Carrie Underwood Steps Down From CMA Awards Hosting Duties

After co-hosting the CMA Awards for 12 consecutive years, Carrie Underwood is hanging up her hat. The superstar revealed that…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

December 30, 2019

1:49 pm

Carrie Underwood; Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

After co-hosting the CMA Awards for 12 consecutive years, Carrie Underwood is hanging up her hat.

The superstar revealed that she no longer plans to co-host the CMAs on Monday (Dec. 30) in a lengthy Instagram post, telling fans: “I’ve decided to pass the hosting torch.”

“One of the highlights of 2019 and of my entire career so far was being on stage with the legends that are Reba and Dolly Parton,” the “Drinking Alone” singer began. “I’m so proud that we could celebrate the incredible female artists that are part of the legacy of country music, past, present and future, and I’m thankful for the huge audiences all over the world that tuned in to see it. It’s hard to believe that it was my 12th year hosting and I will always treasure every show, from the 11 that I was so lucky to do with my partner in crime and friend for life, Brad Paisley, to sharing the stage with two of my all-time heroes.”

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“I’m so incredibly grateful to everyone involved with the CMA Awards all these years,” she continued. “It’s hard to imagine topping what we have accomplished together, so I’ve decided that it’s time to pass the hosting torch (at least for now!) to others that will cherish it and honor it as much as I do. I’ve got so many exciting things coming in the new year and beyond, and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for all of us.”

Underwood first co-hosted the CMA Awards in 2008 alongside Brad Paisley. They shared the stage as co-hosts of “Country Music’s Biggest Night” for 11 years. In 2019, Paisley stepped away and Underwood hosted the show with special guest hosts Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton.

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Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.