McEntire’s fifth time as CMA Awards host and Rucker’s first.

CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said of the pair: “Their playful chemistry and genuine warmth are exactly what we know our viewers want to see this year. We look ...

Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker have been tapped to host the 54th annual CMA Awards.

The Country Music Association said Monday that the duo — both of whom are previous CMA Awards winners — will host the show, airing live from 8-11 p.m. Et on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from Music City Center in downtown Nashville.

This will mark McEntire’s fifth time as CMA Awards host and Rucker’s first.

CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said of the pair: “Their playful chemistry and genuine warmth are exactly what we know our viewers want to see this year. We look ...

The Tj Martell Foundation for Cancer Research, has announced the 44th Annual New York Honors Gala to be held on October 15th at Cipriani in New York.

The announcement was made by Co-chairs Julie Greenwald and Craig Kallman of Atlantic Records, Charlie Feldman of Bmi, and Chairman of the T.J. Martell Foundation’s National Board of Trustees Joel Katz of Greenberg Traurig. New York’s prominent community and business leaders will join entertainment and philanthropic stars to honor Michael Kushner, Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs and General Counsel, Atlantic Records; Mike O’Neill, President and CEO, Bmi, and Sarah Trahern, CEO, Country Music Association in a star-studded gala.

The evening includes celebrity guests invited by the honorees to perform and present awards. Past hosts, presenters, performers, and notable guests have included Bryan Adams, Indie Arie, Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, former President William J. Clinton, former President George H.

The Country Music Association announced the final nominees for The 52nd Annual Cma Awards this morning, and it’s a big day for singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, who leads the list of finalists with five nominations. Producer and musician Dann Huff receives four nominations, while nine artists garnered three each — Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Chris Janson, Miranda Lambert, Midland, Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban.

Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay and Sugarland appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” today, live from Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink, Bryan’s new restaurant and bar in downtown Nashville, to reveal nominees for six of the 12 categories on air.

“Today kicks off Cma Awards season where we get to honor the best of the best in our outstanding format,” said Cma Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. “There were some great breakout performances this year and the diversity of the nominations...