ABC/CMAIf you want to find out what Brad Paisley has planned for Wednesday night's CMA Awards, all you need to do is ask his boys. The West Virginia native says ever since they realized their dad hosts the show, 11-year-old Huckand nine-...
ABC/Image Group LAThe lineup for 2019 Country Thunder Wisconsin has been announced, and it's a stacked one. Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw and Jake Owen will serve as headliners for the four-day festival, which takes place in the ...
ABC/Image Group LAKelsea Ballerini is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year at Wednesday's CMA Awards. She's been nominated several times before, but her husband, fellow chart-topping country star Morgan Evans, tells ABC Radio that she can't seem to convince herself that she might actually take home a trophy.
"She always goes into those awards assuming that she's not going to win," he says. "I'm sure she'd love to -- I mean, that's the dream -- but I feel like she's very much, 'I'm so happy to be here. I'm so happy to be performing.'"
"When the award comes, I get super-nervous for her," he adds. "But she always says, 'It's gonna be Miranda! It has to be Miranda! She wins every year!' or 'It's gonna be Carrie!' or whatever. But I'm always rooting for her!"
Morgan and Kelsea will be walking the red carpet together at Wednesday's big event, and the "Kiss Somebody" singer says there's a big difference between the two when it comes to getting red carpet ready.
"The CMA preparations are pretty limited [for me]. I just put a shirt and pants and a jacket on!" he laughs. "But CMA preparations for Kelsea are a pretty serious business!" (AUDIO IS ABC 1-ON-1)
Tune in to the CMAs Wednesday night on ABC starting at 8 p.m. ET to see if Kelsea will finally triumph in the Female Vocalist category.
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
ABC NewsChris Janson's hit "Drunk Girl" is nominated for Song of the Year and Video of the Year at Wednesday's CMA Awards, and he himself is nominated for Best New Artist. Chris tells ABC Radio that the success of the song has changed everything for him.
"It really has changed my life...it's changed a lot of lives globally," he explains. "And 'Drunk Girl' really solidified, I think, my place as a songwriter and as an artist. It gave me a new sense of validation, I think, within the community as well, and I'm thankful for that."
Chris also feels that "Drunk Girl" allowed him to show that he's capable of a lot more than just fun, upbeat songs like "Buy Me a Boat" or "Fix a Drink."
"I'm a dad and a husband and frankly, just a man who wants to see better in the world, and we wrote 'Drunk Girl' about that...doing the right thing in those vulnerable situations. And thankfully it worked, and people have been reaching out a lot about that song ever since it came out. It's been amazing."
The only thing better than being nominated at the CMA Awards would be performing on the telecast, but unfortunately, we won't get to see Chris do that this year. But he's all good with that.
"Whatever happens next, happens next," he says. "I am nominated three times...so I figure that's winning as it is. And I got a new suit made up, my wife has an awesome dress, and we're really gonna be enjoying the night."
Tune in to the CMA Awards Wednesday night on ABC to see if Chris takes home any of those trophies.
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
ABC/Image Group LAThe CMA Awards will be held on Wednesday at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena and the evening will include even more star power. Today, the names of presenters for the awards show were announced and the list includes a mix of countr...
ABC/Image Group LAKelsea Ballerini and pop/EDM group The Chainsmokers are chasing their feelings around a motorcross track for the “This Feeling” video. The video, shot at Milestone MX motocross track in Riverside, CA, portra...
Mark TuckerGarth Brooks is the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year -- indeed, he's won the award six times, more than any other artist. He's not nominated this year but he says he's happy for someone else to get the award, as long as they understand one important thing.
"The Entertainer [award] is everything to me, because that's what I do," Garth tells ABC Radio. "So as I do pass the baton, you can bet I'm going to say, 'I would like that back at some point!'"
Of course, Garth has some thoughts about this year's nominees: Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney.
"An award is only as good as the names that are on it. So as an Entertainer [winner], you want somebody who truly is an entertainer," Garth notes. "There's a couple names in there that should have won this award and never have. So it would be nice to hear that name."
Nominees Chris Stapleton and Jason Aldean have never won Entertainer of the Year.
Garth wasn't nominated this year because he wasn't touring, but that'll change in 2019 when he launches his stadium tour. He previewed it with a show at Notre Dame Stadium last month. What did he learn from that experience?
"That a stadium can be a honky-tonk!" he tells ABC Radio. "It's all about sincerity. If these people are fired up to be there and the band and crew are fired up...then this place is gonna get really small really quick."
"Now, Notre Dame is the place for miracles, so I'm not saying that's how it's going to be everywhere else," Garth cautions. "But you can hope and pray it is, 'cause that was some of the most fun I've ever had!"
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
ABC/Image Group LABrothers Osborne have extended their current world tour into 2019. The reigning two-time CMA Vocal Duo of the Year will kick off their 2019 trek on Jan. 10 in Chicago, IL, and will visit more than 40 additional cities throughout ...
Reviver Entertainment GroupThe CMA Awards air live from Nashville Wednesday night on ABC. "Everything's Gonna Be Alright," Kenny Chesney and David Lee Murphy's #1 duet, is nominated for Musical Event of the Year. David Lee, best known for his '90s hits "Dust on the Bottle" and "Party Crowd," says this is a career milestone for him.
"This is the first time that I've been nominated for the CMAs but it really feels great...just to be here," David Lee told ABC Radio on Monday. "Just to have a song in consideration with Kenny...[it's] really cool...it's gonna be a fun week!"
Even before Kenny produced his album No Zip Code, David Lee had penned many songs for the four-time CMA Entertainer of the Year winner. But he rejects the idea that he just might be the official songwriter for No Shoes Nation.
"Well, I don't know about that," he laughs. "There's some pretty good songwriters out there that contribute to
all those records. But I sure do love being a part of it and they've shown me a lot of love, so I love every bit of it."
David Lee recalls getting the news that "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" hit number one the night he performed with Kenny in Columbus, OH.
"I think the same night, we got a good record, so it was double fun," he says. "And I remember that night they brought me out this gigantic margarita onstage!"
"But just the whole 2018...it's just been fantastic to be out here, having new music and getting to hang out with all my buddies and play music."
Tune in to see if David Lee and Kenny pick up a CMA Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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Comstock/Thinkstock Though Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton won the CMA Vocal Duo of the Year trophy in both 1970 and 1971, they only scored a single #1 during their career. Can you name it? ANSWER: 1974's "Please Don't Stop Loving M...
