Little Big Town to Host CMT Music Awards for Second Year in a Row

Little Big Town is returning for the second year in a row to host the CMT Music Awards! The quartet, made up of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet, announced the news on Thursday, May 2.

No word yet if Little Big Town will perform their current single, “The Daughters.” The song, from an upcoming new album, has a message the group feels is imperative to share with the world, especially now.

“This song is about the laundry list of expectations and long-standing traditions put on women,” Fairchild told CMT of the song. “It’s about equality. It’s about hope for our children and what their view of the world will be. It’s not about a lack of believing in God or God’s love for girls.”

“This is a human condition and we have to do better for each other,” added Sweet.

Not only is “The Daughters” important for their fans, but it’s equally important for their own children.

“It’s incredibly important to me that my daughters know and believe that whatever they dream up is possible,” Schlapman explained. “I want them to feel empowered, supported, confident and free to achieve whatever their passions might be. This song represents all of that.”

“My hope for Elijah is that throughout his life, he continues to see no race, no religion, no gender, no color the way he does right now,” Fairchild added, speaking about the son she shares with Westbrook. “He asked me a few weeks ago why we haven’t had a woman president. And I said, “I just don’t know buddy … but I think it’s coming.”

Fairchild wrote “The Daughters” with Sean McConnell and Ashley Ray, but Little Big Town insists that isn’t why they are including it on their next set of tunes.

“We’ve always tried to let the best song win when it comes to what we cut and what we choose to share with the world,” explained Westbrook. “This song has always felt special to us, and it’s important for us to stand behind that, and the story it tells. Of course, we would love for country radio to play it and embrace it the same way we’ve seen our fans react to it.

Nominations for the CMT Music Awards will be announced on Tuesday, May 7, on the Today Show by Carly Pearce, Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb. The fan-voted CMT Music Awards show will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, June 5, at 8 p.m. ET on CMT.

Pre-sale tickets will be available beginning on May 10 at 11 a.m. via Ticketmaster, using the password BUCKLEUP. Regular tickets will go on sale beginning May 11 at 11 a.m. ET.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/Steve Jennings