Carly Pearce, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini & More To Perform At First-Ever People’s Choice Country Awards
See the just-announced lineup.
Carly Pearce, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini; Photos Provided
Carly Pearce, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Jelly Roll and more are confirmed to take the stage at the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards.
NBC and Peacock revealed the star-studded performance lineup for the coveted awards show on Thursday (Sept. 14) via a press release.
In addition to Brown, Pearce, Jelly Roll and Ballerini, the People’s Choice Country Awards will also feature performances from Blake Shelton, Dan + Shay, HARDY, Wynonna Judd, Little Big Town and Toby Keith.
As previously announced, country legend Toby Keith will be honored with the Country Icon Award, which will be presented to him by fellow Oklahoma native, Blake Shelton.
“We’re overjoyed to honor legendary artist Toby Keith with the first-ever Country Icon Award,” Cassandra Tryon, Senior Vice President, Entertainment Live Events, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming said. “As a talented songwriter and powerhouse performer, Keith has touched the hearts of fans across the globe. His illustrious career and passion for philanthropy has cemented his place as an icon in country music history.”
According to the press release, the award honors Keith for “his decades-long career as a groundbreaking musician, humanitarian and entrepreneur.” The award will also recognize Keith’s 30-year career as a musician, philanthropist and entrepreneur.
The same press release dubbed Toby Keith “a pioneer in country music and one of the most influential artists of all time.”
Grammy Award-winning singer Wynonna Judd will also be celebrated during the show with the Country Champion Award.
“Wynonna is one of the most recognized and lauded performers in country music,” Tryon previously shared. “Not only is she incredibly talented, her selflessness and passion for putting the needs of others in the spotlight is unmatched. We can’t think of a better person to honor as our inaugural ‘Country Champion’ and to celebrate the holidays with across these two major country music events.”
Wynonna is being honored for her extensive career and her impactful contributions to philanthropy and activism. Over the years, she has consistently utilized her public influence to drive significant positive change. Her advocacy has touched upon various crucial issues, such as children’s welfare, support for military veterans and their families, disaster relief efforts, and more. Wynonna has actively collaborated with multiple organizations, including the Wounded Warrior Project and Habitat for Humanity, to make a meaningful impact on these causes.
The two-hour broadcast will be produced by Den of Thieves with Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski serving as executive producers, along with RAC Clark as executive producer and showrunner.
The awards show will lean into the rich connection between country music and the Opry through chart-topping musical performances, genre-bending collaborations, legendary tributes and surprise moments that regularly happen from the iconic venue.
The only award show for the people and by the people, the “People’s Choice Country Awards” will recognize the biggest and best country music has to offer chosen entirely by the fans across various categories. Several honorary awards will also be bestowed during the awards ceremony. The show will extend to social platforms with Backstage Live, bringing fans at home behind the scenes as well as interactively connecting country music’s most popular stars with their biggest fans.
The show will extend across platforms with “Backstage Live: People’s Choice Country Awards.” The livestream will air on Peacock, PCA Twitter, NBC Twitter/Facebook/YouTube, TODAY All Day/Twitter, E! News Twitter/Facebook/YouTube/E! Online, Access Twitter/YouTube, and Circle social platforms, bringing red carpet arrivals, backstage chats and everything behind-the-scenes to fans at home.
Voting for the “People’s Choice Country Awards” is now closed. See the full list of categories and nominees HERE.
A limited number of show tickets and VIP packages are available now at Opry.com.
Hosted by Little Big Town, the People’s Choice Country Awards will air on NBC and Peacock on Thursday, Sep. 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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