Chris Stapleton Leads CMA Nominations
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 honors new faces and some favorite returning names.”
Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood return for an 11th year to host “The 52nd Annual CMA Awards,” Country Music’s Biggest Night
, broadcasting live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 8/7c on ABC.
“THE 52ND ANNUAL CMA AWARDS” – FINAL NOMINEES (by ballot category order):
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Keith Urban
SINGLE OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Artist, Producer(s), and Mix Engineer(s))
“Broken Halos” – Chris Stapleton Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton Mix Engineer: Vance Powell
“Drinkin’ Problem” – Midland Producers: Dann Huff, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
“Drowns the Whiskey” – Jason Aldean (Feat. Miranda Lambert) Producer: Michael Knox Mix Engineer: Jeff Braun
“Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line Producer: Willshire Mix Engineer: Serban Ghenea
“Tequila” – Dan + Shay Producers: Scott Hendricks, Dan Smyers Mix Engineer: Jeff Juliano
ALBUM OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Daniel Tashian, Kacey Musgraves
Graffiti U – Keith Urban Producers: Keith Urban, Dan McCarroll, J.R. Rotem, Josh Kerr, Jason Evigan, Greg Wells, Benny Blanco, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Jesse Shatkin, Jimmy Robbins, Oscar Holter, Matt Rad, Eric Valentine, Ian Kirkpatrick, Mike Elizondo, Captain Cuts, Ross Copperman, Dann Huff, Peter Karlsson
Life Changes – Thomas Rhett Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett
The Mountain – Dierks Bentley Producers: Ross Copperman, Jon Randall Stewart, Arturo Buenahora Jr.
SONG OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Songwriter(s))
“Body Like A Back Road” Songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
“Broken Halos” Songwriters: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
“Drowns the Whiskey” Songwriter: Brandon Kinney, Jeff Middleton, Josh Thompson
“Drunk Girl” Songwriter: Scooter Carusoe, Tom Douglas, Chris Janson
“Tequila” Songwriter: Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
LANCO
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
Sugarland
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR (Award goes to each Artist)
“Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley Feat. Brothers Osborne
“Dear Hate” – Maren Morris (Feat. Vince Gill)
“Drowns the Whiskey” – Jason Aldean (Feat. Miranda Lambert)
“Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” – David Lee Murphy (with Kenny Chesney)
“Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas, Dobro
Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar
Dann Huff, Guitar
Mac McAnally, Guitar
Derek Wells, Guitar
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Artist and Director(s))
“Babe” – Sugarland (Featuring Taylor Swift) Director: Anthony Mandler
“Cry Pretty” – Carrie Underwood Director: Randee St. Nicholas
“Drunk Girl” – Chris Janson Director: Jeff Venable
“Marry Me” – Thomas Rhett Director: TK McKamy
“Tequila” – Dan + Shay Director: Patrick Tracy
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lauren Alaina
Luke Combs
Chris Janson
Midland
Brett Young
“THE 52ND ANNUAL CMA AWARDS” – FINAL NOMINEES FOR BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (by market size):
NATIONAL
“American Country Countdown” (Kix Brooks) – Westwood One
“Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40” (Bob Kingsley) – Westwood One
“Country Countdown USA” (Lon Helton) – Westwood One
“The Mayor of Music Row” (Charlie Monk) – Sirius XM Satellite Radio
“The Music Row Happy Hour” (Buzz Brainard) – Sirius XM Satellite Radio
MAJOR MARKET
“Bud and Broadway” (Bud Ford, Jerry Broadway, Kelly Rebal, “Captain Mac Douglas” Gregory Paul Ford, “T.Wall” Tom Wall, and “Sweet Becca” Walls) – WIL, St. Louis, Mo.
“Double-L” (Lois Lewis) – KNIX, Phoenix, Ariz.
“Hawkeye in the Morning” (“Hawkeye” Mark Louis Rybczyk, Jasmine Sadry, and “Connected K” Katelyn Maida) – KSCS, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
“KYGO Morning Show” (Tracy Dixon, Guy David, and Patrick Knight) – KYGO, Denver-Boulder, Colo.
“Tim, Ben and Brooke” (Tim Hattrick, Ben Campbell, and Brooke Hoover) – KNIX, Phoenix, Ariz.
LARGE MARKET
“Jim, Deb & Kevin” (Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt, and Kevin Freeman) – WFMS, Indianapolis, Ind.
“Obie & Ashley In The Morning” (Obie Diaz and Ashley Stegbauer) – WWKA – Orlando, Fla.
“Q Morning Crew” (Mike Wheless and Janie Carothers) – WQDR, Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
“The Randy, Jamie, and Jojo Show” (Randy Carroll, Jamie Martin, and Jojo Meza) – KAJA, San Antonio, Texas
“Ridder, Scott and Shannen” (“Ridder” Shaun Ridderbush, Scott Dolphin, and Shannen Oesterreich) – WMIL, Milwaukee-Racine, WI
MEDIUM MARKET
“The 97.5 WPCV Breakfast Club” (Roger Todd, “Julie K.” Kansy, and “D.J. Thee Trucker” Dale Sellers) – WPCV, Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.
Brent Michaels – KUZZ, Bakersfield, Calif.
“Ken, Kelley, and Daniel” (Ken Hicks, Kelley Bradshaw, and Daniel Wyatt) – WUSY, Chattanooga, Tenn.
“The Odd Squad” (Roger Rhodes, Robyn Adair, and Dan Carson)– CKRY, Calgary, Alta.
“Scott and Sarah in the Morning” (Scott Wynn and Sarah Kay) – WQMX, Akron, Ohio
SMALL MARKET
“Barrett, Fox & Berry” (Bill Barrett, Tim Fox, and Tracy Berry) – KKNU, Eugene-Springfield, Ore.
“The Cat Pak Morning Show” (Brent Lane and Candy Cullerton) – WYCT, Pensacola, Fla.
“The Eddie Foxx Show” (Eddie Foxx and Sharon Green) – WKSF, Asheville, N.C.
“The Good Morning Guys” (Todd Harding, Susan Moore, and Brian Gary) – KUAD, Ft. Collins-Greeley, Colo.
“Steve and Jessica Mornings” (Steve Waters and Jessica Cash) – WFLS, Fredericksburg, Va.
“THE 52ND ANNUAL CMA AWARDS” – FINAL NOMINEES FOR RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (by market size):
MAJOR MARKET
KKBQ – Houston-Galveston, Texas
KNIX – Phoenix, Ariz.
KUPL – Portland, Ore.
WKKT – Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C.-S.C.
WSOC – Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C.-S.C.
LARGE MARKET
KCYY – San Antonio, Texas
KUBL – Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo, Utah
WQIK – Jacksonville, Fla.
WUBE – Cincinnati, Ohio
WWKA – Orlando, Fla.
MEDIUM MARKET
KUZZ – Bakersfield, Calif.
WBBS – Syracuse, N.Y.
WHKO – Dayton, Ohio
WUSY – Chattanooga, Tenn.
WYRK – Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.
SMALL MARKET
KCLR – Columbia, Mo.
KKNU – Eugene-Springfield, Ore.
KTTS – Springfield, Mo.
WCOW – La Crosse, Wis.
WKSF – Asheville, N.C.
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