We now know at least some of the artists that will be performing at the upcoming 2021 CMA Awards. Jimmie Allen, Brothers Osborne, Eric Church, Dan + Shay, Mickey Guyton featuring Brittney Spencer and Madeline Edwards, Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde, and Blake Shelton are among the artists slated to take the stage, with more artists expected to be announced in the near future.
Luke Bryan will make his CMA Awards hosting debut during the live broadcast.
“The CMA Awards is one of the biggest nights of the year for country music,” Bryan says of his role. “Being asked to host the CMA Awards was definitely something I put a lot of thought into before answering. The pressure that comes along with that can be overwhelming, but knowing I get to help honor and celebrate so many of my friends, I knew it was something I couldn’t turn down. I mean, growing up in Georgia, I remember watching Vince Gill, Reba, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Rogers, Barbara Mandrell, to name a few. They were so good.
“And then becoming a part of this amazing country music family and sitting on the front row while Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and Darius Rucker took the reins, all of these artists are heroes and friends, and I am honored to have my name included in this group,” he adds. “I’m looking forward to making it fun and memorable and using this platform to continue to make country music shine.”
Pearce and McBryde will sing their current duet, “Never Wanted to Be That Girl.” The song is from Pearce’s recent 29: Written in Stone album.
“I think that what’s so cool about this song is it is two women that never meet in the song,” Pearce tells Everything Nash. “We never meet, but we’re experiencing something so similar. It almost wrote itself in the room, of her perspective, to my perspective. It’s something that I think a lot of women go through and deal with.”
The 2021 CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 10, at 8:00 PM ET on ABC.
