Chris Stapleton Pulling Double Duty, Megan Moroney Returning and a Huge Brooks & Dunn Tribute? The CMA Awards Just Raised the Stakes
Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Vince Gill and more join the 60th annual celebration, with some seriously intriguing collaborations headed to Nashville.
Country fans, your plans for November 18 just got a little more crowded.
The 60th Annual CMA Awards has announced another round of performers, and this lineup comes with plenty to talk about. Luke Combs, Megan Moroney, Vince Gill, Mumford & Sons, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and Stephen Wilson Jr. are joining the celebration, while a powerhouse group of artists will salute Brooks & Dunn.
Between Stapleton appearing in two collaborations, Mumford & Sons making their CMA Awards debut and a tribute that brings Halestorm into the mix, there are several reasons to keep the volume up.
The Brooks & Dunn Tribute Already Has Our Attention
How do you celebrate one of country music’s most beloved duos? Apparently, you bring together a lineup with enough vocal firepower and guitar muscle to shake Bridgestone Arena.
Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Halestorm, HARDY and Marcus King will come together to honor Brooks & Dunn, this year’s recipients of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
That combination alone makes this a performance worth circling. Brothers Osborne’s musicianship, Bryan’s arena-ready charisma, HARDY’s country-rock edge, King’s soulful grit and Halestorm’s hard-rock intensity give this tribute plenty of possibilities.
The announcement leaves the song selections under wraps, which means fans have a little time to build their dream setlists. With Brooks & Dunn’s catalog in play, narrowing it down might be the hardest part.
Chris Stapleton Is Giving Fans Two Reasons to Tune In
One Chris Stapleton collaboration would be enough to get our attention. This year, we’re getting two.
Mumford & Sons will make their CMA Awards debut alongside Stapleton, setting up one of the night’s most intriguing musical pairings. Their folk-rock sound meeting his unmistakable voice has all the ingredients for a performance fans will be discussing long after the broadcast.
Stapleton will also team up with Stephen Wilson Jr., whose four nominations this year include New Artist, Male Vocalist, Song and Music Video of the Year.
Wilson’s distinctive approach to country music makes that pairing especially exciting. What they’ll perform remains a surprise, but the names on the announcement are already doing their job: we want to hear it.
Stapleton heads into the night with four nominations of his own, including Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year.
Megan Moroney, Luke Combs and Lainey Wilson Keep the Lineup Stacked
Megan Moroney will return to the CMA Awards stage with two nominations this year, competing for Female Vocalist and Song of the Year. For fans eager to see her back under those lights, consider this your reminder to clear the evening.
Luke Combs also joins the performance lineup while competing in three major categories: Album, Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year.
And Lainey Wilson will have a full night ahead. The reigning Entertainer of the Year returns to host for the third consecutive year, adds a performance to her duties and carries three nominations into the ceremony: Entertainer, Female Vocalist and Single of the Year.
Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill, who has hosted the CMA Awards 12 times, will also make a special appearance. For a ceremony marking six decades, his presence feels particularly fitting.
Here’s When to Watch
The 60th Annual CMA Awards airs live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 18, from 8–11 p.m. ET / 7–10 p.m. CT on ABC and Disney+, with next-day viewing available on Hulu.
Want to hear those performances in person? A limited number of tickets remain at CMAawards.com/tickets.
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