Country Music People December 2019 | Page 5

CMA AWARDS CELEBRATE WOMEN IN COUNTRY Jennifer Nettles made a statement on the red carpet. The Sugarland singer shared on Instagram: “When I found out that the CMA’s were celebrating women artists this year, I saw a wonderful opportunity to invite and inspire conversation about country music’s need to play more women artists on radio and playlistings.” She also called out that 16 percent of the top 500 songs over the last four years (2014-2018) were women was “unacceptable”. Main Pic: Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, and Reba McEntire, hosts of the 53rd CMA Awards. Left: Cody Johnson and his wife on the red carpet. Top right: The Highwomen and Tanya Tucker grab a selfie with Dolly. Above right: Ashley McBryde backstage proudly showing off her New Artist of the Year Award. Photos: CMA L uke Combs saw a 1,915% sales spike following his performance of Beer Never Broke My Heart, and a 433% rise for the Male vocalist of the Year’s Beautiful Crazy which won Song of the Year. Combs’ latest album, What you See Is What You Get, released five days before the awards, debuted at #1 on the all- genre Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums charts. It also set a new single-week streaming record for a country album. FULL LIST OF WINNERS at the 53rd CMA Awards Entertainer of the Year - Garth Brooks Single of the Year - God’s Country - Blake Shelton Album of the Year Girl – Maren Morris Song of the Year - Beautiful Crazy Songwriters: Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III, Robert Williford Female Vocalist of the Year - Kacey Musgraves Male vocalist of the Year - Luke Combs Vocal Group of the Year - Old Dominion Vocal Duo of the Year - Dan + Shay Musical Event of the Year - Old Town Road (Remix) – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus Musician of the Year - Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle Music video of the Year - Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves New Artist of the Year - Ashley McBryde DECEMBER 2019 - cmp 5