The 2019 CMT Artist of the Year performers and presenters have already been announced and will include some of the top stars in country music as well as a star-studded lineup of celebrities from outside the genre.
The 2019 CMT Artists of the Year Event
Lady Antebellum, Sam Hunt and “This Is Us” star Chrissy Metz will perform during the ceremony on Oct. 16, while Maddie & Tae, Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki and “This Is Us” co-star Lonnie Chavis are set to present awards.
Radio host Bobby Bones has also been announced as a presenter, and so has Thomas Rhett’s wife, Lauren Akins. Vince Gill is also on board to present Reba McEntire with her Artist of a Lifetime award, with Lady A and Hunt taking part in that segment.
The show is set to be broadcast live on the 16th of October from Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Both Brown and Combs are first time nominees.
Joining them are country superstar duo Dan + Shay, who have accumulated several awards from the CMA’s and Grammy’s. Certainly, their accolades count them as one of the best heavy hitters in today’s country scene.
For You
Veteran country superstar Carrie Underwood rounds the roster of superstars. She is the only holdover from the 2018 slate, where CMT made a statement by putting up an all-female roster for the honors. Last year, Maren Morris, Kelsey Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, and Hillary Scott were the nominees.
This year’s awards celebration will mark the fifth time Underwood has been honored with a CMT Artists of the Year award since its humble beginnings in 2010.
Thomas Rhett was last included in an “Artists of the Year” program in 2016. This year’s roster leaves aside such oft-honored usual suspects as Chris Stapleton, Florida Georgia Line, and Luke Bryan.
Lesli Fram, CMT’s Senior Vice President of Music Strategy and Talent, expressed her excitement to pay tribute to the artists this year.
“These five, stand-out honorees have dominated country music this year and we look forward to paying tribute to each of them at the 10th year anniversary CMT Artists of the Year event. From first-time honorees Dan + Shay, Kane Brown, and Luke Combs to two-time honoree Thomas Rhett and now five-time honoree Carrie Underwood, this incredible collection of talents coming together at what marks a pivotal time in each of their careers promises to be a night of incredible performances and reflection.”
