This year's CMT Music Awards will merge country, rock and blues straight from the heart of Texas
ByKRISTIN M. HALL AP Entertainment Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- This year's CMT Music Awards will merge country, rock and blues straight from the heart of Texas, featuring performances including collaborations with Alanis Morissette, The Black Crowes, Gwen Stefani and Gary Clark Jr. and tributes to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
The annual fan-voted awards show in Austin, Texas, on Sunday also will honor country superstar and five-time Grammy winner Shania Twain with the Equal Play Award, recognizing her for being a “visible and vocal advocate” for diverse voices in country music.
Hosted by Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, fan-favorite and scheduled performer Lainey Wilson leads the nominations with four chances to win.
The show airs live on CBS at 8 p.m. EST.
Carrie Underwood has a chance to extend her record as the most awarded artist in CMT history with 25 awards. Underwood, who also will perform, was nominated again for video of the year for “Hate My Heart."
Other performers include Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Wynonna Judd with Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, Jelly Roll, Tyler Hubbard and Brown with his wife Katelyn.
Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd will be honored with a tribute performance following the death in March of the last original member, Gary Rossington. ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, Slash of Guns N' Roses and the Allman Brothers' Warren Haynes and Chuck Leavell are slated to perform with singers Paul Rodgers and Cody Johnson with backup vocals from LeAnn Rimes and Judd.
Four-time Grammy winner Clark Jr. will perform a tribute to the late Texas guitarist Vaughn.
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