Music

CMA Awards: Show opening with one dozen female country artists is 'epic celebration'


An “epic celebration” is how “Redneck Woman” singer Gretchen Wilson described the opening of the 53rd CMA Awards, hosted by Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton on Wednesday.

This year CMA Awards promised an ode to women in country music. And it delivered a fiery punch.  

The night began with Parton, McEntire and Underwood performing “Those Memories of You” before turning to a relay of megahits: Tanya Tucker singing “Delta Dawn,” Sara Evans playing “Born to Fly,” Martina McBride’s timeless “Independence Day,” Wilson’s “Redneck Woman,” Terri Clark’s “Better Things to Do,” the Highwomen (composed of Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires) delivering “Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad,” Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” and a Loretta Lynn tribute with Jennifer Nettles, Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, “You’re Looking at Country.” 

More: CMA Awards 2019: List of winners

“The CMAs have decided that it’s an important enough time right now at this point in America and the things that we’re fighting, dealing with as women, that it’s important to show the respect that country music has for women in this industry,” Wilson said backstage before rehearsals Sunday.

“Who’s gonna fill them shoes, right?” Tucker quipped, quoting a famous George Jones song.

“We try to carry it on as females in country music,” Wilson continued. “We pay it forward. That’s what we’ve always done. Just like in any industry, the women in this industry have had a hard road ahead of them. We’re fighting the same fight everyone else is fighting, and we’re getting there slowly just like every other woman is.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Tucker told Wilson. “That was my favorite thing. I’m so proud that I’m here and just being in the same room with Dolly, Reba and Carrie, Martina, and Crystal, my God.”

“We’ve proven we’re tough enough to wait it out,” Wilson added.

Maren Morris’ unborn son is the only man who made it onstage during the opening number. After rehearsal, the expectant mom noted he got to be beside Parton.

“Just being able to look back at such a historic opening and know he was part of it is really special,” Morris said. 

“(The show opening) feels like it’s how it should always be,” she added. “It’s incredibly natural and always timely to celebrate women in country music. Getting to sing that in the middle of all this beautiful chaos is a privilege. I can’t imagine a more representative way for the Highwomen to make their CMA Awards show debut than with Dolly and Reba and Carrie and Tanya. All of them.”

Evans said she is “pinching myself.”

“I am absolutely thrilled and honored and so grateful to be a part of this,” she said. “I think it’s really, really important that they’re opening the show with all of these iconic women. It was just an amazing experience. I can’t wait for Wednesday night. It’s going to be absolutely phenomenal.”



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