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2020 CMA Awards – Full List of Winners

November 11, 2020/in Blog, News /by Stephanie Wagner

Tonight, November 11th, 2020, The 54th Annual CMA Awards show took place. Hosted by Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker, the special show was full of one of a kind moments as the country music family honored the highest talents of 2020 celebrating “Country Music’s Biggest Night”.

2020 CMA Awards, November 11th, 2020

Last year, Stephanie and Christina of NYCountry Swag flew down to Nashville to attend the 53rd Annual CMA Awards, witnessing an iconic night for women in country music including the 2019 hosts Carrie Underwood with special guests Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. Of course, this year looked a little different, but the show must go on and we were certainly excited to cheer the country music community safely from our homes.

The stellar line-up included special performances from superstar artists like Luke Combs, Eric Church, Maren Morris, and more. Dan + Shay were joined by Justin Bieber for the world premiere performance of their hit song, “10,000 Hours”. Additionally, Thomas Rhett took the stage with collaborators Reba McEntire and Chris Tomlin for a special rendition of their 2020 # 1 hit, “Be A Light”.

Check out the list below for all of the night’s winners and follow along on Instagram, @NYCountrySwag for more special moments from the show.

FULL LIST OF 2020 CMA AWARDS WINNERS —

Entertainer Of The Year
Eric Church — ** Winner
Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban

Single Of The Year
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
Producer: Dan Smyers
Mix Engineer: Jeff Juliano

“Beer Never Broke My Heart” – Luke Combs
Producer: Scott Moffatt
Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley

“Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce

“The Bones” – Maren Morris — ** Winner
Producer: Greg Kurstin
Mix Engineer: Greg Kurstin

“I Hope” – Gabby Barrett
Producers: Ross Copperman, Zach Kale
Mix Engineer: Buckley Miller

Album Of The Year
Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi

Never Will – Ashley McBryde
Producers: Jay Joyce, John Peets

Old Dominion – Old Dominion
Producers: Shane McAnally, Old Dominion

What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs — ** Winner
Producer: Scott Moffatt

Wildcard – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Jay Joyce

Song Of The Year
“Bluebird” – Written by Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert, recorded by Miranda Lambert

“The Bones” – Written by Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz, recorded by Maren Morris — ** Winner

“Even Though I’m Leaving” – Written by Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III, Ray Fulcher, recorded by Luke Combs

“I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Written by Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Carly Pearce, Jonathan Singleton, recorded by Carly Pearce and Lee Brice

“More Hearts Than Mine” – Written by Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis, Derrick Southerland, recorded by Ingrid Andress

Female Vocalist Of The Year
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Maren Morris — ** Winner
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist Of The Year
Eric Church
Luke Combs — ** Winner
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban

Vocal Group Of The Year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion — ** Winner
Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo Of The Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay — ** Winner
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae

Musical Event Of The Year
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
Producer: Dan Smyers

“Be A Light” – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban
Producer: Dann Huff

“The Bones” – Maren Morris with Hozier
Producer: Greg Kurstin

“Fooled Around And Fell In Love” – Miranda Lambert (feat. Maren Morris, Elle King, Ashley
McBryde, Tenille Townes & Caylee Hammack)
Producer: Jay Joyce

“I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice — ** Early Winner
Producer: busbee

Music Video Of The Year
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
Director: Patrick Tracy

“Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert — ** Early Winner
Director: Trey Fanjoy

“Homemade” – Jake Owen
Director: Justin Clough

“I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice
Director: Sam Siske

“Second One To Know” – Chris Stapleton
Director: David Coleman

New Artist Of The Year
Jimmie Allen
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Carly Pearce
Morgan Wallen — ** Winner

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music.

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SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Miranda Lambert, Carly Pearce, and Lee Brice Take Home Early CMA Awards

November 11, 2020/in Blog, News /by Stephanie Wagner

Ahead of the 54th Annual CMA Awards set to take place tonight, Wednesday, November 11th at 7/8c on ABC, two early winners were revealed.

Miranda Lambert, Carly Pearce, and Lee Brice take home early CMA Awards ahead of the November 11th show. Tune in at 7/8c on ABC

Miranda Lambert takes home the award for Video of the Year with her smash hit, “Bluebird”. The award-winning video was directed by Trey Fanjoy. Additionally, Carly Pearce and Lee Brice received the award for Musical Event of the Year for their hit song, “I Hope You’re Happy Now”.

Pearce shared her emotional reaction to the win in an Instagram post, adding “This was the moment I found out as I sobbed on the phone in my pjs. Thank you, thank you, thank you. In a year that started as the hardest I’ve ever experienced, YALL are helping me see the big, bright, BEAUTIFUL light at the end of the tunnel.”

Pearce’s co-star on the track, Lee Brice, recently tested positive for COVID-19, will not be in attendance at the show tonight. Instead, fellow friend and country music artist, Charles Kelley of Lady A will take his place to perform the number one song with Pearce.

Hosted by Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker, the special show will be full of one of a kind moments as the country music family honors the highest talents of 2020 celebrating “Country Music’s Biggest Night”. Be sure to tune in and follow along on Twitter, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG, as we live-tweet the show. For a full list of performances, nominations, and everything you need to know, click here.

Click the image above to visit us on Instagram and let us know your vote for this year’s Entertainer of the Year.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music.

2020 CMA Awards Set to Air on November 11th, 2020 at 8PM ET on ABC

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SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Thomas Rhett and Wife, Lauren Akins to host ‘CMA Country Christmas’

November 11, 2020/in Blog, News /by Stephanie Wagner

Officially kicking off the holiday season with country music’s favorite couple, Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins are set to host the annual CMA Country Christmas Special.

Surprising fans with the announcement, the country superstar and New York Times bestselling author revealed the news earlier today, Wednesday, November 11th on Good Morning America.

“We can’t wait for you all to get to watch that and get into the holiday spirit with us,” Rhett shared in the exciting announcement.

CMA Country Christmas is set to air on Monday, November 30th at 9/8c on ABC. Performers for the special show include Kelsea Ballerini, Dan + Shay, Gabby Barrett, Florida Georgia Line, Lady A, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker, and Lindsay Stirling.

The news comes just hours before the 54th Annual CMA Awards which airs tonight at 7/8c on ABC. Rhett, who is up for Male Vocalist of the Year, will hit the awards show stage to perform his CMA nominated and number one hit, “Be A Light” with collaborators Reba, Hillary Scott, and Chris Tomlin. Lauren Akins will also make an appearance on the show as she is scheduled to present an award.

It’s a big day for Rhett who also released a brand new single, “What’s Your Country Song”. The track serves as a first-look at the singer-songwriter’s forthcoming fifth studio album.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Thomas Rhett releases.

To keep up with Thomas Rhett, follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

“What’s Your Country Song” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. Specially selected foundations that support our heroes will receive donations from each purchase. Honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice is what we are dedicated to.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Thomas Rhett Asks Fans, “What’s Your Country Song?”

November 11, 2020/in Blog, New Music, News /by Alexa Ebner

Thomas Rhett asks fans “What’s Your Country Song” in new single, after teasing the track on Instagram back in June. The new tune is available now, November 11th, on all streaming platforms. Take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the music.

Throughout quarantine, Thomas Rhett invited fans inside his home and served the treat of brand new music through IGTV. These song releases featured solely the singer-songwriter and his acoustic guitar, creating a deep and intimate connection between Rhett and his fans.

Country music lovers eagerly requested studio versions of the IGTV acoustic songs to be featured on the artist’s next album. The Nashville star listened, and finally gifted fans with “What’s Your Country Song,” as the lead single for his forthcoming fifth studio album. This preview into the singer’s next era of music is exciting for fans, as it signals an album to follow where the singer will be staying true to his country roots while adding a modern, pop twist.

The country star is known for singing about real-life high and low points, whether it be romantically, starting a family, or relating to his career. This established him as an extremely relatable artist. Throughout the single, “What’s Your Country Song,” the singer continues to use songwriting to reflect on different phases of life.

“What’s Your Country Song” contains elements of an instant classic, acknowledging the power of music as a special guiding force throughout one’s life. Ultimately, the song pins the idea that each person can identify a specific “country song” that transports them back to a certain moment in time and carries significant meaning.

Nearly each and every line of the song namechecks special lyrics and titles from familiar country songs that fans often connect to, whether contemporary or legendary classics. These clever and meaningful lyrics along with the calming acoustic guitar picking pattern make for a deeply impactful tune.

In the first verse, the singer-songwriter playfully sings of common country clichés that evoke feelings of freedom and carefree fun.

“Did you cruise down a back road / with your Dixieland Delight / Are you on the Chattahoochee, On a barefoot blue jean night”

He artfully weaves in well-known song titles into the lyrics, making for an especially engaging and memorable song. When it comes to the chorus, Rhett is soulful in the way he ties together the song’s meaning as a whole…

“Everybody got a small town anthem / Everybody got a story to tell / Everybody got a hallelujah / Everybody been through a little hell / When you’re rolling down a little two-lane highway / And you turn your radio on / Tell me which one hits you baby / Yeah what’s your country song?”

He sings about how everyone has their own struggles and life stories, and that country music is a constant that helps carry people through. This chorus leads the listeners to reflect on songs that have been alongside them during significant moments in their lives, both through ups and downs.

Thomas Rhett new song "What's Your Country Song"

Thomas Rhett asks fans “What’s Your Country Song” in new single, available now, November 11th.

The 2020 ACM Entertainer of the Year even takes us back to the 1980s for a particularly clever lyrical spin from Barbara Mandrell’s legendary hit “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool”, “Are you already country / back when country wasn’t cool”.

Listening to this song is like a scavenger hunt, and with each play, there is a new creative lyrical reference to pick up on. The singer’s acoustic song releases through IGTV have been a welcomed surprise to help fans through these tough times of 2020 and we are thrilled that this song signifies even more studio releases to follow.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Thomas Rhett releases.

To keep up with Thomas Rhett, follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

“What’s Your Country Song” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Who Is Drew Parker? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

November 9, 2020/in Blog, Interviews, Swag Spotlight /by Erica Zisman

Country music is full of talented artists that are on the brink of breaking through to the mainstream scene. Singer-songwriter and our Swag Spotlight this week, Drew Parker is one of the talented writers behind hits for superstar Luke Combs and Jake Owen, but 2020 has been all about establishing himself as his own artist.

Drew Parker

Growing up in Covington, Georgia, Parker found music in church at the age of six. That early love of music created a desire in him to sing even more. “Around the age of 12, I wanted to do more with it,” he shared, talking about emulating the gospel choirs in his church, “I kind of asked my parents how do I do what they do and travel around and sing at different churches.” With his parents support, the singer sang at different churches throughout his adolescence.

Parker’s love of music continued to evolve as he got older. He decided that he really wanted to start singing country music, a genre he grew up on. “I had always been a fan of country music, I mean that’s all I listened to growing up was country music, but around the age of eighteen was when I stared wanting to sing country music myself.” Raised on 90s country music like Keith Whitley, Brooks & Dunn, Travis Tritt, and Alan Jackson, Parker always found himself drawn to great singers and strong voices.

With a desire to sing in his heart, the entertainer started out a local pizza place. After singing at an open mic night, the owner asked him to come back and put together a full show for the audience. “I hired a guitar player and we learned three hours of country cover songs’ and that’s kind of where it all started for me,” he reminisced.

After taking a slight detour, heading off to college to follow a more “typical” track , Parker realized his heart was still in country music. “When I turned about 21, I realized ‘hey man, if you don’t pack up your stuff and move you’re not going to,’” he explained, “And I didn’t want to wake up in 30 years and ask myself what if I had done this.” This propelled the newcomer to find a job at a hospital at night and make the big move to Nashville.

Upon moving to music city, Parker’s goal was to be a singer, but he soon realized that song-writing was also a part of the fabric of his soul. “Songwriting wasn’t a gift I realized that I had until I had already moved to Nashville,” he shared, “I kind of found it once I got here. And to this day, I’m still learning and building on that craft and learning more about it each and every day.”

Parker now has been a Nashville resident for five years, and it is safe to say that his talent for singing and songwriting has not gone unnoticed. “It’s been awesome,” he exclaimed when asked about his journey so far, “When I write songs, I never go in with the intention of trying to write for myself or a specific artist, I just go in writing the best song I can write, whatever that may be.”

Clearly many of those songs have resonated with other artists, but Parker’s recently released debut EP While You’re Gone features the songs that have resonated the most with him. “It’s just a group of songs that I have been sitting on a while,” he began, “They were songs that never got old to me. They were songs that I always wanted to listen to. They stood the test of time from when I wrote them to when we went in to record them.” He later added that if he felt this way about his own music that hopefully fans would too.

Parker’s lead single from the EP, the title track, “When You’re Gone,” is just one of the several songs that speaks volumes to his talent as a vocalist and as a songwriter. Written with fellow singer-songwriter Jameson Rodgers, the single pays homage to the 90s country music that the two grew up on, reminding us all of the great story-telling in the genre. “I think that day, we both talked about, let’s write something to kind of tip our hats to our folks back in the 90s and those songs. Let’s write a story song,” Parker declared.

Fans can expect more music coming down the pipeline from Parker soon. He continues to hone his craft and wants to deliver content as quick as he can to his growing audience. Of course, when shows come back, the singer-songwriter will also get back on the road with Luke Combs. The future is looking bright for the rising artist!

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Drew Parker releases.

To keep up with Drew Parker follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

While You’re Gone EP is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

2020 CMA Awards: Everything You Need To Know

November 9, 2020/in Blog, News /by Stephanie Wagner

On November 11th, 2020, The 54th Annual CMA Awards show will air on ABC at 8PM ET. Hosted by Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker, the special show will be full of one of a kind moments as the country music family honors the highest talents of 2020 celebrating “Country Music’s Biggest Night”.

2020 CMA Awards Set to Air on November 11th, 2020 at 8PM ET on ABC

Last year, Stephanie and Christina of NYCountry Swag flew down to Nashville to attend the 53rd Annual CMA Awards, witnessing an iconic night for women in country music including the 2019 hosts Carrie Underwood with special guests Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. Of course, this year is looking a little different, but the show must go on and we are certainly excited to cheer the country music community safely from our homes.

The line-up will include special performances from superstar artists like Luke Combs, Eric Church, Maren Morris, and more. Dan + Shay will be joined by Justin Bieber for the world premiere performance of their hit song, “10,000 Hours”. Additionally, Thomas Rhett will take the stage with collaborators Reba McEntire and Chris Tomlin for a special rendition of their 2020 # 1 hit, “Be A Light”. For a full list of performances check out the list below.

Set to take place in Nashville, Tennessee at the Music City Center, the CMA Awards Show will be the first of the year that will include some sort of live audience. Although tickets will not be available to fans as in years past, the show will bring together the performers, nominees, and their guests in one room for the first time in 2020. In a recent press release, CMA CEO Sarah Trahern notes, “We look forward to hosting our nominated artists and their guests as we celebrate the best of Country Music in a fully safe and physically distant environment.”

Check out the full list of performances, nominations, and everything you need to know below + click the image below to visit us on Instagram and let us know your vote for this year’s Entertainer of the Year.

When are the 2020 CMA Awards?
Wednesday, November 11th at 8PM ET

Where to watch the 2020 CMA Awards?
ABC, live from Nashville

Who is hosting the 2020 CMA Awards?
Reba McEntire & Darius Rucker. It is Reba’s 5th time hosting and will be Darius Rucker’s first.

Who is Performing at the 2020 CMA Awards?

Show Opener: Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Jenee Fleenor, and Ashley McBryde – Tribute to Charlie Daniels

Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
Carly Pearce with Charles Kelley (Who will take Lee Brice’s place) – “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
Chris Stapleton – “Starting Over”
Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber – “10,000 Hours”
Darius Rucker and Lady A – “Beers & Sunshine”
Eric Church – “Hell of a View”
Gabby Barrett and Charlie Puth – “I Hope”
Ingrid Andress – “More Hearts Than Mine”
Jimmie Allen – “Best Shot”
Jon Pardi – Joe Diffie Tribute
Keith Urban – “God Whispered Your Name”
Kelsea Ballerini – “hole in the bottle”
Little Big Town – Kenny Rogers Tribute
Luke Combs – “Cold as You”
Maren Morris – “The Bones”
Miranda Lambert – “Settling Down”
Morgan Wallen – “More Than My Hometown”
Old Dominion – Special Performance
Rascal Flatts – “Bless the Broken Road”
Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker – “In the Ghetto” Collaboration Tribute to Mac Davis
Thomas Rhett with Reba McEntire, Chris Tomlin, and Hillary Scott – “Be a Light”

Who is Presenting at the 2020 CMA Awards?

Presenters include Bobby Bones, Jake Owen, Lauren Akins, Lauren Alaina, Sara Evans, and Cece Winans.

Who is Nominated for the 2020 CMA Awards?