Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires return CMA membership after awards show ignores John Prine, others
Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires say they've turned in their memberships with the Country Music Association, due to the organization's "failure" to acknowledge the deaths of singer-songwriters John Prine, Billy Joe Shaver and Jerry Jeff Walker during their annual CMA Awards show.
The CMAs aired Wednesday night on ABC and included four standalone tributes to country stars lost in 2020: Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers, Joe Diffie and Mac Davis.
But critics noted there wasn't even a mention of Prine, Shaver or Walker — three acclaimed artists who existed on the fringes of the mainstream, but inspired several generations of country musicians. There was, however, time to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the film "Urban Cowboy."
Due to @CountryMusic’s failure to mention John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Billy Joe Shaver at the CMA’s last night, @amandashires and I have decided to return our membership cards. I doubt anybody will care, but we cared a lot about our heroes. pic.twitter.com/UmplzD0Z7p
— Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) November 13, 2020
"Due to (the CMA's) failure to mention John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Billy Joe Shaver at the CMA’s last night, @amandashires, and I have decided to return our membership cards," Isbell tweeted Thursday. "I doubt anybody will care, but we cared a lot about our heroes."
Despite being independent artists as well, Isbell and Shires — who are bandmates and spouses — have found themselves in the association's orbit in recent years.
Isbell and the 400 Unit's "The Nashville Sound" was nominated for Album of the Year in 2017, and Shires is also a member of The Highwomen, who performed on the 2019 awards show.
Shires voted in this year's CMA Awards, and noted on Twitter last month that there was "only one black person nominated in all 12 categories." She also highlighted a lack of diversity among the association's board of directors.
Just voted for this year’s CMA...only one black person nominated in all 12 categories. How can we make the @countrymusic board more racially inclusive? pic.twitter.com/BrXaQbcae5
— ATMOSPHERELESS ?? (@amandashires) October 19, 2020
In an interview with The Tennessean ahead of this year's ceremony, CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said, "We certainly want to make our industry more representative of our population and fan base, not just the artists, but obviously the industry as a whole.”
Oh Boy Records — the family-owned label of Prine, who died of COVID-19 complications in April — tweeted Wednesday that it was "disappointed" that the late musician wasn't part of this year's ceremony.
Three months before his death, Prine earned a lifetime achievement award and a televised tribute on the Grammy Awards.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires leave CMA after awards ignore John Prine
