After being disinvited from multiple awards shows following his racial slur controversy in February, it was announced on Friday that Morgan Wallen will be ineligible for solo awards at this fall’s CMA Awards, though he will still be able to receive nominations in collaborative categories. The Country Music Association announced its ballot schedule on Friday, and according to Deadline, issued a press statement declaring that Wallen’s 2021 CMA Awards eligibility will be limited to “categories that honor artistic works.”
Those categories include Single, Song, Album, Musical Event, and Music Video of the Year. The decision was made so as not to limit opportunity for other credited collaborators. The 28-year-old will not be eligible in the Male Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year categories. Wallen has never been nominated for either Male Vocalist of the Year or Entertainer of the Year but was awarded New Artist of the Year in 2020. The first 2021 nomination ballot will be sent out to CMA voters on July 6 and the eligibility period for this year’s awards is July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
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The Tennessee native was previously disinvited from the ACM Awards in April and was deemed ineligible for nomination, and while he is a finalist for six awards at the Billboard Music Awards this weekend, he has been barred from participating in the ceremony in any capacity. Because the Billboard Awards choose their winners based on performance on the Billboard charts, it’s almost certain that Wallen will win at least one of the categories he is nominated in due to the incredible success of his January release, Dangerous: The Double Album. The CMT Music Awards, which will take place in June, have also barred Wallen from entry.
Earlier this week, Wallen made his first public appearance since his February scandal when he performed an impromptu set at Kid Rock‘s bar in downtown Nashville. In a handwritten note to fans in April, the “7 Summers” singer stated that he would not be performing any concerts or festivals this summer as he worked on himself following the controversy. He was scheduled to open for Luke Bryan on Bryan’s Proud to Be Right Here Tour as well as perform at several festivals.
“I wanted to let you guys know that…[I] feel like I’ve really worked on myself. I’m proud of the work I’ve put in, and in many ways thankful to have had the time to do it. I will always strive to be better,” he shared. “Not only has this time revealed to me the ways in which I want to improve, but it’s also reminded me that I am still very proud of who I am and the man I am becoming.”
