Thomas Rhett Prays For Kane Brown and His Late Drummer During CMT Artists of the Year

Thomas Rhett put his faith on full display on Wednesday (Oct. 16) during the CMT Artists of the Year special,…

Lauren Jo Black

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October 17, 2019

Thomas Rhett, CMT Artists of the Year

Thomas Rhett put his faith on full display on Wednesday (Oct. 16) during the CMT Artists of the Year special, using his moment in the spotlight to pray for Kane Brown and his drummer, Kenny Dixon, who tragically lost his life on in a car accident on Saturday (Oct. 12).

“I just want to lift up Kane and his family,” Rhett said while accepting the CMT Artists of the Year trophy. “And I want to lift up his drummer, and their family. And I don’t know if this is very conventional, but can I just pray? Really fast. Is that OK with everybody?”

As the audience cheered, they joined Rhett in bowing their heads in prayer.

“Father God, we love You so much,” the singer began. “While also something that we can’t comprehend. And so right now I pray that You would be with Kane and his family, and his drummer Kenny and his family, and bring them peace that only You know how to bring somebody.”

“Thank you for this night,” he concluded. “God bless country music. We love you, Jesus and in your name we pray, Amen.”

The “Remember You Young” singer brought many to tears with his moving prayer. Several of his fellow artists also praised him on social media following the touching speech.

Rhett’s speech came after Brown took the stage for an emotional moment, dedicating his award to his longtime band member.

Kenny Dixon, 27, passed away on Saturday after reportedly losing control of his car while traveling on Interstate 24 in Christiana, Tenn. He leaves behind a fiancée and young son.

Dixon will be laid to rest on Sunday, October 20.

Written by

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.