Country superstars Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will be returning to host Country Music’s Biggest Night in 2016. “The 50th Annual CMA Awards” airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, November 2nd from 8-11 PM/ET on the ABC Television Network.
The return of the popular pair was announced during Paisley’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and via Underwood’s social network. The follow-up CMA social announcement included a video highlight reel of the first 50 years of CMA Awards moments.
“This is a milestone year for the CMA Awards as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary and the broadcast is in great hands with Brad and Carrie,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “They are genuinely invested in the ongoing success of the CMA Awards, but they are equally committed to honoring the traditions that are the foundation of Country Music’s Biggest Night.”
“I really enjoy hosting the CMA Awards with Brad,” said Underwood. “Of course we have fun up there, but we take the responsibility of honoring the best artists in the format and shining a positive light on Country Music very seriously. And this year, the bar will be even higher as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the CMA Awards. I can’t wait.”
“I look forward to hosting the CMA Awards each year,” said Paisley. “Carrie and I have certainly hit our stride in terms of balancing humor and a genuine respect for the nominees and winners. This year the stakes are higher than ever as we honor the legacy and traditions of the past 50 years. We will give it everything we’ve got.”
The 2016 CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by more than 7,300 professional members of CMA, which was the first trade organization formed to promote an individual genre of music in 1958. The eligibility period for the 2016 CMA Awards is July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
The first “CMA Awards Banquet and Show” was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast on television for the first time – making it the longest running, annual music awards program on network TV. The CMA Awards have aired on ABC since 2006. ABC will be the network home of the CMA Awards and CMA’s other two television properties, CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock and CMA Country Christmas, through 2021.
Ticket information for the CMA Awards will be announced later this summer with information available at CMAawards50.com.
“The 50th Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer and Paul Miller is the Director. The CMA Awards will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
