Country Music’s Biggest Night is the vehicle for some of the biggest collaborations in history and this year is no exception.
John Mellencamp evidently is ok with being name-checked in Keith Urban‘s latest country hit. But no matter how Mellencamp might feel about the nick name today, it’s clear that Urban’s hit “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16″ comes from a deep place of respect.
His songwriting was such a huge part of my life,” added Urban. “I almost feel like between all the TV I grew up with in Australia and John Mellencamp’s music — among many others — I knew what it meant to live there and grow up there.”
Mellencamp will be on hand at the CMA Awards on November 4th, taking the stage to perform a duet with Keith Urban during “The 49th Annual CMA Awards.” We are assuming it will be a live performance of Urban’s popular single, “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16.”
Urban released the single to radio back in June, explaining in a press release that the demo was sent to him early in the song-selection process for his upcoming album.
I loved it immediately — loved it so much that right before I walked out on stage at the Ryman for CRS a few months back, I thought I’d play the song solo acoustic to see what the audience thought,” he said. “Flash forward, and there’s no doubt that their response that day helped make it the first single from … my next album.”
Urban’s “Raise ‘Em Up” which also featured Eric Church is nominated for “Musical Event,” a category Urban has already won three times for: “Start A Band” with CMA Awards host Brad Paisley in 2009, “Highway Don’t Care” with Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift in 2013, and “We Were Us” with fellow nominee Miranda Lambert last year.
The lineup of performers for the 2015 CMA Awards was already stacked, with Eric Church and Hank Williams Jr. opening the show together, followed by a collaboration between Thomas Rhett and pop-rockers Fall Out Boy. Kelsea Ballerini, Maddie & Tae, Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert will also take the stage and wow the live audience throughout the night.
In anticipation of “The 49th Annual CMA Awards” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” will pave the road to the CMA Awards by welcoming some of the genre’s most notable stars. The lineup includes performances from Brett Eldredge, Kip Moore, Chris Young, as well as 2015 CMA nominees Kelsea Ballerini, Kacey Musgraves, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, and more.
Once again, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley will be back to host the event, marking their eight year together! The 49th Annual CMA Awards will air live November 4th on ABC at 8PM ET, straight from Music City’s Bridgestone Arena.
Fans can get more information on “The 49th Annual CMA Awards” and sign up for CMA emails and exclusives, as well as view a full list of announced performers, by visiting CMAawards.com.
