Saving Country Music Official 2014 CMA Awards LIVE Blog
Here we go folks, our annual gathering of old souls and independent-minded country fans to collectively commiserate and contemplate what the hell has happened to our fair genre known as country music as the pomp and circumstance of the CMA Awards transpires right before our shocked and disgruntled eyes. Be forewarned that all sense of decorum and courtesy will be tossed aside in lieu of admittedly immature and reactionary snark delivered with little or no governor. This is a night to get small and speak our minds, while at the same time being willing to give credit to any glimmers of true talent or hope.
So get your refresh fingers ready, and feel free to chime in yourself below in the comments.
Also, if you’re wondering why we pay attention to the CMA Awards if we hate them so much, please read the disclaimer at the bottom.
Pot right? Let’s wheel ’em around!
SCM’s 48th Annual CMA Awards Complete Preview
SCM’s 2014 CMA Awards Nominees, Picks, & Prognostications
2014 CMA Award Winners
- Luke Bryan – Entertainer of the Year
- Miranda Lambert – Female Vocalist of the Year
- Blake Shelton – Male Vocalist of the Year
- Little Big Town – Vocal Group of the Year
- Florida Georgia Line – Vocal Duo of the Year
- Miranda Lambert’s “Platinum” – Album of the Year
- Kacey Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow” – Song of the Year
- Miranda Lambert’s “Automatic” – Single of the Year
- Brett Eldredge – New Artist of the Year
- Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban “We Were Us” – Vocal Event of the Year
- Dierks Bentley’s “Drunk on a Plane” – Video of the Year
- Mac McAnally – Musician of the Year
- Vince Gill – Irving Waugh Award of Excellence
10:13 – Not as an exciting ending as last year when George Strait won Entertainer of the Year, but the writing was on the wall that Luke Bryan would win, especially after he got shut out in other categories. However there were some minor award victories, including Kacey Musgraves for Song of the Year, and not just because of the message of “Follow Your Arrow,” but because she’s a traditional artist, a female artists, and a songwriter. Also Brandy Clark is now a CMA award winner, which is big. But overall the awards were very same old, same old, and predictable. The CMA is going to have to do something about the Blake/Miranda Male/Female monopoly. It just doesn’t represent the music well, especially for Blake Shelton whose new record was a virtual flop.
What was positive was the overall presentation. Aside from Little Big Town’s neon silliness, most of the performances were sedated and tasteful, even if they weren’t especially entertaining. Carrie Underwood was the highlight as expected, as were Kacey Musgraves and Loretta Lynn. The Vince Gill award was a big surprise, and so was The Band Perry paying tribute to the ailing Glen Campbell. No Bro-Country was possibly the biggest story, aside from maybe Jason Aldean, which shows just how out-of-touch Bro-Country is becoming. Aldean’s performance seemed out of place.
Thanks everyone for reading. More tomorrow on the awards maybe…
10:02 – THANK YOU THANK YOU everyone who stopped by, read, commented, reposted, liked, retweeted, and everything else! I am going to compose some final thoughts, recap the winners, and then we’ll be done. More to come!
9:59 – Doobie Brothers weren’t bad taking it out though. They still got chops.
9:58 – Yeah, we should take our anger over the Luke Bryan Entertainer of the Year Award “To The Streets.” I need a Doobie.
9:56 – Your Saving Country Music alternative Entertainer of the Year is Sturgill Simpson!
9:54 – You don’t know how much it angered the blood to write that last line.
9:53 WINNER: The CMA for Entertainer of the Year goes to Luke Bryan.
9:52 – Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9:51 – CMA’s give Garth Brooks a standing ovation as he comes out to hand out the Entertainer of the Year.
9:47 – Your Saving Country Music alternative Female Vocalist of the Year is Karen Jonas!
9:46 – This is Miranda Lambert’s 5th consecutive CMA for Female Vocalist, EXACTLY like her HUSBAND, Blake Shelton. Go wild conspiracy theorists. It also sets her up for the biggest CMA night ever if she wins Entertainer of the Year.
9:45: WINNER – The CMA for Female Vocalist of the Year goes to Miranda Lambert
9:44 – Sam Hunt needs to get busy bussing my table and filling my glass.
9:43: Normally I’d make a quip here about how this is the most country thing all night, but it actually isn’t for a change thanks to Musgraves and Loretta.
9:42: Yeah, maybe turn The Doobie Brothers’ mics on Pimples the Engineer boy.
9:40 – Shit, when I heard The Doobies were performing, I thought it was going to be a mashup of Eric Church and Kacey Musgraves. #legalizeoregon
9:38 – Remember for the ACM Awards, Luke Bryan’s peeps bitched when he got locked out. https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/members-of-luke-bryan-camp-mad-over-george-strait-acm-win
9:37 – Yes folks, that means Blake Shelton has now won five CMA Male Vocalist of the Year awards in a row. A deserved shout out to Earl Thomas Conley doesn’t deaden that sting at all. This is also another award many thought Luke Bryan would win, and he gets shut out once again. Expect the bitching from his camp to come out in full force if he doesn’t win Entertainer of the Year.
9:32 – Your Saving Country Music alternative Male Vocalist of the Year is Don Williams!
9:30 WINNER – The CMA for Male Vocalist of the Year goes to Blake Shelton.
9:29: Seriously, no offense to Eric Church, but why can’t we get the reigning Entertainer of the Year by himself in what might be his last CMA performance? He kind of stole the show.
9:27: Seeing Eric Church performing with George Strait is like looking at a really hot woman with a screaming, hairy mole on her cheek.
9:25: Irving Waugh was a veteran broadcaster who was instrumental in gaining national television exposure for country music during the ’50s and ’60s. He died in 2007. Johnny Cash was awarded the Irving Waugh Award in 2003. He was the only other ARTIST to win the award. Other winners include 1987 Frances Preston, 1991 Jo Walker-Meador, and 2009 Walter Miller. It is considered an industry award.
9:22 – Had never even heard of this Irving Waugh award before, but it was very well deserved for Vince Gill.
9:20 – WINNER: Vince Gill is Awarded the CMA Irving Waugh Award of Excellence, only awarded to one other artist before, Johnny Cash.
9:15 – Looks like Vince Gill may be getting the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. If so, very deserved.
9:14 – Anyone check with Vegas on what the over/under is on how much Little Big Town paid for their Vocal Group of the Year trophy? More, or less than the Opry induction?
9:12 – Too many voices on Miranda’s “Smokin’ & Drinkin'”. This is not working. The song is flat to begin with. Tasteful instrumentation though.
9:11 – Could this Miranda Lambert / Little Big Town mashup start off more monotone?
9:07 – Also, Kacey Musgraves and Loretta Lynn, The Band Perry covering Glen Campbell. I’m telling you folks, still some terrible music out there, but you feel things slowly changing.
9:03 – Notice that there’s pretty much been NO Bro-Country so far? Even Luke Bryan is pulling out his adult contemporary material. Somebody sent out a memo.
9:01 – Your Saving Country Music alternative Vocal Group of the Year is the Turnpike Troubadours!
9:00 – WINNER: The CMA for Vocal Group of the Year goes to Little Big Town.
8:58 – I know some might find it screamy, but damn, I’m breaking out in goosebumps at this Carrie Underwood performance. The best singer right now in country music, period. Very inspiring. Two guns way up.
8:56 – Whoa! Which one of you bastards slipped the LSD in the beef stroganoff I was wolfing down in the commercial break? I’m seeing tracers, dude.
8:55 – Yes, there’s “Something In The Water,” but hopefully the preggo Carrie Underwood doesn’t drop hers when she hits that high note…
8:54 – Biggest awards coming up folks, hang in there!
8:47 – Great to see Ashley Monroe get some screen time, but this song does so little for me, and her teaming up with Blake Shelton is about as lame as when your parents showed up on Facebook. What’s up with all of this adult contemporary schlock?
8:42 – Yawn, Paisley. You’re lyrical hook is more flat than a pre-pubescent.
8:40 – Also, the producer of Miranda’s “Platinum” is Frank Liddel, who is the same producer of the new Stoney LaRue album.
8:38 – Miranda Lambert winning Album of the Year is a big development. This means she could have a HUGE night if she pulls off the upset for Entertainer of the Year. She’s already won two CMA’s for songs, and she’s pretty much a shoe-in for Female Vocalist. Also, this is another award Luke Bryan did NOT win. Surprising win for Miranda.
8:35 – WINNER: The CMA for Album of the Year goes to Miranda Lambert’s “Platinum”
8:30 – I think Dierks’ Riser album is tits, but “Drunk On A Plane” is an awful song in my opinion. Where’s a bunch of drunk Ukrainian separatists playing Galaga with a $500 million rocket launcher when you need them?
8:25 – Thanks to everyone leaving comments down below. Some great zings and observations!
8:24 – Let’s be thankful for the little gifts, like Cole Swindell only getting 60 seconds before getting cut off by commercials.
8:22 – Your Saving Country Music alternative Duo of the Year is First Aid Kit!
8:21 – WINNER – The CMA for Vocal Duo of the Year goes to Florida Georgia Line. And water is wet.
8:20 – Brandy Clark getting lots of face time tonight. Good for her.
8:19 – From Rawhide & Velvet on Twitter: “After the show Little Big Town will be outside Bridgestone Arena doing the traffic control.”
8:17 – “Truck Yeah” or truck no, Tim McGraw released on of the better mainstream country records so far this year. Not great, but just solid, unoffensive pop country music. Love the steel lick in this song.
8:14 – Overall though, this has been a pretty understated presentation comparatively. This keeps with the trend that started a couple of years ago. So far, no rap, no fire.
8:11 – But hey Little Big Town’s album cuts are REALLY REALLY good (please).
8:10 – Nobody told all the little glowing drummers boys what would happen if you brought a geiger counter close to their glow-in-the-dark suits. That was a performance to bee seen, not heard for sure.
8:09 – Talk your shit on Ariana Grande all you want, but it was the best $2.99 I ever spent at Taco Bell.
8:07 – Yes, that’s Little Big Town, who we gave a friggin’ Grand Ole Opry induction to in order to pad sales of their new album, and they still could only managed 40K.
8:05 – Better clean those cheeseballs up off stage before Luke Bryan gets up and waxes out on them.
8:02 – Jason ALdean spent $700 to have to rips in his jeans custom choreographed just for the CMA Awards. #lesserknownfacts
8:01 – Shouldn’t this asshole be in LA somewhere feeling up an American Idol castoff?
7:59 – So the “surprise legend” turned out to be Loretta. Would have loved to see Hank3’s reaction if it was Tom Hiddleston aping Hank Williams and singing “Jambalaya” with a Westminster accent. Would have loved to see MY reaction if it turned out to be Shania Twain in leopard skin stretch pants and a Madonna-esque cone bra. I’d be like Bob Knight whipping a chair across the room.
7:56 – Knew Brandy Clark didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning New Artist, but when they started with Brr…, I almost thought it was going to happen. Brantley Gilbert needs to get the damn marbles out of his mouth and quit being such a raging douchewad.
7:54 – WINNER – The CMA for New Artist of the Year goes to Brett Eldredge.
7:52: Kacey Musgraves sings Loretta Lynn’s “You’re Looking At Country” with the backdrop of the Grand Ole Opry barn. Loretta Lynn makes a suprise (somewhat) appearance and makes it a duet! Two guns up!
7:50 – Holy shit, someone is playing country music on the CMA Awards! Security!
7:48: “Follow Your Arrow” was also written by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, meaning Brandy Clark is now a CMA Award winner.
7:44: The Band Perry is usually one of the most underwhelming performers on these things, but this Glen Campbell “Gentle On My Mind” rendition is really refreshing.
7:42: Kacey Musgraves on the Song of the Year win for “Follow Your Arrow” – “Do you know what this means for country music?”
7:40: WINNER: Kacey Musgraves wins Song of the Year for “Follow Your Arrow.”
7:38 : Tim Tebow: “Seriously America. I REALLY need work. Anything.”
7:36: Yes, Keith Urban. The only 47-year-old still adolescently-fascinated with owning a car and mugging down in the back of it. But with those highlights, he doesn’t look a day over 46.
7:34 – WINNER: Mac McAnally won a 7th consecutive Musician of the Year award. But of course that didn’t make the telecast.
7:32 – On the Miranda Lambert win for “Automatic”: Sort of an underwhelming song, but not a bad pick, especially for the more commercially-oriented “Single” instead of “Song” of the year.
7:30 – Don’t worry Florida Georgia Line fans, I’m sure they’ll be back later to shoot lasers out of their assholes!
7:28 – Sorry folks, but I don’t think Florida Georgia Line’s “Dirt” song is terrible. Much better to get this than that “Sun Daze” bullshit. They needs to re-alight the blow holes on their damn guitars though. It’s sending my OCD into overdrive.
7:26 – “Hey Bartender” by Lady Antebellum has got so much nothing. And that one guy looks like he should be a elementary school librarian that really into puppets, not a country star.
7:24 – Care of Rawhide & Velvet:
7:21 – I stand corrected. Apparently the picture I posted below of Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley did not include a homeless woman, but Bonnie Raitt. My apologies to Bonnie.
7:18 – WINNER: The CMA for Single of the Year goes to Miranda Lambert & the songwriters for “Automatic.”
7:17 – Quit being so mean America! I think Steven Tyler makes a very handsome older woman!
7:16 – Arena rocker Steven Tyler, “Country is the new rock and roll.”
7:15 – Now they’re razzing on Taylor Swift, Rene Zellweger, and naked selfies, as they do a grand tour of cliches of the American zeitgest.
7:10 – The opening monologue is pretty flat compared to last year, when they played off all the country music feuds. Ebola was last week.
7:08 – Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood doing a dumb bit about George Strait. Meanwhile millions of Florida Georgia Line fans are wondering who the shit they’re talking about.
7:06 – For the record, I think Meghan Trainor is just fine.
7:04 – What does Miranda Lambert use to make her skin have the sheen of a bowling alley? Asking for a friend…
7:03 – If you’re wondering why Meghan Trainor is performing tonight, she’s a Nashville resident and actually co-wrote two songs on Rascal Flatts’ last album. She also once helped get Flatts’ frontman Gary LeVox’s head unlodged when he got it stuck between two rungs of a Carl’s Jr. jungle gym. The key was slathering LeVox’s head in an industrial-sized jar of Mayonnaise. True story.
7:00 – Here we go!
6:57 – Aww, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley invited an older homeless woman to hang out with them backstage. #caring
6:53 – Some stuff of note from the red carpet. Yes, that is Kacey Musgraves’ hair, and meanwhile Sam Hunt looks like he should be fetching more lime wedges for my fish entreé.
6:50 – One thing we can be guaranteed of is that the opening performance will be the most non-country thing to transpire all night as ABC tries to lure in non-country viewers. Be ready for an unmerciful onslaught of your senses.
6:49 – Some late-breaking intelligence on potential performances: Rumor has it Eric Church will be joining George Strait for his performance, and Loretta Lynn might be performing with Kacey Musgraves, which might be the “surprise legend” ballyhooed to be performing. And in case you missed it, the producer of the CMA’s said, “There’s going to be a surprise guest in one of our performances from one of the biggest legends of country music of all time.”
6:47 – For those drinkers out there, Farce The Music has put together a satirical CMA Awards Drinking Game. It’s satirical because if you actually participated, you’d be in the ICU with alcohol poisoning.
6:45 – Some awards have already been doled out. This morning on Good Morning America, it was announced Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert won for Musical Event of the Year for “We Were Us,” and Dierks Bentley won Music Video of the Year for “Drunk On A Plane.”
DISCLAIMER: So every year when we engage in this LIVE blog exercise, people complain, “If you hate the CMA Awards so much, why do you watch?!?” Or, “If you really want to save country music, you should be taking about something positive instead of wasting your time with this.” First, understand that the CMA Awards are the single most significant membership drive Saving Country Music engages in every year as hundreds of thousands of people turn on their TV sets, find themselves in abject horror at what they’re seeing, and take to the internet to find like-minded souls. By directly engaging with the CMA Awards—undisputably the most important night on the country music calendar (whether we like it or not)—it creates a place for those disenfranchised country music fans to connect with the independent world and discover the riches of artists and music it has to offer. This is not a theory. It has been proven to be effective year after year.
Saving Country Music’s mission is not to abandon the storied country music institutions like the CMA Awards to the money changers to do with what they wish, but to challenge them by directly engaging with them and offering our dissent. We have seen significant gains in the pursuit to return balance back to country music in the radio format that is currently splitting to represent more older artists. We could see similar successes with the Awards shows in the coming years, but only if we let our voices be heard. And when you see artists like George Strait winning Entertainer of the Year, and songwriters like Brandy Clark being nominated for major awards, you can see inroads being formed, regardless of how awful the Florida Georgia Line’s and Luke Bryan’s of the world are.
If you don’t want to watch the CMA Awards, I completely understand, trust me. I am not promoting the CMA’s, nor am I encouraging people to watch. But as part of the dirty job of running Saving Country Music, I must watch. And if I’m going to watch, I might as well have some fun with it. Because as soon as we stop laughing, that’s when they truly win.
–The Triggerman, savingcountrymusic.com
Meaghan
November 5, 2014 @ 6:00 pm
Giddy up.
Lunchbox
November 5, 2014 @ 9:11 pm
insted of calling it it alt-country can we just call it country since that’s what it is? let these assholes make up names for whatever this garbage it is they’re peddling…
Will
November 8, 2014 @ 12:03 pm
I spend more time sipping bourbon watching old Carter Family videos on Youtube than I do the radio these days. Anita Carter and Jim Beam never disappoint.
Rachel L
November 5, 2014 @ 6:04 pm
Looks like someone stole Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem’s bus from the Muppets!
Applejack
November 5, 2014 @ 6:12 pm
I thought Kenny was auditioning to join the cast of ‘Hair.’
Kandia Crazy Horse
November 5, 2014 @ 6:48 pm
Good call…my that sequence was excruciating — what’s with the sudden giddiness over hippie/counterculture & folk sounds fer all these Children o’ Garth? On Gram Parsons’ bornday (recalling the FBB being excoriated on the Opry etc), it seems such an insult to his pioneering, to my dear friend Galt MacDermot & somewhere poor Furthur must be rusting over in the junkyard…sigh…back to Eddie Kendricks “Unsung”
Big A
November 6, 2014 @ 6:26 am
Not only that, but I haven’t seen that many characters pretend to play instruments at the same time since Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.
Harrison
November 5, 2014 @ 6:04 pm
“All about that ass”
Meaghan
November 5, 2014 @ 6:05 pm
I like Miranda. I have All About That Bass on my gym/running playlist. But I can’t. even. with this collaboration.
A.B.
November 5, 2014 @ 6:06 pm
I thought it was good starting with KC and not FGL & Luke. I spoke too soon. Miranda and Meghan already?
Gena R.
November 5, 2014 @ 6:11 pm
Not a bad MT/ML duet, but I still can’t listen to “All About That Bass” without flashing back to that Phish song (“Contact”). 😀
Meaghan
November 5, 2014 @ 6:13 pm
I thought the joke about Luke Bryan buying George a faster car was pretty funny.
Harrison
November 5, 2014 @ 6:16 pm
Brad and Carrie are singing the most country thing I’ve heard in the last decade0___0
Rachel L
November 5, 2014 @ 6:17 pm
Is Bruce Jenner starting a club? What’s with Steven Tyler? Each time I see him he looks more and more like a woman!
Tom
November 6, 2014 @ 8:04 am
You’re right, the dude looks like a lady.
Jeremy
November 5, 2014 @ 6:22 pm
This show already has me longing for the days of Billy Ray in a sleeveless tux and mullet. Oh how we thought country couldn’t get any worse!
Caitlin
November 5, 2014 @ 6:23 pm
Damn, country really isn’t going to let Taylor Swift go gently into that good night are they?
Glad it sounded like there were some boos at the dig at Renee Zellweger. It’s getting a tad ridiculous.
Dave
November 5, 2014 @ 6:45 pm
So awesome that Kacey won and surprising since it was not a big radio hit and the others were #1s. That was a strong category though. All good songs.
Trigger
November 5, 2014 @ 7:30 pm
All those monologue jokes felt dated.
judd
November 5, 2014 @ 6:24 pm
So glad I saw sturgill live last night.. I can just keep repeating the set list in my head and picturing him on the stage instead of these clowns.
Shannon
November 6, 2014 @ 10:14 am
I wanted to see Sturgill at the VOODOO Fest in New Orleans so bad. Was he good?
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 6:26 pm
Honestly, from a pure musical standpoint, the Trainor/Lambert pwrformance wasn’t awful, there was just nothing country about it.
Trigger
November 5, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
Agreed.
Caitlin
November 5, 2014 @ 6:29 pm
This is the first time I’ve ever heard the short haired one in Florida Georgia line sing. Ouch.
Shannon
November 5, 2014 @ 6:33 pm
I love his jacket
Evan
November 5, 2014 @ 9:16 pm
That jacket is faboulous
Penny
November 5, 2014 @ 6:30 pm
FGL is most country performance so far. Never thought that possible.
judd
November 5, 2014 @ 6:30 pm
I was just thinking that…. Im kinda speachless
J
November 5, 2014 @ 7:41 pm
speechless***
Nick Brown
November 7, 2014 @ 5:57 pm
As much as I want FGL to just go away, I will give them credit on the song “Dirt”, it’s the only song they have that I don’t mind hearing.
GB
November 5, 2014 @ 6:30 pm
that POS lady antebellum song has made FGL look like real country musicians
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 6:31 pm
I can’t believe I’m saying this but Florida Georgia line has had the most country and best performance of the night so far. Please don’t hold that against me..
Applejack
November 5, 2014 @ 6:35 pm
It was a nice throwback to that brief period when people thought “Dirt” was a potential sign of FGL going in a more substantive direction on their second album.
Grouch
November 5, 2014 @ 6:31 pm
Wow – FGL should be a shoo in for the Milli-Vanilla guitar playing award this year!
Shannon
November 5, 2014 @ 6:32 pm
I use to look so forward to the CMA.
mystery stu
November 5, 2014 @ 7:55 pm
…15 to 20 years ago
GB
November 5, 2014 @ 6:35 pm
Why is “Dirt” not in contention for song/single of the year? Was it released too late and will be contender next year? Or did it just not do well enough?
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 6:42 pm
This is FGL we’re talking about here. No one takes them seriously except FGL themselves. They’re considered the laughingstock of country music.
Trigger
November 5, 2014 @ 7:33 pm
It was released too soon to be eligible. Maybe next year.
Courtney
November 5, 2014 @ 6:41 pm
“do you realize what this does for country music?”
not a huge fan of hers but now I am
John
November 5, 2014 @ 6:48 pm
I’m a huge fan if hers but that comment had me cheering!!!!
Courtney
November 5, 2014 @ 7:02 pm
that comment was so perfect. i don’t particularly care for her music, but I gained a lot of appreciation for her.
on another subject, this Jason aldean song makes me feel like I need to take a shower. too skeezy
Dave
November 5, 2014 @ 7:08 pm
Not to mention Aldean sounded terrible and disinterested.
John
November 5, 2014 @ 7:14 pm
Yeah that song is god awful. Love his old stuff. I haven’t listened to country radio in a few years bother than in passing. Disgusts me to see what he turned into.
Meaghan
November 5, 2014 @ 6:41 pm
So happy that Kacey and Follow Your Arrow won!
Gena R.
November 5, 2014 @ 6:42 pm
Song of the Year — “Follow Your Arrow”
YES!!! Go Kacey, Shane and Brandy! 😀
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 6:42 pm
Astounded that Follow Your Arrow won. In a good way.
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 6:44 pm
Thank God. Maybe the CMA people are finally starting to realize that there actually IS good country music with substance and that it can be played on the radio. But then again, this is the CMAs after all. I’m not holding my breath, Cobra. And neither should you. They’re dumber than a bag of wet fish.
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 6:48 pm
I suppose we’ll have to wait and see how the rest of the awards the night go.
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 6:52 pm
Cobra,
As long as nothing bro-country wins an award, I’ll be OK with this years award show.
Lord our God and Savior: please do NOT let Luke, FGL or any bro-country singing simpleton win an award…PLEASE!!!
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:02 pm
that’s a tall order considering the field for Vocal Duo of the year which will clearly be the worst award of the night
beyond that things are going ok tonight so far
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:09 pm
Cobra,
All I can do is pray. To be perfectly honest: this is the highlight of my day so far. I work for Xbox and I cannot begin to explain the shitshow that was my work day. To see bro-country (and in turn, Jason, Blake, Luke, FGL, Thomas Rhett and Lukes fluffer Cole Swindell shut out of winning anything so far is extremely entertaining and quite gratifying to say the least.
Applejack
November 5, 2014 @ 6:43 pm
By the way, I especially liked the disclaimer / mission statement this time around, Trig.
It’s nice to think of disgruntled CMA viewers stumbling onto this website and discovering a treasure trove of independent music and a community of like-minded folks. That’s probably the most uplifting aspect of this event.
Meaghan
November 5, 2014 @ 6:44 pm
I discovered this website several years ago while googling for a CMA live blog!
Bill in CT
November 5, 2014 @ 6:44 pm
Wow, Kasey, Brandy and Shane win song of the year, then a really nice rendition of Gentle On My Mind. We’re all gonna pay for this with some godawful Ariana Grande mashup pretty soon so let’s just enjoy the moment.
Trigger
November 5, 2014 @ 7:53 pm
There’s been some surprisingly good moments.
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 6:49 pm
If Kacey Musgraves won, let us pray (I’m serious. We need to pray) that we’ll see Sturgill, Wade, Stoney or Ryan nominated next year.
judd
November 5, 2014 @ 7:04 pm
I have a feeling that when sturgill really blows up (and think he is getting close) he is gonna leave most of these people in the dusk on the CMA’s.
Trigger,
Is he being courted by the big labels or whats going on there? Is he hoping to do what like an old crow or avitt bros are doing and be like that size or is something bigger in the picture?
though I must add OCMS being opry members is pretty dang big and even bigger in todays “opry scene”
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:21 pm
Your words to Gods ears, Judd. Sturgill will take a flaming shit on all of these bro-country singing idiots of he’s nominated next year.
Hank
November 6, 2014 @ 6:32 am
When I saw Sturgill a few months back, he said something along the lines of… “We’ve already told 3 major labels to go fuck themselves. Only 2 more to go.”
Penny
November 5, 2014 @ 6:49 pm
They actually had a banjo on stage. Didn’t expect that tonight. The beginning of The Band Perry had me thinking wtf but when they picked up the tempo it was pretty good.
BanditDarville
November 5, 2014 @ 6:50 pm
Watching this garbage certifies to me the fact that Sammy Kershaw was 100% correct when he said that country music is the only genre that hates itself.
KathyP
November 5, 2014 @ 6:52 pm
What stylist in their right mind would do Kasey Musgraves’ hair in that awful hairdo? OMG, shades of 1969. And not in a good way.
Applejack
November 5, 2014 @ 7:22 pm
I’m pretty sure that was the point.
Gena R.
November 5, 2014 @ 6:52 pm
LORETTA! 😀
BanditDarville
November 5, 2014 @ 6:53 pm
Holy shit, I hear a steel guitar!
Jeff
November 5, 2014 @ 6:55 pm
Loretta Lynn is the FIRST LADY of country music. Not the Queen.
Bob
November 7, 2014 @ 7:35 pm
Actually, Tammy was the “First Lady”. Kitty Wells was the “Queen”. The only moniker I can remember for Loretta is the Coal Miner’s Daughter. Whatever the title, it was great to see her on the CMA’s. Outside of her and Kacey, the show was a total bust for me. God, do I miss the days when I would see Jones and Haggard and Emmylou! I liked seeing Vince win something, but should that honor have gone to Haggard instead?? Or maybe Loretta, or Willie? How is it that Jones never won this??
Love this web-site. I have been following and reading for months but this is my first comment. Best regards to you all.
Pitts
November 5, 2014 @ 6:56 pm
I know this isnt an intellectual comment but HOLY SHIT TRIGGER KACEY WAS UP THERE WITH LORETTA LYNN. IM MORE EXCITED THAN BRANTLEY GILBERT AT A JEWELRY STORE
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 6:57 pm
Thank you Kacey!! FGL, Luke, Jason, Blake, Thomas Rhett and Cole Swindell: you fuckers take note…KACEY IS SINGING COUNTRY!! That is how its done you fucking imbeciles!!
Nick Brown
November 7, 2014 @ 6:06 pm
It was posted after the show that Kacey wasn’t wearing any panties, but Luke Bryan was.
Troy Turner
November 7, 2014 @ 6:10 pm
Aw crap! Then the care package of maxipads with wings I sent to him will arrive too late. Better luck next year I guess…..
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 6:57 pm
wish new artist had gone to brandy Clark but it didn’t go to Cole Swindell or Thomas Rhett
thankful for some small favors
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:00 pm
Cobra,
See God does listen! LOL
Let’s just hope that FGL doesn’t win duo of the year and we can get that bro-country crap shut out of the awards. At least for this year.
Gena R.
November 5, 2014 @ 7:02 pm
My sentiments exactly. I’m not familiar with the guy who won, but yeah, it could’ve been much worse…
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:13 pm
his first single Raymond was actually pretty good I haven’t been a huge fan since but as you said it could have been a lot worse
Gena R.
November 5, 2014 @ 7:22 pm
Cool. I’ll have to check that song out…
Brian
November 5, 2014 @ 8:04 pm
Crazy thing is I was listening to KOKE FM here in Austin this morning and they were talking about how they got chewed out for playing that song “Raymond”, because the subject matter was too sensitive.
Gena R.
November 5, 2014 @ 8:25 pm
Oh, geez…
The song did make me tear up, especially at the bridge. 🙁 Nothing I would get angry about, though; if anything, I was reminded a little of Elvis Costello’s “Veronica” (which covered similar thematic territory).
Chris
November 5, 2014 @ 6:58 pm
I got bored with that Musgraves duet, had to change the channel
RootHog Radio
November 5, 2014 @ 7:01 pm
See it can be done. Real country music can still be made on live TV with a real band. Now if everyone else would just take a play out of Kacey’s play book.
bates
November 5, 2014 @ 7:02 pm
Kacey Musgraves played country gold with the queen. That was straight up badass outlaw country. Do YOU know what this means for country music?? Hell yes!!
musicfan
November 5, 2014 @ 7:02 pm
I must be doing something right…I’ve never heard of Brett Eldredge.
Hunter
November 5, 2014 @ 7:05 pm
He’s not nearly as bad as most mainstream artists. His song “Raymond” is pretty decent
Dave
November 5, 2014 @ 7:13 pm
Better than decent song. He’s a good singer.
musicfan
November 5, 2014 @ 7:25 pm
Ok…I’ll trust you on that because honestly, I really haven’t ever heard of him.
Penny
November 5, 2014 @ 7:13 pm
I actually like Brett Eldredge. The song One Mississippi on his album is a great song.
A.B.
November 5, 2014 @ 7:04 pm
LOVED the Opry barn during Kacey’s song!
Really thought they were trying to say Brandy’s name and not Brett’s.
Not sexy Jason Aldean singing an overtly sexual song seems like he’s trying to compensate for something.
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:04 pm
Trigger, to comment on Brantley feeling up on an American Idol castoff: Jason Aldean beat him to the punch.
Houston Erwin
November 5, 2014 @ 7:10 pm
Pretty sure that comment was for Jason not Brantley.
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:14 pm
Well, Brantley Gilbert is a douchebag like Jason. Considering how all the meatheads are singing bro country: monkey see, monkey do. Maybe Brantley Douchebert will follow in Jason’s footsteps by sucking face with an AI castoff then get engaged to her.
judd
November 5, 2014 @ 7:07 pm
LBT did the live drums at fan fair…. so doing it twice is just stupid and not creative….
And I cant believe these people are the newest opry members.
RootHog Radio
November 5, 2014 @ 7:07 pm
Ok little big town just made it official. This is the MTV music awards not the CMAs
judd
November 5, 2014 @ 7:08 pm
I cant wait for Justin Timberlake to come to country music… It will be better than this day drinkin mess
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:08 pm
Little Big Town looks like a prison chain gang in those uniforms
Rachel L
November 5, 2014 @ 7:09 pm
Is Little Big Town auditioning for the next Tron movie!
Grouch
November 5, 2014 @ 7:10 pm
What happened to Little Big Town, and who are these people that look so much like them?
Bill in CT
November 5, 2014 @ 7:10 pm
I’ll just refer to my previous comment. What a cluster this Grande Big Town mess is.
KathyP
November 5, 2014 @ 7:10 pm
Ariana, I can’t even understand the lyrics. What the hell are you “singing?”
Warthog
November 5, 2014 @ 7:10 pm
Why are Little Big Town dressed like they stepped out of Tron?
And can anybody understand a single word out of Ariana Grande’s mouth?
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:11 pm
When you sing a shit song Cobra, you might as well be in a chain gang. They should look like fools.
Mike2
November 5, 2014 @ 7:11 pm
8:07 – that’s because little bigtown fans don’t care about the opry, and people who care about the opry aren’t little bigtown fans.
RJ101
November 5, 2014 @ 7:12 pm
LBT sucks and Grande makes it worse… but Karen is a major MILF… jus sayin
A.B.
November 5, 2014 @ 7:14 pm
That Ariana Grande performance might be the worst of the night.
Meaghan
November 5, 2014 @ 7:14 pm
I’m not sure who was the first to tweet it, but LITTLE BIG TRON is making me giggle uncontrollably.
JohnRennolds
November 5, 2014 @ 7:15 pm
Please tell me I did not just see Ariana Grande singing Bang Bang on a COUNTRY AWARD SHOW!!! I must be seeing & hearing things…..And Jason Aldean really isn’t that great of a singer live & he has NO stage presence or charisma.
Michael
November 5, 2014 @ 7:19 pm
You did. you also just saw it get a fucking STANDING OVATION from these morons. Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark and Loretta Lynn should get up and leave in protest.
Dr. Trout
November 5, 2014 @ 7:15 pm
Holy shitty shit! Little Big Town went from just awful to putrid.
ChrisNSC
November 5, 2014 @ 7:16 pm
While we were watching Little BIG Town, my 4 year old asked, “Why did Jesus put hair in our meat?” I have no clue where this question came from, but I think I can answer that easier than if he were to ask, “Why is this crap on a country music show?”
bates
November 5, 2014 @ 7:17 pm
I’m still runnin around the house throwing punches in the air. My fist being Kacey Musgraves’ fist and the air being pop country’s mouth.
judd
November 5, 2014 @ 7:20 pm
^^^ Post of the night^^
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:18 pm
Good Lord….Jason Aldean sounds like a registered sex offender. I need a shower after hearing that abomination of a song. You give rap and R&B music a bad name, Aldean you perverted hick!
markf
November 5, 2014 @ 7:19 pm
“still could only managed 40K.”
wow.
judd
November 5, 2014 @ 7:21 pm
Somewhere a certain country guy is hitting the bars and playing shows almost every night…….think we know his name..
And he sold 40K with no label push….Suck on that Little big tron!
Brad
November 5, 2014 @ 7:19 pm
Kind of like the adds for where the wine we’ve had to put up with over the last few week . My question. Is where’s the country?? Really. At least change the name of the show to pop music awards or something. Pathetic!!
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:19 pm
Say what you will about “Truck Yeah” and “Lookin For that Girl” but McGraw is givibg a helluva performance with a very strong song.
Dr. Trout
November 5, 2014 @ 7:22 pm
Good seeing McGraw and hearing something that sounded like country-rockish-ish. But it just wasn’t that great a song. Tim, you can do better.
RJ101
November 5, 2014 @ 7:22 pm
Tim’s not half bad with shotgun rider
Tim
November 6, 2014 @ 8:27 am
Tim had another song on an older album named “Shotgun Rider” which when they introduced this, I thought was that song! Much better tune, much more country and I believe it is a song honoring/tribute to Waylon and Jessi’s relationship.
Wished it would have been that song instead of this one…he mailed this in.
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:23 pm
As expected FGL wins vocal duo
Hopefully that will be the only bro-country award of the night
Grouch
November 5, 2014 @ 7:23 pm
All they wanted to do was play country music – well, here’s your chance to start!
RJ101
November 5, 2014 @ 7:24 pm
FGL wins duo…… uuuuuug
Matthew
November 5, 2014 @ 7:24 pm
This pic is fantastic.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B1uUgiOCEAA0idi.jpg:large
mystery stu
November 6, 2014 @ 7:24 am
This must have been during Loretta Lynn’s performance. Luke is thinking “man this is boring as f—“
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:25 pm
if all Florida Georgia line “ever wanted to do was play country music” then why don’t they?
Caitlin
November 5, 2014 @ 7:25 pm
Cole Swindell is like a Luke Bryan bot right down to the hat and tight jeans.
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:34 pm
Didn’t ya know?: Cole Swindell is Luke Bryan’s fluffer. He got promoted after being his bitch…oops…MERCH GUY for so long.
Courtney
November 5, 2014 @ 7:34 pm
my husband: “I feel like an idiot I thought that was luke Bryan”
that’s because he’s the poor mans Luke Bryan
Dave
November 5, 2014 @ 7:42 pm
So true. Luke at least has charisma. I also really liked his first few singles. Too bad he’s gone the bro-country route with most of the new stuff. Cole Swindell and his music are as interesting as belly button lint. Apologies to belly button lint.
JC
November 5, 2014 @ 7:53 pm
Cole Swindell looks like the lead singer of a bad Luke Bryan cover band…
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:26 pm
After seeing that Little Big Town/Ariana Grande performance: I’m tempted to call my local drug dealer and buy some Molly so I can trip balls while watching that shitshow. LBT: this is a country music awards ceremony, not a goddamn rave you idiots! You look like a bunch of fucking glowsticks!!! Fuck is this: Lite Brite, The Musical??!!”
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:30 pm
loI priceless
Rachel L
November 5, 2014 @ 7:28 pm
Why WHY WHY? DO FGL have the audacity to thank God!!! Why?? God is not responsible for your sexist drivel! How about this? Do not acknowledge God when you do not lead a life that honors Him. Until then quit using His name as though that gives your image any redeeming qualities. God cannot possibly be proud of what you idiots are doing so why don’t you both keep your mouths shut.
Dave
November 5, 2014 @ 7:45 pm
What they meant to say was “Thank you Lord for letting us make lots of money with our crappy music”
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:28 pm
Goddamnit….fucking FGL. Watch: all the frat boys and girls wanting to ride in trucks with the dipshits are gonna be dancing a happy jig tonight. Fuck you FGL. I wipe my ass with your award: one you don’t deserve!!!
beth
November 5, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
I was really surprised at the opening mean spirited shit that went on. I really like Brad and Carrie (like I know them ha) why humiliate Rene Z, Taylor S AND the nurse who went to serve…that really sucked. I had to turn the channel for the first time ever that I have watched CMAs. So sad.
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
I would much rather Dierks Bentley be performing I Hold On or Say You Do
Applejack
November 5, 2014 @ 9:12 pm
I wouldn’t mind hearing “Bourbon in Kentucky.”
RJ101
November 5, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
I don’t hate Dierks as much as some others… but this is his WORST song… WTF?
Dave
November 5, 2014 @ 7:48 pm
I don’t really see a lot of hate for Dierks. He’s a solid artist.
Albert
November 5, 2014 @ 8:06 pm
Without question
RJ101
November 6, 2014 @ 4:48 am
Yeah, you’re right… but Plane is one of his weaker efforts… and after LBT, I was just a bit surly
Dave from Kansas
November 5, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
Wait? What’s that? A pedal steel! Security!
judd
November 5, 2014 @ 7:33 pm
I dont know if I can take another 90 mins of this…
When is little jimmy dickins making an appearance?
ChrisNSC
November 5, 2014 @ 7:33 pm
Dierks should have said that “Drunk On A Plane” would have been a waste of his time. He’s got too much talent for this song.
John
November 5, 2014 @ 7:37 pm
Miranda…stop praising the garbage lmao. All great records???
rubes
November 5, 2014 @ 7:37 pm
As a Hoosier, I love the Bob Knight reference
Harrison
November 5, 2014 @ 7:37 pm
Nothing truly remarkable about platinum really
Miranda Lambert show tonight
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:37 pm
That’s because Dierks is pissed off about the FGL win. He figured that since FGL performs shit songs, I’LL perform a shit song too!!
Goddamnit Dierks: I expect better from you!! You have what FGL doesn’t: TALENT. Don’t waste it on crap songs like this!!
GB
November 5, 2014 @ 7:43 pm
Wouldn’t necessarily say they don’t have any talent. Whatever amount of talent they have is largely wasted, though – or at least misused.
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:39 pm
I don’t give a fiery fuck at this point. Luke Bryan didn’t win. Thank you Jesus!!!
KathyP
November 5, 2014 @ 7:41 pm
Trigger, you’ve got in some really good dings in yourself. Ukranian separatists. Excellent.
Dr. Trout
November 5, 2014 @ 7:41 pm
Rawhide and velvet is ripping CMA with her constant tweets (http://www.rawhideandvelvet.com/). Open another tab on your browser and enjoy both blogs. Because you sure aren’t going to enjoy this ‘award” show.
judd
November 5, 2014 @ 7:42 pm
Somewhere Ludacris is thumbs downing Brad and then trying to build up his self esteem with kind words about always keep believing.
KathyP
November 5, 2014 @ 7:43 pm
I think in my old age I’ve finally outgrown Brad Paisley. On to Sturgill Simpson now.
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:43 pm
If Miranda wins the Entertainer of the Year award, it’ll be a big step in the right direction.
However, I am praying to God that George Strait wins. If he does: I would LOVE to be a fly on the wall in Lukes hotel room after the ceremony. There will be a bunch of whiny bitches complaining how he didn’t win. Itll make wanna buy em a shitload of maxipads…..WITH WINGS!!
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:53 pm
I don’t see how they could justify NOT giving it to George Strait
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 8:00 pm
Cobra,
I’ve seen stranger shit happen. Foo Fighters won the Best Metal Performance over Mastodon several years ago. I love Dave Grohl but he ain’t METAL! And that’s the problem I have with the music industry as a whole: they’re trying to put people into specific genres that they don’t belong in! FGL being a fucking GREAT example of this trend.
ChrisNSC
November 5, 2014 @ 7:45 pm
Does Brad Paisley owe Jeff Healy some royalties for this song?
Cobra
November 5, 2014 @ 7:47 pm
Brad Paisley’s performance wasn’t bad the album version of the song is a bit over producedbut the performance was pretty decent could have been a lot worse
Blake Shelton song is one of the best off his new album and Ashley Monroe is a big part of that
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 8:03 pm
Carrie is SLAYING it!! In all my years of watching her perform and hearing her live: she never has had an off day where her vocals are shit. She is unreal and if this song isn’t nominated next year or wins an award: I will post a rant about the CMAs, with Trigger’s permission of course.
gopokes34
November 5, 2014 @ 7:49 pm
I will say Blake Shelton is dressed the best tonight….not some hipster look a are going for
Golddust
November 5, 2014 @ 7:49 pm
Hey, at least “Perfect Storm” talks about a woman with some respect. Not such a bad thing!
Troy Turner
November 5, 2014 @ 7:51 pm
Cobra,
Ashley Monroe is the only reason why its good. The woman writes better songs than he does. Hell, his WIFE writes better songs than he does!!! “Over You” was one of a few songs he wrote that are good.
Troy
November 5, 2014 @ 7:53 pm
What’s up with the puss poor sound mixing system. Everyone sounds like crap
KathyP
November 5, 2014 @ 8:05 pm
Especially Luke Bryan. Painful to the ears.
Bill Goodman
November 5, 2014 @ 7:54 pm
In other country news, Tonight’s episode of Criminal Minds featured Sturgill Simpson’s “Life Ain’t Fair and the World Is Mean” during the scene where they’re in the country bar.
Albert
November 5, 2014 @ 7:56 pm
Never thought id ever hear myself say this but for the love of God fire up the autotune on these alleged singers ……..PLEASE
Judd
November 5, 2014 @ 7:58 pm
Is David Allan Coe next singing “if that ant country”?
Dave
November 5, 2014 @ 8:07 pm
I think Corey Smith has the modern version of that song called “If you call that country…..”