The CMT Music Awards just got a lot more star power. Cody Johnson, Old Dominion, Megan Moroney and Parker McCollum with Brittney Spencer have been added to the star-studded lineup. The new acts join a previously announced list that includes Keith Urban, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Bailey Zimmerman, Sam Hunt, Kelsea Ballerini and Trisha Yearwood, who will also receive the June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award.
Johnson has won a total of three CMT Music Awards, and is nominated for three more. He will give a world premiere of a new song, “That’s Texas,” from his latest Leather album, out last fall.
Old Dominion and Moroney will team up to perform their Top 25 duet, “Can’t Break Up Now,” from Old Dominion’s Memory Lane record. The pair are nominated for Collaborative Video of the Year for the song.
McCollum and Spencer will perform a collaboration on McCollum’s Top 5 single, “Burn It Down.” Their performance will mark Spencer’s first time to perform on the main stage at the CMT Music Awards.
Ballerini will do double duty as a performer and host. Although this is her fourth year hosting, it’s her first time taking the helm solo, without sharing duties with Kane Brown.
“It’s definitely new grounds for me,” Ballerini told People. “But it’s my fourth year hosting, so I feel like I’ve learned a lot. And the good thing about [the CMT Awards] is there’s such a light energy, so there’s not a pressure that I feel to be perfect. I just want to be fun, honor the night and help people have a good time.”
Jelly Roll, Johnson, Moroney, Ballerini and Lainey Wilson lead the list of nominees, with three nominations each. Johnson received nominations for Video of the Year and Male Video of the Year, both for his recent No. 1 hit, “The Painter,” plus CMT Performance of the Year, for “Human,” from the 2023 CMT Music Awards. He also won the CMT Music Award for Performance of the Year, for “‘Til You Can’t” at the 2022 CMT Music Awards.
“Once again, I didn’t prepare anything to say. I will say this: tonight it’s great to be in my home state of Texas,” Johnson said at the time. “So before I thank Warner Music Nashville, before I thank my band, my crew — ’cause this is Performance of the Year — my band and crew, the Rockin’ CJB from Texas have worked their tail off for this.
“Before I do the single speech that most people do, is I would like for everybody here at once, are you having fun at the CMT Awards?” he continued. “Make some noise. That’s what a performance is about, and that’s what my performance will stay about, is your pleasure. Thank you so much. God bless you.”
See a list of all of the nominees here.
The CMT Music Awards are fan-voted. Voting is open now at vote.cmt.com. The CMT Music Awards will air live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, April 7, at 8:00 PM ET on CBS.
