KENNY ROGERS TO RECEIVE WILLIE NELSON LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN STAR-STUDDED TRIBUTE DURING "THE 47TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS" AIRING WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6 ON THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK
Lady Antebellum and The Band Perry Will Also Perform During the Three-Hour Gala Previously Announced Performers Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban
Will Take the Stage Together During Country Music's Biggest Night(TM)
Newly inducted Country Music Hall of Fame member Kenny Rogers will receive The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award during "The 47th Annual CMA Awards" airing WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER, 6 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.
Rogers will be honored with a star-studded tribute featuring performances by Jennifer Nettles, Rascal Flatts, and Darius Rucker.
"Kenny Rogers is a living legend and Country Music trailblazer," said Ed Hardy, President of the CMA Board of Directors. "He is more than deserving of this honor and what is sure to be a stellar tribute. He represents everything that this award was intended to recognize when we initiated it last year with Willie."
Rogers is a five-time CMA Awards winner with 23 career nominations. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in a Medallion Ceremony Sunday night, celebrating a five decade-long career. Rogers has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, recorded 24 No. 1 songs and 12 No. 1 albums, is a New York Times Bestselling author, and recently released his 35th studio album - the critically acclaimed You Can't Make Old Friends, which became his 22nd Top 10 Country album.
The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award was presented for the first time last year to its namesake. The Lifetime Achievement Award was created and meant to be presented to an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music. The Award recognizes an artist who has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, record sales, and public representation at the highest level.
Lady Antebellum and The Band Perry have been added to the list of artists performing during the ceremony, and previously announced performers Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban will perform together on the CMA Awards for the first time.
Nettles is a six-time CMA Awards winner, five of which were for Vocal Duo of the Year with Sugarland, and one as songwriter for Song of the Year, "Stay." Sugarland is nominated again for Vocal Duo of the Year.
Rascal Flatts have earned seven CMA Awards and 16 nominations over their career. The trio was named Vocal Group of the Year six consecutive times, and also received the Horizon Award (now New Artist of the Year) in 2002.
Rucker is a former CMA New Artist of the Year with four career CMA nominations. He is nominated this year for Single of the Year for "Wagon Wheel," the No. 1 single from his latest album, True Believers. The hit is also nominated for Song of the Year for songwriters Bob Dylan and Ketch Secor.
Lady Antebellum are seven-time CMA Awards winners with 14 career nominations. They've been named CMA Vocal Group of the Year three times, and are nominated again in that category. The trio is also nominated for Music Video of the Year for "Downtown."
The Band Perry, two-time CMA Awards winners, are nominated this year for Vocal Group of the Year - their fourth consecutive nomination in the category. The trio took home the trophy for New Artist of the Year and Single of the Year for "If I Die Young" in 2011. Additionally, Kimberly Perry won Song of the Year for writing the track.
Hosted for the sixth consecutive year by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, "The 47th Annual CMA Awards" will air live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Previously announced performers for "The 47th Annual CMA Awards" include Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Hunter Hayes with Jason Mraz, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, Paisley, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift with Vince Gill and Alison Krauss, Underwood, and Zac Brown Band with Dave Grohl. Alan Jackson and George Strait will perform together in a tribute to the legendary George Jones.
Tickets for "The 47th Annual CMA Awards" are officially sold-out, marking the fifth year in a row the ceremony has sold out in advance.
Winners of "The 47th Annual CMA Awards" will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting members of the Country Music Association. CMA Awards balloting is officiated by the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends today (5:00 PM/CT).
The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by more than 7,000 industry professional members of CMA, which was formed in 1958 as the first trade organization to promote an individual genre of music. The first "CMA Awards Banquet and Show" was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast for the first time - making it the longest-running, annual music awards program on network television. The CMA Awards moved to ABC in 2006, where it will remain through 2021.
Official merchandise for "The 47th Annual CMA Awards" is available now at CMAawards.com.
"The 47th Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
For more information, visit CMAawards.com, or follow the conversation on Twitter with #CMAawards.
Chevrolet(TM) is the Official Ride of Country Music. American Airlines is the Official Airline of the CMA Awards.
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