First Round of CMA Awards Performers Announced

The 2020 CMA Awards are less than one month away, and the first group of performers was announced on Thursday morning. Among those taking the stage at some point during the broadcast will be Gabby Barrett feat. Charlie Puth; Eric Church; Luke Combs; Florida Georgia Line; Miranda Lambert; Ashley McBryde; Maren Morris; Rascal Flatts; and Thomas Rhett feat. Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott and Chris Tomlin.

This year’s show will be hosted by McEntire and Darius Rucker, who will helm the event together for the first time. The two singers are included in the list of performers and will team up “for an emotional, groundbreaking tribute performance.” Rucker will also perform with Lady A. Barrett and Puth will perform Barrett’s smash hit “I Hope,” Rhett, McEntire, Scott and Tomlin will perform Rhett’s uplifting anthem “Be A Light,” and Rucker and Lady A will share a performance of Rucker’s new single “Beers & Sunshine.”

Church will take the stage with his recently-released song “Hell of a View,” Combs is choosing his song “Cold As You,” Florida Georgia Line will sing “Long Live,” Lambert will share new single “Settling Down,” McBryde will perform recent single “One Night Standards,” Morris will sing her recent No. 1 “The Bones” and Rascal Flatts will give a performance of their hit “Bless the Broken Road.”

“We are thrilled to have this incredible group of artists taking the stage at the CMA Awards this year! It is a privilege to bring these live performances to our viewing audience with the energy and excitement that the CMA Awards are known for,” Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. “And although the show will feel a bit more intimate this year, we look forward to hosting our nominated artists and their guests as we celebrate the best of Country Music in a fully safe and physically distant environment. It will be an honor to bring the biggest Country stars in the world together – in one room – for the first time this year. You won’t want to miss it!”

The 2020 CMA Awards will air Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. The show will be broadcast from Music City Center in Nashville, just across the street from its usual venue, Bridgestone Arena. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show will not have a live audience, making a large arena a less-than-ideal space to stage the virtual-only event. Nominations for this year’s awards were announced last month.