‘CMT Artists of the Year’ To Honor Chris Stapleton, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini and Luke Combs
CMT just revealed that Chris Stapleton, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini and Luke Combs have been named 2021 Artists…
Chris Stapleton, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs
CMT just revealed that Chris Stapleton, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini and Luke Combs have been named 2021 Artists of the Year.
The country stars will be celebrated during the 2021 CMT Artists of the Year special, airing live Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center on Wednesday, October 13 at 9p/8c.
According to a press release, the artists were selected as they have collectively dominated the last 12 months in country music, leading across all CMT platforms, scoring chart-topping albums and singles, while simultaneously finding creative ways to connect with fans and meet the personal and professional challenges posed by the past year.
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“’We are honored to recognize these five incredible artists who have entertained and inspired millions through their music this past year,” Margaret Comeaux, Executive Producer and Vice President, Production of CMT, shares. “We look forward to returning to the Schermerhorn with a live show as we celebrate the accomplishments of Chris, Kane, Kelsea, Gabby and Luke.”
This year’s Artists of the Year special will return to its original format after changing in 2020 to honor those on the frontlines.
The special promises to bring some of music’s biggest stars together to celebrate Stapleton, Brown, Ballerini, Barrett and Combs.
Musical pairings, special guests, additional honorees, performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.
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.
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