During Wednesday night’s (November 20) 2024 CMA Awards broadcast, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Jamey Johnson, and Parker McCollum took the stage for a career-spanning homage to George Strait.
The best thing, though? One of the King of Country himself will make a special appearance.
At Wednesday night’s program, Strait won the CMA’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, and the special performance honored his honoree status. Wilson opened the homage with a performance of “Amarillo by Morning,” and Johnson followed with a gravelly, bluesy version of “Give It Away.”
Notably, Johnson made his first public appearance on Wednesday night since his arrest in Tennessee on Sunday, November 17. In relation to that event, he was charged with speeding and will be charged with felony narcotics offenses.
Read More: Following his arrest, Jamey Johnson faces felony charges
When Lambert and McCollum took the stage and sang “Troubadour” with Johnson providing harmony, the star power just kept coming. A backdrop behind them displayed pictures of Strait from throughout his career, including one of the young legend posing with Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, and others, as they sang.
At last, the curtain rose to reveal Strait standing next to Stapleton during their duet, “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame.” The two have collaborated on occasion over the past few years, with Stapleton opening some Strait stadium gigs. This is their most recent release.
At the end of the song, Strait stated, “Cheers, brother,”
Stapleton gave Strait his CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award plaque right after the ceremony.
Read More: Chris Stapleton and George Strait’s New Duet Is Here
One of the few country music icons to be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award is Strait.Some of the performers who have previously accepted it include Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Alan Jackson, and Johnny Cash. Naturally, Willie Nelson, the trophy’s namesake honoree, was the first to receive it in 2012.
Although Strait is one of the most well-known figures in the genre, it is somewhat uncommon to see him at an awards ceremony. The last time he and Alan Jackson performed at the CMAs was in 2016.
Additionally, Strait hasn’t had a CMA nomination in ten years; in 2014, he received a nomination for Entertainer of the Year. Throughout his career, he has won three times in the category.
The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award is not given out annually by the CMA. According to the organization, it is set aside to recognize musicians who have “attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music,” meaning they have gained not just acclaim for their music but also for their humanitarian endeavors and representation outside of the country music industry.
ABC broadcast the 2024 CMA Awards live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.The show was co-hosted by Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, and Peyton Manning.
*Keep in mind that watching the CMA Awards on ABC with ToC on your phone is the best option.
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