CMA Awards CMHoF

The Country Music Association awarded Luke Combs and Keith Urban with CMA International Artist Achievement Awards backstage during “The 55th Annual CMA Awards.” Combs, the newly crowned CMA Entertainer of the Year, was surprised with his 2021 award on Tuesday, Nov. 9 by Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. Previously announced via CMA socials, Urban was also surprised last week by Trahern at his rehearsal for his CMA Awards performance of “Wild Hearts” with the news of his 2020 honor. “Both Keith and Luke have been trailblazers for our genre, consistently growing and enhancing Country Music globally,” says Trahern. “They each place such a distinct priority on Country Music’s international fanbase and continue to further CMA’s mission to bring Country Music to audiences all over the world. We could not be prouder to present them both with this award.”https://cmaawards.com/

CMHoF NEWS:

Three distinguished artists from vastly different backgrounds—each of whom committed himself to country music early in life—were welcomed into the Country Music Hall of Fame during a star-studded, emotionally moving Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, November 21. Dean Dillon, Marty Stuart, and Hank Williams Jr. were honored in the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum with heartfelt testimonials and once-in-a-lifetime musical tributes over the three-hour ceremony.

“This is the pinnacle for what we do,” Hall of Fame member George Strait said when inducting songwriter Dean Dillon. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young, in his introduction, said: “These three men traveled very different paths to earning country music’s most hallowed honor...One [was] raised middle class, one impoverished, and one wealthy. They’ll forever be honored together at this museum.” Read the full report at https:// countrymusichalloffame.org/ Rising country powerhouse Ryan Hurd and Grammy-winning artist Maren Morris secure the #1 spot on U.S. Country Radio Mediabase chart with their Platinum-certified “Chasing After You” in November. The couple’s first official duet, “Chasing After You” was written by Brinley Addington and Jerry Flowers and produced by Teddy Reimer and Aaron Eshuis. Hurd is set to tour the U.S. next year, kicking off the Tour de Pelago headline run in January with dates including Chicago’s The Vic, New York’s Irving Plaza, Nashville’s Marathon Music Works and more. Tickets are on sale now—see full routing below and visit ryanhurd.com for more information.

Hurd recently released his debut album Pelago, inspired by his upbringing on the shores of Lake Michigan. Hurd got his start in Nashville as a songwriter, penning Platinum hits and #1s for Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Lady A and Tim McGraw, among others. As an artist he’s released a series of EPs, spawning hits like the Platinum-certified “To a T” and earning more than 700 million streams to date. Tour updates at https://www.ryanhurd.com.

FOODY NEWS:

Brad Paisley has launched “American Highway” Bourbon a whiskey aged in barrels stored in a 53-foot semi-trailer that followed his 2019 nation-wide tour for 7,314 miles across 25 states, from coast to coast.

“Bourbon is like songwriting, it’s a blend of things coming together to make something incredible,” said Paisley. “These are really special barrels that saw more of the United States than most people I know.”

The fluctuating climate of the barrels’ journey expanded and contracted their staves, imparting oak and char that cultivate the characteristics flavors of America’s native spirit. This well-traveled batch was then blended with three-year, 13year and 15-year-old Kentucky bourbons to create the final product. The next batch, to be released in 2022, was aged on the Rolling Rickhouse during Paisley’s 2021 tour. Paisley sums up the creative process that derived his bourbon:

“It’s so similar to what goes into a great guitar. The right woods, the right craftsmanship, the right alchemy that makes this intangible, magical thing, and that’s what makes this so great to me.” More details at https://www.bradpaisley.com.