Month: November 2021

Luke Combs is still trying to determine what to perform at the CMA Awards, and he’s calling on fans for their help. 

On Sunday, Luke took to Twitter to share that he’s toying with different performance ideas, including debuting a new song that fans will be able to access immediately after the show.

“Still trying to decide what I want to sing on the CMA Awards this Wednesday. Would y'all be cool with a brand new, unreleased song? And I'll have it available to stream/purchase everywhere after my performance,” he teases.

Fans were quick to reply in the comment sections, with some requesting recently shared unreleased songs “Joe” and “The Kind of Love We Make,” and another suggesting “The Great Divide,” his bluegrass collaboration with Billy Strings. 

“Omg that would be amazing! Your music speaks to people so whatever you decide to do will be the right decision,” writes one encouraging fan, while another says, “You can sing anything YOU want we love it all!!” alongside a heart emoji. 

Luke is up for three of the night’s awards, including the pinnacle Entertainer of the Year, along with Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Forever After All.” The CMA Awards air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on ABC on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. 

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Growing up in rural Georgia, Luke Bryan admits that he didn’t often get to see live shows, so watching the annual CMA Awards helped the future superstar learn about the art of performing.

“I was from a small town, so I didn’t get to go see many, many concerts. So to watch [the CMA Awards], that was my chance to see my favorite artist and see how they performed,” Luke said.

As he prepares to host his first CMA Awards, Luke is looking back on how watching the show has shaped him as an entertainer, particularly Alan Jackson‘s performance of his hit, “Chattahoochee,” at the 1993 ceremony.   

“I was a kid in Georgia, Alan Jackson was a Georgia boy singing about a river that I grew up learning to ski on, and here he is doing one of the hottest songs of summer in the history of the world on the stage at CMAs,” Luke recalled, adding that the show provided the opportunity for “really connecting with the songs I love.”

In between hosting duties, Luke will perform at the 55th annual CMA Awards, where he’s nominated for Musical Event of the Year with Jordan Davis, for “Buy Dirt.” The show airs live from Nashville on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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If Elle King can take home the CMA for Musical Event of the Year for “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” with Miranda Lambert on Wednesday night, she’ll have a matching set. 

Back in 2016, the “Ex’s & Oh’s” hitmaker took home the trophy for her chart-topping duet with Dierks Bentley, “Different for Girls,” and it was the beginning of an eye-opening experience for the rocker.

“I had had a really hard, mildly traumatic experience at the Grammys,” she recalls. “And I’d been nominated for two Grammys, and someone stepped on the back of my gown, and it ripped all the way up to my belly button. And we had to beg somebody to stitch me up right before they’re about to announce who won the award.”

Fast-forward to her subsequent appearance on the CMA Awards with Dierks, which left her a little bit dumbfounded — in a good way.

“I’m backstage at the CMAs,” she remembers, “and everyone has their dressing room doors open, and Luke Bryan is like, ‘Hey Elle, you want a drink?’ and putting his arm around me.”

“And everyone was genuinely kind and inviting and warm,” Elle continues, “and I was like, ‘Well, I think this is pretty fun.'”

“The rowdier I was,” she adds, “the more people like, amped it up. They know how to get down. And that’s when I was like, ‘Well, country’s more rock ‘n’ roll than rock ‘n’ roll.'”

To say Elle’s a favorite in the Musical Event category is an understatement. She was also nominated last year for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” which Miranda cut with her tour mates. 

Tune in to see if Elle wins, as her backstage buddy Luke hosts the 55th CMA Awards Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. 

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Leading up to the 2021 CMA Awards on November 10, two country performers will swing by ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform their latest singles.

First up is Hardy, who's making his late-night debut with his current single, “Give Heaven Some Hell.” Hardy's nominated for CMA New Artist of the Year, and he's scheduled to perform on the show, too, joining Dierks Bentley and Breland for a live rendition of their Dierks-led collaboration, “Beers on Me.” His Jimmy Kimmel Live! stop is set for November 8.

The following day, on November 9, Dustin Lynch will head to the Jimmy Kimmel stage, and he's bringing rising star MacKenzie Porter along with him. They'll perform their duet, “Thinking Bout You.” Dustin and MacKenzie sent their version of the song to radio in March; fans first got to know the track as an album cut on Dustin's Tullahoma album.

It's an exciting three days for country fans, as the back-to-back lineup of Jimmy Kimmel performances will lead up to the 2021 CMAs on November 10. The show airs live from Nashville on ABC beginning at 8PM ET.

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