Month: July 2020

ABC/Image Group LAAfter a record seven wins as CMA Entertainer of the Year, Garth Brooks is stepping aside as a contender.

The country superstar made the announcement during a news conference Wednesday, revealing he’d been in discussions with the Country Music Association about perhaps assuming the status of Entertainer of the Year Emeritus at this year’s CMA Fest. 

Of course, the annual gathering wasn’t possible because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now that CMA Awards voting has begun, the Country Music Hall of Famer wants to make it clear he’s grateful for his Entertainer wins, but wants to step aside to make way for the other contenders.

At the same time, Garth also reiterated he’s happy to be included in all the other categories, and has no intentions of retiring or slowing down. 

Garth’s win at the 2019 awards show came as a curve ball for many viewers, who were hoping that Carrie Underwood would win the title at the close of a show that was centered on spotlighting female artists. 

That night, Garth used his acceptance speech to draw attention to rising artists, both male and female. He highlighted co-host Reba McEntire’s showmanship, applauded Kelsea Ballerini’s vulnerable performance of her single “Homecoming Queen?”, predicted an Entertainer of the Year trophy in Luke Combs’ near future, and credited his wife, fellow country star Trisha Yearwood.

But some viewers critiqued Garth’s win both as a legacy problem — Garth has won the CMA Awards’ biggest trophy seven times — and as a symbol of the obstacles female artists face in the industry. No woman has won the Entertainer of the Year trophy since 2011, when Taylor Swift took home the honor.

By Stephen Hubbard and Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABC/Image Group LAGarth Brooks doesn’t want to be in the running for the Entertainer of the Year trophy at the 2020 CMA Awards.

The country superstar shared the news during a press conference Wednesday, explaining that he asked the Country Music Association not to include him as a contender this year for their highest award. According to Garth, the CMA responded by saying it isn’t technically possible for him to remove himself from consideration.  So he’s decided to state his viewpoint publicly as the nomination process begins.

Garth is the CMA’s reigning Entertainer of the Year. His win at the 2019 awards show came as a curveball for many viewers, who were hoping that Carrie Underwood would win the title at the close of a show that was centered on spotlighting female artists.

That night, Garth used his acceptance speech to draw attention to rising artists, both male and female. He highlighted co-host Reba McEntire’s showmanship, applauded Kelsea Ballerini’s vulnerable performance of her single “Homecoming Queen?”, predicted an Entertainer of the Year trophy in Luke Combs’ near future, and credited his wife, fellow country star Trisha Yearwood.

But some viewers critiqued Garth’s win both as a legacy problem — Garth has won the CMA Awards’ biggest trophy seven times — and as a symbol of the obstacles female artists face in the industry. No woman has won the Entertainer of the Year trophy since 2011, when Taylor Swift took home the honor.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Comstock/ThinkstockHappy 37th birthday to this “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” singer. Her debut album of the same name earned her a nomination for Best Country Album at the 2019 Grammy Awards and she was named New Artist of the Year at the 2019 CMA Awards. Can you name her? ANSWER: Ashley McBryde.  

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

117 MusicThis week, beloved country traditionalist Randy Travis returned with a new single, “Fool’s Love Affair.”

Randy’s known for carrying the torch for classic country music, but this song doesn’t just sound traditional: It was actually recorded in about 1984, prior to the release of the singer’s 1985 radio debut with “On the Other Hand.”

Set to a steel guitar-inflected waltz, the song’s lyrics chronicle the ill-fated romance of a cheater’s love story. “It’s just a fool’s love affair / And we’re both aware / It’s a game and nobody wins,” Randy sings in the chorus.

“Fool’s Love Affair” is a throwback to a different era of country music, and is also the first single Randy’s released since a devastating 2013 stroke hampered his ability to sing and speak.

“It’s just so great to hear Randy’s voice again. It gives me goosebumps,” the singer’s wife, Mary Travis, explains to Rolling Stone. “It’s a very traditional sound because it’s Randy Travis, but it’s so current, which is what Randy’s songs always did. Everybody could identify with the life story in his songs and he told them so well.”

We’ll have a chance to hear Randy’s voice again soon, as he’s featured on a rendition of “Forever and Ever Amen” on Josh Turner’s next album, Country State of Mind. Randy’s vocals on that song mark his first recording session since his stroke; Josh’s full project will drop in late August.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABC/Mark LevineWhen Brad Paisley drops his video for “No I in Beer” on Wednesday, it may very well be a country music first: a clip made up almost entirely of footage from Zoom sessions. 

Brad released the song early in the COVID-19 pandemic, as a reminder that we’re all in this together. Since then, he’s been steadily gathering footage for the video — one he even edited himself. 

“Most of the things that I’ve spent my time doing over the course of this pandemic kind of work for the theme of the song,” he explains. “… coloring my wife’s hair, to all of the stuff with my friends and collaborations, it all just kind of worked.”

“And so to have all these foreign countries, all these people everywhere from Ireland to Wuhan, China on this video gives it so much more gravity,” he adds.

For the West Virginia native, the video’s a time capsule of a period that’s brought him closer to his fans.

“I don’t remember five people out of seven hundred in meet-and-greet,” Brad admits, “but I won’t forget any of these Zooms.”

“If you pause this,” he continues, “there’s a Zoom with grocery store workers at a Wegmans in New York where they dressed up as superheroes to go to work. There’s a Zoom with a woman who it was her last day of cancer treatment named Trina that I will be friends with for life.”

True to form for Brad, there’s also plenty of comedy and celebrity cameos. Most of the funny business comes from beersketball, the viral phenomenon where you bounce a beer off the top of a basketball and try to catch it.

A who’s who of stars, including Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Peyton Manning and more trade lines on the song. 

By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockThe CMA Foundation is continuing its support for music teachers around the country with a new PSA, “We Will,” that shows several teachers vowing to move forward during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We Will” is part of the Foundation’s newly launched initiative, Unified Voices for Music Education, that enables teachers to virtually share ideas and resources. 

Maddie & Tae are hosting the ACM’s new virtual happy hour series, Wine Down Wednesday, tonight on Facebook Live at 7 p.m. ET. Later in the evening, Gabby Barrett, Runaway June and Stephanie Quayle will perform as part of the new concert series, The ACM Weekly, also streaming on the ACM Facebook page at 9 p.m. ET. 

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.