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2026 CMA Awards Announce Kacey Musgraves, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw & More Performers, Plus Dolly Parton Tribute
Developing story first seen 4 hours ago
The CMA Awards have named their first performers for the 60th ceremony, adding Kacey Musgraves, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw and several other country acts to the line-up. The show will also pay tribute to Dolly Parton, who died in August.
The performers include Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore. Lainey Wilson will host for a third consecutive year; the ceremony airs live from Nashville on 18 November on ABC and Disney+, with Hulu availability the following day. Langley leads the nominees with nine, while Lambert has seven, Musgraves five and Johnson four.
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In short
- Ella Langley leads the CMA nominees with nine.
- Dolly Parton will be honoured at the ceremony.
- Lainey Wilson returns as host for a third year.
How this story developed
- 2 hours ago The Country Music Association has announced the first performers for its 60th annual awards, including Kacey Musgraves, Ella Langley and Tim McGraw. The ceremony will also honour the late Dolly Parton, while Lainey Wilson returns as host for a third consecutive year.
- 3 hours ago The CMA Awards have named their first performers for the 60th ceremony, adding Kacey Musgraves, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw and several other country acts to the line-up. The show will also pay tribute to Dolly Parton, who died in August.
Full account
The Country Music Association has announced the first performers for its 60th annual awards, with Kacey Musgraves, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore due to appear. Lainey Wilson, the reigning entertainer of the year, will host for a third consecutive year. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on 18 November, airing live on ABC and Disney+ and becoming available on Hulu the following day.
The line-up brings together performers with recent CMA history and artists at different stages of their careers. Several acts appeared at last year’s ceremony, according to one report. McGraw’s return would be his first CMA performance since 2017; his recent induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame is another milestone ahead of the show. The reports give no details yet about songs or possible collaborations.
Langley leads the nominations with nine, including entertainer of the year, album of the year for “Dandelion” and female vocalist of the year. Johnson has four nominations, while Lambert has seven, including two in the single of the year category. Musgraves has five nominations. The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Wetmore are also among this year’s nominees, with Top seeking to retain the new artist title he won last year and The Red Clay Strays nominated again for vocal group.
The ceremony will also include a tribute to Dolly Parton, who died in August, though neither report identifies the performers or format. One outlet foregrounds the broad range of announced artists and their nominations; the other stresses how much the first wave resembles last year’s line-up and speculates about possible song choices and pairings. Those possibilities—including a Langley and Lambert duet—remain unconfirmed.
Explained simply
The Country Music Association Awards are an annual ceremony recognising performers and work in country music. The Country Music Association organises the event, and its honours include awards for artists, recordings and songs.
Dolly Parton is a major country music singer and songwriter whose career has spanned decades; the planned tribute recognises her legacy. The ceremony also brings together current performers and nominees, including Ella Langley, Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert, while Tim McGraw is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.