Country Music Association There’s more secrecy than ever before surrounding CMA Awards this Wednesday in Nashville, as the ceremony celebrates a historic half-century anniversary. Rehearsals at Bridgestone Arena remain closed, while the stars involved largely have been sworn to secrecy.
The Country Music Association has revealed an updated list of celebrities who’ll be taking the stage, however, boasting an impressive array of Hollywood A-listers, ABC actors, sports figures and country music royalty.
Hall of Famers Bill Anderson, Brenda Lee, Barbara Mandrell, and The Oak Ridge Boys are set to appear, plus past winner Lee Greenwood and 1974 Female Vocalist of the Year Olivia Newton-John. Current nominees Cam and Cole Swindell join the roster, with Dan+Shay booked to pass out the pre-televised awards.
Jennifer Garner, Matthew McConaughey, Sharon Stone, and Lily Tomlin will represent Tinseltown, with Once Upon a Time’s Josh Dallas and The Goldbergs’ Wendi McLendon-Covey and Hayley Orrantia pulling teleprompter duty as well.
From the sports world comes NFL legend Peyton Manning, Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, and Aly Raisman, as well as ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit and Samantha Ponder.
They join the already-confirmed list of Alabama, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Clint Black, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Roy Clark, Charlie Daniels, Randy Travis, Florida Georgia Line, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, Jennifer Nettles, Brad Paisley, Pentatonix, Charley Pride, Thomas Rhett, Reba, Ricky Skaggs, George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Dwight Yoakam.
Tune in to see how that many stars can fit into a three-hour show starting at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, as The 50th Annual CMA Awards air live on ABC.
Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
