Miranda Lambert, Lee Brice, Carly Pearce

Two CMA Award winners were revealed this morning (Nov. 11) on ABC’s Good Morning America, ahead of the live telecast tonight. Carly Pearce and Lee Brice won CMA Musical Event of the Year for “I Hope You’re Happy Now, produced by busbee. Miranda Lambert won CMA Music Video of the Year for “Bluebird,” directed by Trey Fanjoy.

“I Hope You’re Happy Now” is also up for Song of the Year. Lambert leads the nominees tonight with seven nominations, breaking the record for most nominations by a female artist in CMA Awards history with 55 total career nods.

A final performer was also revealed for tonight’s CMA Awards. Country superstar Kelsea Ballerini will take the stage to perform her hit single “hole in the bottle.”

Additionally, hosts Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker will debut an emotional tribute to the late country music icon three-time CMA Awards host Mac Davis, with a performance of his “In the Ghetto.” The song, which the pair recorded last month, will be available on all DSPs at midnight ET, tonight, following their CMA Awards performance.

The 54th Annual CMA Awards airs live tonight from Nashville’s Music City Center (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on ABC.

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has revealed details surrounding six sessions scheduled as part of CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience, set for Tuesday, Feb. 16-19. The six panels cover topics including mental health, post-pandemic radio station operations strategies, branding, and talent coaching.

“The CRS Agenda Committee has been working hard to create educational, timely content for CRS attendees regardless of their section of the industry, market size, or employment status,” said CRS 2020-2021 Agenda Committee Chair, Brent Michaels. “Since the last CRS, our world and industry has changed, and we hope to provide anyone who makes the investment in the 2021 seminar, tools to face the consistent challenges of our industry, and to provide content that will lead to success with what we face on the horizon.”

More details on the sessions is below:

‘Til The Wellness Runs Dry: How to Handle the Anxiety of the Music Business: Elizabeth Porter, Founder and President of Entertainment Health Services, explains how anxiety affects us, offering clues to identify workplace triggers while providing tips on how to be the best you for yourself, and others.

PPP: Post-Pandemic Playbook: An examination of how COVID-19 has affected operations, programming, labels, marketing, and sales, which now requires advanced best-practices for working remotely, revenue strategies, organizational structures, and more.

21 Promotions in ’21: Attendees will receive 21 immediately executable promotions they can utilize to accomplish ratings and revenue goals in the face of reduced personnel, social-distancing, and fewer events.

Talk Data to Me: The authenticity and application of multiple radio callout, consumer research, and streaming data points will be probed, with a tutorial on the merits of each and how to apply all types of data to programming decisions.

Your 24/7 Brand: Radio in 2021 goes far beyond the dial. This session will discuss digital strategies for stations and talent in all market sizes to capitalize on branding, distribution, and content ROI.

TLC: Talent Loving Coaching: How do PDs and management coach on-air talent in a way that fosters creative freedom, with structure for growth and improvement? Successful PD/Talent combos discuss working relationships and how to accomplish mutual goals.

The expanded, four-day CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience agenda will offer attendees over 14 educational sessions, four morning networking events, three lunchtime performances, four interactive workshops, all-day networking, Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley, and, for the first time in CRS history, a New Faces of Country Music ticket with every registration. More details surrounding the virtual agenda, including the newly launched Streaming Summit, will be released in the coming weeks and months leading up to CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience.

Early Bird Registration for CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience is now open at $149 per person and will be offered through Nov. 4. The registration rate will increase to $199 on Nov. 5. Registrations are available for purchase at countryradioseminar.com.

Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker are set to co-host this year’s CMA Awards, but they will also take the stage for an emotional tribute performance, the Country Music Association announced Thursday (Oct. 29).

Two-time CMA Awards nominee this year Gabby Barrett will be joined by Charlie Puth, making his CMA Awards debut to perform Barrett’s CMA Single of the Year nominated “I Hope.” Two-time nominee this year Thomas Rhett performs his CMA Musical Event of the Year nominated “Be A Light” alongside McEntire, Hillary Scott and Chris Tomlin. McEntire will also be joined by Rucker for a collaboration, while Rucker enlists nominees Lady A to perform his new single “Beers & Sunshine.”

With two nominations this year, Eric Church will perform “Hell of a View,” while six-time nominated Luke Combs will perform “Cold As You.” Nominees Florida Georgia Line will perform “Long Live,” while Miranda Lambert, this year’s top nominee with seven nominations, will perform “Settling Down” from her CMA Album of the Year nominated album Wildcard. Reigning CMA New Artist of the Year and three-time nominee this year Ashley McBryde will perform “One Night Standards” from her CMA Album of the Year nominated album Never Will. Maren Morris, a five-time nominee this year, will perform her CMA Single and Song of the Year nominated “The Bones.” And nominees Rascal Flatts will take the stage to perform “Bless the Broken Road.”

Notably, the 54th Annual CMA Awards will mark the first time the biggest names in country music will come together safely, all in one room. The show will broadcast live from Nashville’s Music City Center Wednesday, Nov. 11 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on ABC.

“We are thrilled to have this incredible group of artists taking the stage at the CMA Awards this year! It is a privilege to bring these live performances to our viewing audience with the energy and excitement that the CMA Awards are known for,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “And although the show will feel a bit more intimate this year, we look forward to hosting our nominated artists and their guests as we celebrate the best of country music in a fully safe and physically distant environment. It will be an honor to bring the biggest country stars in the world together – in one room – for the first time this year. You won’t want to miss it!”

The 54th Annual CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Alan Carter is the Director and David Wild is the Head Writer.