From Toby Keith's tribute to Trisha Yearwood's honor, what to know about the CMT Music Awards
For the past two decades, the CMT Music Awards have been honoring the top country music videos of the past year, as voted on by the genre's fans.
With categories including collaborative video of the year, CMT performance of the year and the top prize, video of the year, the 2024 CMT Music Awards will be handed out Sunday, April 7 at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
From how to tune in live and which Oklahoma artists received nominations to who is performing for the planned tribute to the late Toby Keith and how Trisha Yearwood is being honored, here's what you need to know about this year's CMT Music Awards:
When are the 2024 CMT Music Awards airing and how to watch live?
The 2024 CMT Music Awards will air live from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday from Austin's Moody Center on the CBS Television Network. (You read that right: The CMT Music Awards will air on CBS.)
Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers will be able to live-stream the fan-voted awards show, while Paramount+ Essential subscribers will have access to the three-hour show on-demand the day after it initially airs.
Who is hosting the CMT Music Awards?
"Love Me Like You Mean It" hitmaker Kelsea Ballerini is hosting the CMT Music Awards for the fourth time. She is also nominated for three CMT awards, including video of the year for "If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)."
Ballerini is tied with Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Megan Moroney as the top nominees for this year's show, as each artist received three nominations.
Last year, Jelly Roll won three belt buckle trophies to become was the 2023 show's most awarded artist, while Johnson earned that distinction in 2022 with his two wins.
Who are the nominees for video of the year?
The top six finalists for the coveted video of the year award are:
Ballerini - "If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)"
Ashley McBryde - “Light On In the Kitchen”
Johnson - “The Painter”
Hardy - “Truck Bed”
Jelly Roll - “Need A Favor”
Wilson “Watermelon Moonshine”
The six finalists are all competing for their first video of the year win.
The top three video of the year nominees will be announced Sunday morning, with voting continuing through the live show, leading up to the reveal of the biggest award. Fan voting for the top prize continues at vote.cmt.com.
Runners-up for the 2024 video of the year are:
Oklahoman Zach Bryan - “Nine Ball”
Brandy Clark feat. Brandi Carlile - “Dear Insecurity”
Brothers Osborne - “Nobody’s Nobody”
Darius Rucker - “Fires Don’t Start Themselves”
Jason Aldean - “Let Your Boys Be Country”
Jordan Davis - “Next Thing You Know”
Kacey Musgraves - “Deeper Well”
Mickey Guyton featuring Kane Brown - “Nothing Compares To You”
Parmalee - “Gonna Love You”
Tyler Childers - “In Your Love”
Which Oklahomans are nominated for this year's CMT Music Awards?
Although he didn't make the final cut for video of the year, Bryan, who hails from Oologah, still is nominated for breakthrough male video of the year for “Oklahoma Smokeshow."
Country Music Hall of Famer and Chockie native Reba McEntire is nominated for female video of the year for the moving mini-movie for “Seven Minutes In Heaven."
Checotah native Carrie Underwood is nominated for CMT performance of the year for “Hate My Heart," from the 2023 CMT Music Awards.
The full list of CMT Music Awards nominations ranges from several established superstars to 14 first-time nominees.
How will the CMT Music Awards honor the late Toby Keith?
Keith will be honored with a star-studded tribute during the CMT Music Awards.
The all-star homage to the "Should've Been a Cowboy" hitmaker will feature performances by Wilson, Country Music Hall of Famers Brooks & Dunn and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar, all backed by Keith's longtime Easy Money band.
Country rocker Lukas Nelson and baseball legend Roger Clemens also will make special appearances during the tribute to Keith.
Members of Keith's family are expected to attend the awards show and walk the red carpet, according to his publicist.
Keith died Feb. 5 at the age of 62 after a multi-year battle with stomach cancer. He will be posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October.
Along with the tribute during the CMT Music Awards broadcast, CMT is planning a new one-hour standalone special with the working title "CMT Music Awards Celebrates Toby Keith." The celebration of his most memorable moments from the awards show is scheduled to premiere at 9 p.m. Thursday, April 11 on CMT.
What special honor will Trisha Yearwood receive at the CMT Music Awards?
Country music star and former Owasso resident Trisha Yearwood will receive the inaugural June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award during the show.
Inspired by country music pioneer June Carter Cash, the award recognizes an artist, duo, group or industry veteran who demonstrates an exceptional dedication to the community and their fellow artists, embodying Cash's spirit as a fierce advocate and initiator in paying it forward, helping others find their voice and using their platform to inspire and uplift others.
Yearwood’s extensive philanthropic efforts include her work with Habitat for Humanity over the past two decades, including the Carter Work Project and National Women Build Week. She was named a Habitat Humanitarian in 2016, along with her husband, Oklahoma country music superstar Garth Brooks.
Additionally, Yearwood's charitable involvement extends to establishing Dottie’s Yard to help animal rescues and supporting the Stanford Women’s Cancer Center, American Cancer Society, Humane Society, Grammy Foundation MusiCares, Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential, Starkey Hearing Foundation, Susan B. Komen Foundation and many more.
Along with receiving the new honor, the three-time Grammy Award winner will give the world-premiere performance of “Put It In A Song,” the first release from her forthcoming album. The new collection will mark a significant milestone in her storied career, as it features songs co-written by Yearwood.
It will be Yearwood's first appearance on the CMT stage since 2019.
Who else is performing on the CMT Music Awards?
The 2024 CMT Music Awards also will feature performances by Ballerini, Johnson, Moroney, Old Dominion featuring Moroney, Bailey Zimmerman, Dasha, Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, NEEDTOBREATHE with Davis, Parker McCollum featuring Brittney Spencer and Sam Hunt.
In what is sure to be one of the show's highlights, Little Big Town will perform with the reunited duo Sugarland.
Who will be the presenters on the CMT Muisic Awards?
Presenters for this year's CMT Music Awards include Johnson, Moroney, Amber Riley, Billy Bob Thornton, Carly Pearce, Cody Alan, Emily Osment, Emma Roberts, Gayle King, James Van Der Beek, Jane Seymour, Jelly Roll, Max Thieriot, Melissa Etheridge, Mickey Guyton, Minnie Driver, Montana Jordan, Parmalee and Paul Walter Hauser.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What to know about the CMT Music Awards: Nominees, performers and more
