Country Legend Willie Nelson Returns to the CMA Awards Stage for the First Time Since 2012 for a Special Performance with Kacey Musgraves
Country Music’s Biggest Night™ to Air Live from Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, Nov. 13 on the ABC Television Network
“The 53rd Annual CMA Awards” has announced additional performances and collaborations by Kelsea Ballerini, Brooks & Dunn with Brothers Osborne, Garth Brooks with Blake Shelton, Dan + Shay, Kacey Musgraves with Willie Nelson, Lady Antebellum and Halsey, Old Dominion, Blake Shelton, and Thomas Rhett. Country Music’s Biggest Night™, hosted by Carrie Underwood with special guest hosts Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton, airs live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 8/7c on the ABC Television Network.
Brooks & Dunn, an 18-time CMA Awards winner and two-time nominee this year, will perform their hit song “Hard Workin’ Man” with Brothers Osborne, the reigning CMA Vocal Duo of the Year and four-time nominee this year. Brooks & Dunn are also recent inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Brooks, an Entertainer of the Year nominee this year, and Shelton, a three-time nominee this year, will perform their CMA Musical Event of the Year nominated hit, “Dive Bar.”
Three-time nominee this year, Musgraves welcomes long-time friend and 10-time CMA Awards winner Nelson to the CMA stage to perform a heartwarming collaboration that fans will soon see has been decades in the making. Nelson last performed on the CMA Awards stage in 2012 in honor of receiving the inaugural CMA Lifetime Achievement Award. In a never-before-seen collaboration, Halsey makes her first-ever CMA Awards appearance, joining six-time CMA Awards winner Lady Antebellum to perform a genre-defying mashup.
Female Vocalist of the Year nominee this year, Ballerini is set to perform her latest hit single “homecoming queen?,” while Dan + Shay, a three-time nominee this year, will perform their CMA Single of the Year nominated song “Speechless” from their CMA Album of the Year nominated album Dan + Shay. Old Dominion, reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year and nominee again this year in the category, will bring their hit “One Man Band” to the CMA Awards stage, while Thomas Rhett, a two-time nominee this year, will perform “Remember You Young” from his CMA Album of the Year nominated album Center Point Road. In addition to his performance with Brooks, Shelton will also hit the stage to perform his three-time nominated single “God’s Country.”
Previously announced performers include Eric Church, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Maren Morris, Dolly Parton with for KING & COUNTRY and Zach Williams, P!NK and Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban. Additional performers and presenters will be revealed in the coming weeks.
“The 53rd Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Alex Rudzinski is the Director, and David Wild is the Head Writer.
For more information on “The 53rd Annual CMA Awards,” please visit CMAawards.com and follow CMA on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fans can listen to music featuring the CMA Awards nominees and performers, on Amazon Music, Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, Vevo and YouTube. To celebrate “The 53rd Annual CMA Awards,” the official merchandise line featuring tees, sweatshirts and other gifts is now available online. Fans can order by Tuesday, Nov. 5 to receive before the show. Merchandise will also be sold on-site at Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
