CMT Awards 2023

Country cuteness! · Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani · Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini · Kane Brown and Katelyn Jae · Lily Rose and Daira Eamon · Jon Pardi and ...

[Charles Esten](https://people.com/tag/charles-esten/) and his wife of 30 years, Patty Hanson, cozied up on the carpet. Rachel and Jake Scott [Fresh off their Nashville wedding](https://people.com/country/lily-rose-marries-daira-eamon-wedding-photos-exclusive/), newlyweds Lily Rose and Daira Eamon shared a kiss on the carpet — and [showed off their new bling!](https://people.com/country/2023-cmt-awards-lily-rose-wife-daira-show-off-wedding-rings/) [Blake Shelton](https://people.com/tag/blake-shelton/) and [Gwen Stefani](https://people.com/tag/gwen-stefani/)! [Kelsea Ballerini](https://people.com/tag/kelsea-ballerini/) made their [red carpet debut](https://people.com/country/2023-cmt-awards-kelsea-ballerini-chase-stokes-red-carpet-debut/) at the CMT Awards, where the singer hosted and her actor boyfriend showed support. [Kane Brown](https://people.com/tag/kane-brown/) posted two glam pics with wife Katelyn, [captioned simply](https://www.instagram.com/p/CqjNH7ROjmx/?hl=en), "The Browns."

Megan Moroney won Breakthrough Female Video of the Year for her single “Tennessee Orange,” and Jelly Roll took home the award for Breakthrough Male Video of the ...

Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange” – WINNER Megan Moroney won Breakthrough Female Video of the Year for her single “Tennessee Orange,” and Jelly Roll took home the award for Breakthrough Male Video of the Year for “Son of a Sinner” shortly after. Kelsea Ballerini – “Heartfirst” Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God” – WINNER Kane and Katelyn Brown took home the night’s top prize, the coveted Video of the Year award for their duet “Thank God.” Cody Johnson – “Human”

The 2023 CMT Music Awards red carpet featured stars such as Megan Thee Stallion, Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown and more. See the photos.

Megan Moroney at the 2023 CMT Music Awards held at Moody Center on April 2, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Ahead of the ceremony, the CMT Music Awards announced that Shania Twain will be honored with the CMT Equal Pay Award. Blake Shelton at the 2023 CMT Music Awards held at Moody Center on April 2, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Gwen Stefani at the 2023 CMT Music Awards held at Moody Center on April 2, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Bailey Zimmerman at the 2023 CMT Music Awards held at Moody Center on April 2, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Photo Credit : Christopher Polk for Variety Priscilla Block at the 2023 CMT Music Awards held at Moody Center on April 2, 2023 in Austin, Texas. HARDY at the 2023 CMT Music Awards held at Moody Center on April 2, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Performer and co-host Kelsea Ballerini and Outer Banks star Chase Stokes made their red carpet debut as a couple. Megan Thee Stallion, who is presenting during the ceremony, stunned in a dark blue curve-hugging gown with a cutout and white triangular detail on her left hip, with matching earrings and nails to balance her look. It’s all about the fans — and the stars, too, of course! Katelyn stunned in a strapless white dress with matching gloves.

After more than 50 years in Nashville, the CMT Music Awards will be hosted at the Moody Center in Austin on Sunday, April 2. Guests and performers for the ...

After more than 50 years in Nashville, the CMT Music Awards will be hosted at the Moody Center in Austin on Sunday, April 2. The Statesman asked CMT hosts Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown about their thoughts on Austin, what performances they're looking forward to and more. CMT Hosts Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown chat with the Austin Statesman

On Sunday night, the award show, co-hosted by Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, is handing out trophies to recognize country artists for their music and ...

- Russell Dickerson feat. - Midland feat. - HARDY feat. [Check out PEOPLE's full CMT Awards coverage to get the latest news on country's big night](https://people.com/tag/cmt-awards/). [Lainey Wilson](https://people.com/country/2023-cmt-awards-nominations-lainey-wilson-kane-brown-carrie-underwood/) led the pack this year with four nominations, including video of the year, female video of the year, collaborative video of the year and CMT performance of the year. [Kane Brown](https://people.com/tag/kane-brown/) and [Kelsea Ballerini](https://people.com/tag/kelsea-ballerini/) is handing out trophies to recognize country artists for their music and music videos!

CMT Awards 2023. Lainey Wilson performs at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

Ballerini delivered a poignant speech at the 2023 CMT Music Awards on Sunday about gun violence following the recent school shooting in Nashville.

Everyone's very understanding of that and very protective of that trauma, and that memory for me." She also noted that she continues to suffer PTSD from the shooting. In a 2021 interview with PEOPLE, Ballerini, now 29, opened up about the shooting she witnessed as a sophomore at Central High School in her native Knoxville, Tennessee. [Kane Brown](https://people.com/tag/kane-brown/https://people.com/tag/kane-brown/), and she's also set to deliver a performance during the ceremony. this year alone stretches from coast to coast," continued Ballerini, before recalling her own experience with gun violence. "On March 27, 2023, three 9-year-olds, Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney and Hallie Scruggs along with Dr.

Kelsea Ballerini, Manila Luzon, Kennedy Davenport, Jan Sport, and Olivia Lux had a kiki on the 2023 CMT Awards. The performance comes amid anti-drag ...

Kelsea Ballerini affirmed her support for the LGBTQIA+ community with her performance at the 2023 CMT Awards. The definition of drag in the bill is so large it could apply to Shakespeare in the Park. She brought out Drag Race stars Manila Luzon, Kennedy Davenport, Jan Sport, and Olivia Lux for her performance of “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” — an ode to solidarity in praxis unparalleled since “L’Internationale.” Right wing politicians continue to introduce anti-trans and anti-queer legislature into state houses across the country, including many so-called “drag bans.” Texas, the state which hosted this year’s CMT Awards, is

Did they have Zach Bryan? Because these are the three biggest artists in country music, and their lack of participation speaks volumes. The CMTs couldn't even ...

One of the few impressive things of the night was Parker McCollum’s bulge, even though this was supposed to be a family show. And the Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute kicked ass. How about paying tribute to a country women to celebrate the women of country instead of feeling like country music is always second-class to pop, so it must cast itself as subservient? This ain’t the CMAs. This is for the losers and the have-nots,” Mr. Of course there was plenty of signaling for “equality” from CMT throughout the show, but very little substance. And by the way CMT’s, Austin actually had country legend you could have paid tribute to also. You would have hoped that other non-genre performers like Gary Clark Jr., Slash, Billy Gibbons, and The Black Crowes would’ve had more dignity and told CMT to get lost. But they ceased when the CMT crowd figured out it wasn’t the orange man on stage, but the orange woman. This weekend, Police and Fire personnel had large swaths of downtown Austin cordoned off due to a mass casualty/hazardous exposure event, also known as the CMT Awards. When Jelly Roll is the most country artist on your show, you know you’re in trouble. Along with the CMTs transpiring in Austin’s new Moody Center, there was also a stage at the the Texas State Capital.

Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes made their red carpet debut as a couple at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday. The country music singer confirmed her ...

And I'm really proud of the song." Ballerini and Evans originally met in 2016 while hosting the CMC Music Awards in Australia. He ended up releasing the song after playing it for an audience in Australia. Ballerini and Evans wed in 2017. "For a while, you're right, it was kind of like, 'OK, this is just a new phase of a relationship,' because relationships go through seasons, right? That's what happens.' And then you get into a phase where you wait for it to come back. The CMT host concluded, "Tonight’s broadcast is dedicated to the ever growing list of families, friends, survivors, witnesses and responders whose lives continue to forever be changed by gun violence. I wanted to personally stand up here and share this moment because on August 21, 2008 I watched Ryan McDonald, my 15-year-old classmate at Central High School lose his life to a gun in our cafeteria." Although their backs were to the camera, Stokes tagged the singer, so there was no confusion as to who he was sitting with. And then sometimes it doesn't." "For a long time, I was like, 'Oh this is just… Ballerini commented on the post saying, "go vols" along with an emoji of a monkey covering its eyes.

The CMT Music Awards made a lively debut in Austin, Texas Sunday night, bringing its share of surprises, award upsets and social statements.

"To be on the stage with people like Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top and Slash? "Billy and Slash and Warren, they just melted together," Rodgers said. "I believe in an all-inclusive country music," Twain said from the stage. That includes winning the last four years straight, and after a full-throttle performance of "Hate My Heart" on Sunday's show, it seemed like a safe bet she'd go home with No. But I think we have a common thread in loving lyrics and loving songwriting." In the song's final chorus, Judd looked above and sang, "Mama, you need to be here. "But I just want to say thank you so much to my amazing husband. [ Naomi Judd](https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/09/25/wynonna-judd-incredibly-angry-after-naomi-death/8114427001/) died by suicide weeks later. Since 2007, Carrie Underwood has won CMT's top (and fan-voted) prize — Video of the Year — 10 times. Tonight's broadcast is dedicated to the ever growing list of families, friends, survivors, witnesses, and responders whose lives continue to forever be changed by gun violence." You can be whatever you want to be." He did the same with primetime viewers on Sunday, with arguably the most powerful performance of the night, and three wins, including Male Video of the Year.

Kelsea Ballerini made an emotional plea for change after Nashville's school shooting and showed support for LGBTQ performers during the CMT Awards.

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). Bill Lee after a Memphis-based LGBTQ theater group filed a suit against the state, The Commercial Appeal reported. Later in the show, Ballerini's showed her support for drag performers. this year alone, stretches from coast to coast," she said directly to the camera after naming all six victims from Covenant. The school shooting killed three adults and three children. And when she took the stage to sing one of her hit songs, she was joined onstage by four drag performers – another topic that has recently sparked debate in Tennessee.

Kelsea Ballerini made waves Sunday as co-host of the Country Music Television awards, with an emotional tribute to Nashville shooting victims and a ...

“Plaintiff’s other option is to proceed as planned, knowing that the Friends of George’s drag performers could face criminal — even felony — charges.” “If you go down, I’m going down too,” tweeted Ballerini with a rainbow flag emoji. “Thus, the prohibited speech is defined by the identity of the drag performer — and the message he conveys,” the group’s lawyers said. The group also said that should a cheerleader for the Tennessee Titans and a Drag Queen dance in front of a minor, only the drag queen would face charges. [performed her most recent single](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwJDLeCsVb0&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=CMT), “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too),” accompanied by alumni from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” — an act of protest against a proposed Tennessee law that would criminalize drag revues. “The community of sorrow over this and the 130 mass shootings in the US this year alone stretches from coast to coast,” the 29-year-old singer said.

5.43 million people watched the CMT Music Awards on Sunday night, according to Paramount Global, a 5% increase when compared to the show's 5.16 million ...

The 2023 CMT Awards were hosted by country singers Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini for the third year in a row. The strategy has proven fruitful for Paramount, which saw a A finalized number including out-of-home-viewing is yet to come, though Paramount currently projects that it will land at 5.68 million total viewers in Live + Same Day.