NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Country music's biggest night is just hours away! With some of the biggest names in music descending on Nashville Wednesday, the 55th Annual CMA Awards begin at 7 p.m. CT.
The awards show at Bridgestone Arena will feature more than 20-star studded performances. "Bluebird" singer Miranda Lambert will open the show with host Luke Bryan also taking the stage for a solo performance.
Chris Stapleton, Thomas Rhett, Dan + Shay, Eric Church, Gabby Barrett, Jimmie Allen, Brothers Osborne, Luke Combs, Jennifer Hudson, Old Dominion, Keith Urban and Zac Brown Band all plan to perform. Special collaborations from Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley featuring BRELAND and HARDY, Mickey Guyton featuring Brittney Spencer and Madeline Edwards, Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde, as well as Chris Young and Kane Brown are also expected.
Trace Adkins, Ingrid Andress, Kelsea Ballerini, Deana Carter, Lauren Daigle, Russell Dickerson, Faith Fennidy, Florida Georgia Line, Freddie Freeman, Amy Grant, Dulé Hill, Alan Jackson, Elle King, Lady A, Zachary Levi, Scotty McCreery, Hayley Orrantia, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Darius Rucker, Susan Sarandon, Saycon Sengbloh, Kurt Warner, Lainey Wilson, and Trisha Yearwood will present the night's honors.
Eric Church and Chris Stapleton top the list of CMA Awards nominations this year with five each.
Church is up for Entertainer of the Year,Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for Heart, Single of the Year for “Hell Of A View”, and Song of the Year for “Hell Of A View”. With 35 CMA Awards nominations under his belt, Church has taken home four previous CMA Awards wins. This year marks his eighth nomination in the Male Vocalist of the Year category and fifth nomination in theAlbum, Single and Song of the Year categories.
Stapleton received nominations for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for Starting Over, Single of the Year for "Starting Over” and Song of the Year for "Starting Over”. The 10-time CMA Awards winner has already won the Male Vocalist category four times. Stapleton has a total of 26 CMA Awards nominations.
Other top nominees include Gabby Barrett with four nominations forNew Artist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year and Song of the Year for “The Good Ones”.Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Chris Young, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris and Miranda Lambert each have three nominations.
Lambert remains themost nominated female of all time for CMA Awards and now ties for third in overall CMA Awards nominations. This year, she earned nominations forEntertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Musical Event of the Year for “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” which add to her previous 55 nominations and 14 wins. The "Kerosene" singer has received five nominations for Entertainer of the Year and 15 nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year, which she has previously won seven times.
While many await the results of the awards show, the Country Music Association revealed the winners of two categories early Wednesday morning.
East Tennessee natives Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney scored CMA Musical Event of the Year and CMA Music Video of the Year awards for "half of my hometown," Ballerini's song about Knoxville, Tennessee.
Find a full list of CMA Awards nominees below:
Entertainer of the Year
Single of the Year
Album of the Year:
Song of the Year
Female Vocalist of the Year
Male Vocalist of the Year
Vocal Group of the Year
Vocal Duo of the Year
Musical Event of the Year
Musician of the Year
Music Video of the Year
New Artist of the Year