One of nation music’s most revered singer-songwriters honoring one other of the style’s most revered singer-songwriters made for a signature second throughout the 2022 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony, which airs Friday (Oct. 14) on CMT, and taped the night of Oct. 12.
Alan Jackson, who obtained the artist of a lifetime award, stood middle stage at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center and paid tribute to the late Loretta Lynn, who died Oct. 4 on the age of 90.
“There will never be another Loretta Lynn,” he instructed the gang, eliciting cheers.
The night marked a celebration of among the most profitable artists within the style over the previous 12 months. This 12 months’s honorees had been Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Walker Hayes, Cody Johnson and Carly Pearce. Additionally, Lainey Wilson was named breakout artist of the 12 months.
Hayes, identified for hits like “AA” and the inescapable “Fancy Like,” which spent 24 weeks atop the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart (and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100), teamed with Ciara for a particular collaboration of Hayes’ track “Y’all Life.” Kelsea Ballerini and writer-producer Shane McAnally (who works with each Ballerini and Hayes, amongst many others) recalled first assembly Hayes in a smoothie store, when Hayes approached him and requested if McAnally would take heed to his songs.
Hayes was emotional as he accepted the distinction, saying, “The last award I got was in ninth grade for most-improved student.”
With her EP 29 and expanded album 29: Written in Stone, Pearce has turned some of the difficult and heartbreaking seasons of her life into triumph, crafting the tasks following her divorce in 2020 from fellow artist Michael Ray. Pearce has since earned one other No. 1 hit with “Never Wanted to Be That Girl,” and is the reigning ACM feminine artist of the 12 months and present CMA feminine vocalist of the 12 months. Last 12 months, Pearce was additionally inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, and has been on the street opening exhibits for Kenny Chesney.
Pearce carried out an anguished but decided rendering of “29,” and later accepted her CMT artists of the 12 months honor by thanking CMT’s senior vp of music and expertise Leslie Fram for being a steadfast champion.
“I think about 10 years ago, crying on Leslie Fram’s couch and wondering if I was going to get a break,” she recalled. She inspired anybody who’s fighting a tough time, including, “You can get through and overcome, because I did.” Closing out her speech, she reminded the viewers that “country music is my heart,” and quipped, “Divorce never looked so good!”
The night marked the third CMT artists of the 12 months honor for Luke Combs, who this 12 months earned two CMT Music Awards nominations, in addition to a Grammy nomination for finest nation solo efficiency for “Forever After All.” He can be set to launch his stadium World Tour, which is able to go to 16 international locations, subsequent 12 months. Though the hitmaker was not in attendance, Riley Green carried out Combs’ present Hot 100 high 10 hit “The Kind of Love We Make.”
Wilson wowed the viewers along with her vocal prowess on “Heart Like a Truck,” which is included on her upcoming album Bell Bottom Country. Over the previous 12 months, Wilson has earned two No. 1 hits, “Things a Man Oughta Know” and the Cole Swindell duet “Never Say Never,” and simply teamed with HARDY for the dramatic homicide ballad “Wait in the Truck.” She can be gearing up for her debut on the hit sequence Yellowstone in November, and is the most-nominated artist main into this 12 months’s Country Music Association Awards. At the identical time, Wilson has additionally weathered onerous instances in current weeks, as her father has been battling well being points. She fortunately famous to the viewers that he got here residence from the hospital this week, which drew cheers from the viewers.
She famous that she has “come a long way from the camper trailer days,” and famous how a lot she has all the time simply needed an opportunity to be in nation music.
The CMT Artists of the Year taping was additional particular for Kane and Katelyn Brown, because it fell on the couple’s fourth wedding ceremony anniversary. The night additionally marked Brown’s third CMT artists of the 12 months recognition.
Brown carried out his current No. 1 hit “Like I Love Country Music,” which features a reference to “Chattahoochee,” the 1993 hit from lifetime honoree Jackson. The track is included on Brown’s lately launched album, Different Man. Over the previous 12 months, Brown has continued so as to add to his arsenal of hit songs and collaborations. In August, Brown turned the primary male nation artist to carry out on the MTV VMAs and lately launched into a world tour with stops in Australia and Europe. “This feels amazing to be recognized,” Brown mentioned, thanking not solely his spouse, but additionally his supervisor Martha Earls and his publishing accomplice Kent Earls.
Texan Cody Johnson scored one of many 12 months’s largest hits with “’Til You Can’t,” which reigned atop Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for 2 weeks in March. He additionally picked up two CMT Music Awards earlier this 12 months, together with male video of the 12 months and digital-first efficiency.
Seated on a stool and backed by his personal band, Johnson carried out his newest single, “Human.” In accepting his trophy from Warner Music Nashville labelmates Dan+Shay, Johnson famous that he has been along with his supervisor Howie Edelman for 11 years, based mostly on a handshake deal.
“I believe in country music… and will give it everything I’ve got,” Johnson mentioned.
Tanya Tucker launched a phase targeted on Lynn, saying, “She guided me through this business. I grew up singing her fightin’, drinkin’, cheatin’ songs… she went from being my hero to my great friend.”
Lynn’s sisters Crystal Gayle and Peggy Sue carried out Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter” because the viewers stood to its ft and gave an prolonged ovation. “We had a really good friendship, and I just really appreciated her,” Jackson later instructed the viewers.
As the night concluded, Jackson thanked CMT for enjoying his movies over time, noting that he’s created roughly 60 nation music movies throughout his profession. Jackson has additionally notched 26 No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, and 51 high 10 hits.
He recalled his vary of music movies, which have included water snowboarding in boots (“Chattahoochee”), automobile races and monster vehicles.
“I always believed videos were important to music,” he mentioned. “I argued with some record executive a couple times about how important they were back in the ‘90s. I thought people would watch in the background and listen to music, hear your songs, even [during times] when they didn’t hear it on the radio.”
Tribute movies to Jackson from a number of of the night’s fellow honorees, in addition to one from former President George W. Bush, had been performed — together with a humorous anecdote from Hayes, who mentioned he used to burn CDs of his personal songs and throw them into Jackson’s yard in Nashville, hoping he may hear them.
As it turned out, Brown’s efficiency of “Like I Love Country Music,” with its reference to “Chattahoochee,” was a foreshadowing of the night, as Jackson closed out the ceremony. The temper within the room was already festive, however as Jackson strapped on his guitar, that celebration turned “hotter than a hoochie coochie.”
“I’ve been really blessed of course with everything, and so thankful for all my fans and all my music and everybody,” he concluded.
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