Stars of the country music world flooded into the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday for the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday.
Chrissy Metz and Rascal Flatts presented Blake Shelton with an award for his music video for I’ll Name The Dogs, a cut off his 2017 album Texoma Stone.
Taking the stage, 41-year-old Blake gracefully said that he ‘literally didn’t expect this tonight,’ thanking the director and producer of the video and shouting out his co-star Jimmy Olander.
So dashing: Chrissy Metz and Rascal Flatts presented Blake Shelton with an award for his music video for I’ll Name The Dogs, a cut off his 2017 album Texoma Stone at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville
Blake assured the audience ‘you need to know about’ the Diamond Rio guitarist – after heaping praise on the rest of the musicians in the country music industry.
He effervesced that ‘I can’t even believe I’m in this category with, I mean, literally, this new group of country artists tha are coming up – they’re unbelievable. I don’t even know why I’m in here, but I’m thankful that people voted.’
The beau of Gwen Stefani closed out the speech with: ‘And thank you to Rascal Flatts for absolutely nothing!’
Sexiest man: Taking the stage, 41-year-old Blake gracefully said that he ‘literally didn’t expect this tonight,’ thanking the director and producer of the video and shouting out his co-star Jimmy Olander
‘They’re unbelievable’: Blake assured the audience ‘you need to know about’ the Diamond Rio guitarist – after heaping praise on the rest of the musicians in the country music industry
Chrissy had taken the stage before Rascal Flatts, giddily informing the audience she had ‘recently met’ the band and had gone ‘full fangirl on them.’
Once Rascal Flatts strode up onto the stage behind her, she exploded with glee again, squealing: ‘WHAT?’
Inasmuch as Chrissy is a star on This Is Us, Gary LeVox vamped that the band would be starring in a show to air ‘after This Is Us: We Be Them.’ One of his bandmates quipped that the title was ‘grammatically correct in country.’
Funny guy: The beau of Gwen Stefani closed out the speech with: ‘And thank you to Rascal Flatts for absolutely nothing!’
John Pardi and Oklahoma-born breakfast show icon Hoda Kotb took the stage to deliver Performance Of The Year to the Backstreet Boys and Florida Georgia Line for their collaboration on Everybody.
Backstreet Boy Brian Litrell gushed: ‘Seriously, so who woulda thought 20 years ago, when Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) came out that these guys, Forida Georgia Line, would be singing it onstage and then we would actually do something together?’
Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line rhapsodized about the fans, crediting the bands’ success to them, and Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys offered his thanks to: ‘God, yo’ mama, and these boys right here!’
Big moment: John Pardi and Oklahoma-born breakfast show icon Hoda Kotb presented Performance Of The Year to the Backstreet Boys and Florida Georgia Line for their collaboration on God, Your Mama And Me at the CMT Music Awards
The exclamation was a reference to the Backstreet Boys/Florida Georgia Line collaboration God, Your Mama And Me – a song that appeared on the latter band’s 2016 album Dig Your Roots.
Before announcing the prize, Hoda and John did a brief comedic bit in which he auditioned to be her guest host on Today by reading tongue twisters off a prompter.
John had jokingly requested the gig because Blake Shelton previously guested on Today, subbing in for Hoda’s usual co-host Kathie Lee Gifford.
The thrill of it all:Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line rhapsodized about the fans, crediting the bands’ success to them, and Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys offered his thanks to: ‘God, yo’ mama, and these boys right here!’
Amazing: Brian Litrell gushed: ‘Seriously, so who woulda thought 20 years ago, when Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) came out that these guys, Forida Georgia Line, would be singing it onstage and then we would actually do something together?’
Dazzling: Stars of the country music world flooded into the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday for the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday
However, he consistently stumbled over the various tongue twisters, eventually reassuring himself: ”Next year. There’s always next year!’
Hoda offered him the singularly appetizing consolation prize of a large glass of white wine. Clinking her own glass of hooch with his, she vamped: ‘The way Kathie Lee and I do it is with a few of these. Cheers!’
Ray Lynn and Cody Allen were the first hosts of the evening, plugging event sponsor Pepsi and giving an effusive introduction to Blake Shelton.
Vamping: Before announcing the prize, Hoda and John did a brief comedic bit in which he auditioned to be her guest host on Today by reading tongue twisters off a prompter
However: He consistently stumbled over the various tongue twisters, eventually reassuring himself: ”Next year. There’s always next year!’ to the point Hoda consoled him with wine
Signature: Hoda is known for enjoying a bit of wine with Kathie Lee Gifford on the air
Blake hit the stage with a band and backup singers, accompanying himself on the guitar as he crooned Turnin’ Me On, a single off his 2017 album Texoma Shore.
With streaks of distinguished grey in hair, Blake buttoned himself into a black shirt with geometric silver accenting and allowed a bit of grizzled scruff to sprout onto his face.
Bathed in red light, Jason Aldean delivered a soulful rendition of his heartstring-tugging ballad Drowns The Whiskey, a cut off his new album Rearview Town.
Accompanying himself: Bathed in red light, Jason Aldean delivered a soulful rendition of his heartstring-tugging ballad Drowns The Whiskey, a cut off his new album Rearview Town
Strumming: The original record featured Miranda Lambert, but she did not join Jason onstage for Wednesday’s live rendition
The original record featured Miranda Lambert, but she did not join Jason onstage for Wednesday’s live rendition.
Lauren Alaina and Kane Brown bounced up onstage, winning Collaborative Video Of The Year for What Ifs. ‘This is my first award that I ever won, so,’ said Kane slightly bashfully.
‘We were in middle school chorus class together in seventh grade,’ explained a thrilled Lauren, who was clearly overflowing with pride in her duet partner.
Lauren, who won Breakthrough Video Of The Year last year, returned to the stage with Garrett Hedlund to present Breakthrough Video Of The Year to Carly Pearce.
So proud: Lauren Alaina and Kane Brown bounced up onstage, winning Collaborative Video Of The Year for What Ifs – while onstage, he said slightly bashfully: ‘This is my first award that I ever won, so’
So sweet: ‘We were in middle school chorus class together in seventh grade,’ explained a thrilled Lauren, who was clearly overflowing with pride in her duet partner
Kelsea Ballerini stood in a spotlight, going for double denim in a button-down shirt and skintight jeans for her big moment – a chance to sing her single I Hate Love Songs, from her 2017 album Unapologetically.
Dierks Bentley and the Brothers Osborne delighted the crowd with the live debut of their song Burning Man, during which several flares shot streams of fire up behind them.
Carrie Underwood stopped the show, emerging from curtains of jewels to emotionally belt her electrifying new song Cry Pretty, to be released on her forthcoming studio album.
She went flapper chic in a slinky black outfit dripping with fringe, showing off her cleavage through a plunging V-neck and emphasizing her sensuously curvy legs in tights.
Snappy dressers: Lauren, who won Breakthrough Video Of The Year last year, returned to the stage with Garrett Hedlund to present Breakthrough Video Of The Year to Carly Pearce
Two guitarists flanked her as she treated the audience to a thunderous live experience, sliding through melisma after melisma and at one point soaring into her falsetto.
Lindsay Ell had the unenviable task of following Carrie’s barnstorming act, but gave it an energetic go, playing electric guitar and singing her 2017 number Criminal.
Little Big Town, consisting of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook hosted this year’s show and opened the show with a performance of their new single, Summer Fever.
Fabulous: Kelsea Ballerini stood in a spotlight, going for double denim in a button-down shirt and skintight jeans for her big moment – a chance to sing her single I Hate Love Songs, from her 2017 album Unapologetically
Blake, Chris Stapleton, Kelly Clarkson, Kelsea Ballerini, Sam Hunt and Luke Bryan were slated to play the show.
Clarkson is making her CMT Awards show debut with a performance of the classic rock song American Woman.
The song will be the theme song for a new TV show of the same name on Paramount Network starring Alicia Silverstone and Mena Suvari.
On-theme: Dierks Bentley and the Brothers Osborne delighted the crowd with the live debut of their song Burning Man, during which several flares shot streams of fire up behind them
Stapleton and Shelton are both nominated for video of the year, while Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean are tied for the most nominations with four each.
Underwood has a chance to extend her run as the most decorated artist in the history of the CMT Music Awards.
The country star has 17 wins, and she’s nominated for three awards at Wednesday’s show, which kicks off at 8pm ET.
Nominees for the top prize, video of the year, are Blake Shelton’s I’ll Name the Dogs, Thomas Rhett’s Marry Me, Kane Brown and Lauren Alaina’s What Ifs, Luke Combs’ When It Rains It Pours and Brett Young’s Mercy.