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CMT Ditches Awards at Artists of the Year Special in Wake of Vegas Shooting
“I never want to back myself into a corner,” says Aldean, photographed Aug. 22, 2016 at Urban Cowboy in Nashville
The country music-themed network is working with nonprofit Musicians on Call as it looks to celebrate healing instead of awards.
CMT is rethinking its Oct. 18 upcoming Artists of the Year special.
The
Viacom-owned cable network will drop handing out awards at the eighth
annual special and instead turn the event into a night of what it calls
hope and healing through the power of music. Jason Aldean
— who was on stage during the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S.
history — was among those set to be honored at the Nashville event.
Instead, honorees including Aldean, Chris Stapleton, Florida Georgia Line, Keith Urban and Luke Bryan
will be featured as part of the musical event that will unite artists
from various genres for a mix of collaborations and performances. No
formal award presentations or speeches will be given; instead, honorees
will offer heartfelt messages directly to fans. CMT has also turned to
the entertainment community to share similar messages of hope and
healing.
Grammy nominee Andra Day and Grammy winners Little Big Town will open the night with a performance of "Rise Up." Day, Little Big Town and Lee Ann Womack will also perform Day's latest collaboration, "Stand Up for Something" with Common.
"Given
the devastation of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, the raging
California wildfires and the mass shootings in Las Vegas, we feel a
commitment to our fans to address all of the tragedies not in one somber
and solemn moment or segment, but rather devote the entire evening to
uplifting the fans through high-spirited music,” CMT GM Frank Tanki
said. “Both 'Rise Up' and 'Stand Up for Something' are inspirational
anthems that perfectly sum the message for the evening. The special has
always been a place where artists from different genres can stand
side-by-side, and now more than ever, we want to showcase the power of
unity and resilience through music.”
Additional performers will be
announced. The Artists of the Year special airs live from Nashville's
Schermerhorn Symphony Center on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m.
Outside of the special, CMT is working with nonprofit Musicians on
Call, who is sending artists to perform bedside to survivors of the Las
Vegas shootings as well as the first responders and hospital staff
recovering from the tragedy as well. CMT made a cash donation to
Musicians on Call as well as working with performers —
including Nashville star Charles Esten — to participate. The cabler is
also showcasing Musicians on Call's mission on various platforms. CMT
was also the first cable network to sign up for the Hand in Hand
Hurricane benefit special. On a bigger scale, corporate parent Viacom is
encouraging New York-based employees to support the FDNY and NYPD's
efforts to collect items and make cash donations to support relief
efforts in Puerto Rico.
The Oct. 1 Las Vegas shooting took place
at the Route 91 Harvest music festival that featured a lineup of country
music performers including Aldean. At least 58 people were killed and
500 others were injured when a gunman fired on the outdoor country music
festival from the 32nd floor of a nearby hotel.
This article was originally published in The Hollywood Reporter.
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