The Biggest Night On The Weirdest Year

It’s about the only thing this year that may feel like what normal used to feel like. The CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 11th are inside the vast Music City Center in downtown Nashville, across the street from the Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

It sounds like the producers are going to create a Golden Globes kind of look: A stage or stages with tables socially distanced. Eddy Arnold was the first Entertainer of the Year at CMA Awards show #1. It was not televised, and held at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium where the Musician’s Hall of Fame now resides.

The next one was taped by NBC and run a few weeks later. In year three it went live on NBC, then switched over to CBS in 1972. They had it until 2005 when ABC grabbed it, making CBS upset and, over at 30 Rock, NBC execs still kicking themselves for letting it go.

There have been so many great moments through the years. Time Life has a 10-disc CMA Awards live set with 127 performances. Amazon shows a price of $64.24 with free shipping.

Vince Gill was a great host for 11 years, and Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood for 10 years after that. Lots of behind the scenes back and forth on this show that takes up three hours of prime time on ABC.

This year, NBC will throw all new episodes of its powerful “Chicago Police/Fire/Med” series premieres against the CMAs. CBS is still trying to get its COVID-delayed shows on air, but “SWAT” will be back against the CMA’s third hour.

There will be no fan audience at the CMAs, but the Golden Globes and Oscars are fan-less too. They fill their show rooms with nominees and their families. The recent presidential debate at Nashville’s Belmont University had tight security and health precautions. Will the CMA stars wear masks?

The show opening number will be a salute to Charlie Daniels, a very hard star to recreate. He was a one of a kind.

I’m burying the lead, but OK: The Beeb is coming to sing with Dan + Shay. Justin Bieber may actually win a CMA Award, or maybe two! Will lightning strike during the ceremony? There is a 50% chance of rain that night.

ABC would love to see all the new Country stars to get that good demographic. The hosts are old school, and there are several tributes to stars who have passed away.

It’s a three-hour show, and hopefully will be less trendy than the CMT Music Awards. The CMTs looked great, but totally focused on new Country, and the ratings for that on ABC would be awful.

They need a mix, and we shall see how this all works. Charley Pride, the 1971/72 CMA Male Vocalist of the year is being honored this year. I hope they give him a deserving salute!

Meanwhile, this is layoff time of the year. Yes, sadly it is, six weeks before the New Year. The axe fell on me one year around this time. It’s happening now to hundreds of ESPN/Disney workers, and you saw the iHeart fallen. Hope this virus leaves soon, the politics settle down and the CMAs have a great show. 2020, say no more!