5 Things I Want To See At The CMA Awards Next Month
The 51st Annual CMA Awards are just under one month away! When the nominations came out, it felt like Christmas morning. I'll give you all my predictions when we get a bit closer but for now, here are five things I want to see come November 8th. (Hey Brad, are you listening?)
A Tribute To Las Vegas Victims
The world is still reeling from the Las Vegas massacre. The country music community was hit especially hard. This will be the first major event since the shooting and the victims deserve to be honored and remembered, especially on a huge platform like this.
Some Love For Jason
CMA voters aren't big fans of Jason. For someone who is consistently selling out stadiums and reaching number one, his name is noticeably absent from the nominations year after year. He's not up for anything this year but it would be nice to see some love for him at the show, whether it be a performance slot or a special award of some kind. He has handled the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting with grace. I have a new respect for him. I hope CMA members and voters do too.
A Win For Jon Pardi
I have a soft spot for him, it's true. I mention how much I love him at least once a day on The Breakfast Club. Major fan or not, there is no denying his time has come. He is one of the most country artists on the airwaves right now. There isn't a dud on California Sunrise. His string of number one hits is three songs strong and counting. "Dirt On My Boots" is also up for two of the biggest awards of the night AND on an impressive roster of new talent, he stands out. (Let's also give Eric a CMA Award while we are at it, too.)
Another "Tin Man" Moment
Award shows are always packed full of performances. Some are better than others. Some are underwhelming. While rare, every once in awhile there's a performance that blows everyone away. The most recent example? Miranda's stripped down version of Tin Man at this year's ACM Awards. The performance was so powerful, it is still talked about to this day. Given this is an award show dedicated to music, I want to see more performances crafted around the music itself and less around the theatrics.
Speeches To Remember
When Brothers Osborne won big at the show last year, their speech - and surprise win - quickly became one of the night's biggest and most endearing moments. They were genuinely shocked. It's nice to see these humanizing moments from country stars that often seem larger than life.