“Country Music’s Biggest Night” just got even bigger. The CMA Awards have beefed up their performance lineup with a new round of star talent, adding stadium-filler Kenny Chesney, folk-rock powerhouse Brandi Carlile, country queen Miranda Lambert and rising Southern rock band Red Clay Strays, among others. They join an already stacked roster for the 59th annual awards show – which was set to include Entertainer of the Year contenders like Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton, among many others. (Wilson is pulling triple duty as a nominee, performer and first-time host of the ceremony.)
The performance slate promises plenty of special moments. Stapleton will perform twice, including a duet with Lambert on “A Song To Sing,” while Kelsea Ballerini is set to debut a brand-new song titled “I Sit In Parks.” And beyond the music, the night will honor a true legend: country icon Vince Gill will receive the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. “He remains a vibrant force in our industry, and we’re honored to celebrate an artist whose influence is so deeply woven into the fabric of our format,” says CMA CEO Sarah Trahern, praising Gill’s lasting impact.
With a few surprises reportedly still up organizers’ sleeves, the 2025 CMA Awards are shaping up to be an unforgettable evening for country fans. The show airs live on Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
