The
CMA’s are named “Country Music’s Biggest Night,” and rightly
so. Rarely do you get all the big names in one space for three hours.
With drama high, and nerves short, this award show will send you
through all imaginable emotions as a writer not only a musician.
Really wanted to do something different with this look back at 2013’s
version and not your usual, “oh this person won this and this
person won that.” Let me start with performances that really shook
me so much I’ve got to put them in three separate and I have to put
my favorite performances in individual categories. “Face
Melting,” “Just Plain Awesome,” and “iconic.”
CMA’s are named “Country Music’s Biggest Night,” and rightly
so. Rarely do you get all the big names in one space for three hours.
With drama high, and nerves short, this award show will send you
through all imaginable emotions as a writer not only a musician.
Really wanted to do something different with this look back at 2013’s
version and not your usual, “oh this person won this and this
person won that.” Let me start with performances that really shook
me so much I’ve got to put them in three separate and I have to put
my favorite performances in individual categories. “Face
Melting,” “Just Plain Awesome,” and “iconic.”
In
the Face Melting category,” “Outsiders,” Eric Church. All I
could think, as I was giving my neck whiplash, ‘’way to go all
Bobby” on them (Kid Rock reference), nice middle finger to the
‘establishment’ and I for one stood up and cheered. The performance
was so rich and loud and well rock n roll. Eric Church you just went
to number 1 on my list. Day for The Dead-Zac Brown Band w/Dave Grohl.
Ok we were watching Dave ‘warm up’ he was practically “i’m going
to kill these drums and leave them on the street.” Well he did,
the song had a similar melodic structure as a trad ZBB song, but with
a twist, combined harmony vocals blended in the mix and a tribute to
the real Allman Brothers Band the last third of the song.
the Face Melting category,” “Outsiders,” Eric Church. All I
could think, as I was giving my neck whiplash, ‘’way to go all
Bobby” on them (Kid Rock reference), nice middle finger to the
‘establishment’ and I for one stood up and cheered. The performance
was so rich and loud and well rock n roll. Eric Church you just went
to number 1 on my list. Day for The Dead-Zac Brown Band w/Dave Grohl.
Ok we were watching Dave ‘warm up’ he was practically “i’m going
to kill these drums and leave them on the street.” Well he did,
the song had a similar melodic structure as a trad ZBB song, but with
a twist, combined harmony vocals blended in the mix and a tribute to
the real Allman Brothers Band the last third of the song.
In
The Just Plain Awesome Category. Red-Taylor Swift with, Vince Gill,
Allison Krauss, Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer, & Eric Darken. So what
can’t Ms Swift do? Oh wait there isn’t anything she can’t do. So she
put together a Supergroup and what a Supergroup it is. (take note all
my “Americana” friends). Stripped down in arrangement but
tripled in harmony “Red” went in an amazing direction. The
song became some new, some really rich in sound, an amazing
rendition.”Drink A Beer”-Luke Bryan w/Chris Stapleton. When I saw
Luke and Chris(who wrote the song), do this at rehearsal I knew it
was going to be incredible. With a lot of fog Luke and Chris and LB’s
backing band they took this song for a ride. I figure this is Song
and Single of the Year for 2014.
The Just Plain Awesome Category. Red-Taylor Swift with, Vince Gill,
Allison Krauss, Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer, & Eric Darken. So what
can’t Ms Swift do? Oh wait there isn’t anything she can’t do. So she
put together a Supergroup and what a Supergroup it is. (take note all
my “Americana” friends). Stripped down in arrangement but
tripled in harmony “Red” went in an amazing direction. The
song became some new, some really rich in sound, an amazing
rendition.”Drink A Beer”-Luke Bryan w/Chris Stapleton. When I saw
Luke and Chris(who wrote the song), do this at rehearsal I knew it
was going to be incredible. With a lot of fog Luke and Chris and LB’s
backing band they took this song for a ride. I figure this is Song
and Single of the Year for 2014.
In
The Iconic Rendition Of An Iconic Song Category, Alan Jackson &
George Strait, “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” As a tribute to
George Jones, Jackson & Strait traded the vocal duties on this
legendary song. Giving chills to the audience. There had to be a
tribute and what better way then have two living legends perform the
song.
The Iconic Rendition Of An Iconic Song Category, Alan Jackson &
George Strait, “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” As a tribute to
George Jones, Jackson & Strait traded the vocal duties on this
legendary song. Giving chills to the audience. There had to be a
tribute and what better way then have two living legends perform the
song.
Then
there was Taylor receiving the Pinnacle Award. The world Pinnacle
itself means “the top.” Well Taylor welcome, be
introduced/presented by what can only be described as ‘the face of
Country:” Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, George Strait,
Keith Urban & Brad Paisley (all of whom she opened for) with
additional congratulations from Sir Mick Jagger (which brought a
scream from Taylor and a tilt to Nashville), there cannot be a
higher honor to to get an award like this (last presented to Garth
Brooks in 2005). So I ‘m sorry(no I’m not) Taylor is going to be
around for awhile.
there was Taylor receiving the Pinnacle Award. The world Pinnacle
itself means “the top.” Well Taylor welcome, be
introduced/presented by what can only be described as ‘the face of
Country:” Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, George Strait,
Keith Urban & Brad Paisley (all of whom she opened for) with
additional congratulations from Sir Mick Jagger (which brought a
scream from Taylor and a tilt to Nashville), there cannot be a
higher honor to to get an award like this (last presented to Garth
Brooks in 2005). So I ‘m sorry(no I’m not) Taylor is going to be
around for awhile.
On
to the Award Winners themselves. There are two that I’d like to
talk about. Two awards to make note of; Single of the Year for “I
Drive Your Truck.” Lee Brice delivered some heartfelt vocals to
a song about a dad losing his son in Afghanistan. Each time it was
played on the radio, tears were shed. A well deserved honour to the
writers of this song, Jessi Alexander, Jimmy Yeary and Connie
Harrington. Entertainer of the Year. You had to know it was going to
George as equal parts thanks and a tribute, but I can’t hate to
wonder if he was a bit embarrassed by it. A true ambassador to
Country Music, don’t worry though, even though he’s staying off
the tour circuit, expect to hear some new music from Strait in 2014.
to the Award Winners themselves. There are two that I’d like to
talk about. Two awards to make note of; Single of the Year for “I
Drive Your Truck.” Lee Brice delivered some heartfelt vocals to
a song about a dad losing his son in Afghanistan. Each time it was
played on the radio, tears were shed. A well deserved honour to the
writers of this song, Jessi Alexander, Jimmy Yeary and Connie
Harrington. Entertainer of the Year. You had to know it was going to
George as equal parts thanks and a tribute, but I can’t hate to
wonder if he was a bit embarrassed by it. A true ambassador to
Country Music, don’t worry though, even though he’s staying off
the tour circuit, expect to hear some new music from Strait in 2014.
CMA
2013 Award Winners
2013 Award Winners
Musician
of the Year-Mac Mcanally
of the Year-Mac Mcanally
Musical
Event of the Year- “Highway Don’t Care,” Tim McGraw with Taylor
Swift & Keith Urban
Event of the Year- “Highway Don’t Care,” Tim McGraw with Taylor
Swift & Keith Urban
Video
of the Year- “Highway Don’t Care,” Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift
& Keith Urban
of the Year- “Highway Don’t Care,” Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift
& Keith Urban
Best
New Artist- Kacey Musgraves
New Artist- Kacey Musgraves
Single
of the Year- “Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line
of the Year- “Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line
Song
of the Year- “I Drive Your Truck” Vocals Lee Brice, songwriters,
Jessi Alexander, Jimmy Yeary and Connie Harrington.
of the Year- “I Drive Your Truck” Vocals Lee Brice, songwriters,
Jessi Alexander, Jimmy Yeary and Connie Harrington.
Album
of the Year- Based
On A True Story, Blake
Shelton
of the Year- Based
On A True Story, Blake
Shelton
Vocal
Duo of the Year- Florida Georgia Line
Duo of the Year- Florida Georgia Line
Vocal
Group of the Year- Little Big Town
Group of the Year- Little Big Town
Female
Vocalist- Miranda Lambert
Vocalist- Miranda Lambert
Male
Vocalist- Blake Shelton
Vocalist- Blake Shelton
Entertainer
of the Year- George Strait
of the Year- George Strait
Congratulations
to everyone and on to 2014.
Chuck Schultz for Country Music News International