Roots, Toots n' Hoots Blog

The CMAs: 2026 edition

Jeffrey Remz  |  November 19, 2025

8 p.m. - Luke Combs gets The Country Music Association Awards show rolling with "Back in the Saddle" with a farm feel in the background. This is not the Aerosmith tune, but there are firepots galore and a rocking feel to the song. Combs sounds excellent (as usual).

8:04 p.m. - Decked out in white from white hat to a white suit, Lainey Wilson is the host, the pride of Bastrop, La., population 175. Ace guitarist Charlie Worsham comes up with his acoustic guitar while Wilson sings a few songs including Chris Stapleton's "White Horse, Ellan Langley and Riley Green's "you look like you love me," Gretchen Wilson's "Red Neck Woman" (Wilson looks good. Still not sure why her career didn't endure), Lady A, Miranda Lambert ("Gunpowder & Lead"), Shaboozey ("Tipsy"), Little Big Town ("Girl Crush" with LBT helping out - obviously staged). Wilson always sounds great whatever she sings.

8:10 p.m. - Keith Urban throws out some licks for "Where the Blacktop Ends."

8:14 p.m. - The first award of the night - Single of the Year - goes to Riley Green and Ella Langley for "you look like you love me." Not a surprise as this song was all over the airwaves and stuck in the head. Langley said, "I wasn't expecting to get up so early tonight," but she was right when she said, "I felt like this is a song that keeps on giving because people keep listening to it."

Too bad for Zach Top. His "I Never Lie" is one great song from a most excellent singer. I did wonder if Megan Moroney would win it for "Am I Okay"," that might signal a huge night for her.

"I'm just so glad to be part of the song," said Green. He praised Langley "for making country music really country."

8:19 p.m. - Comedian Leeanne Morgan is out in a suit almost matching Wilson. Not very funny either. They could do better than this. It's the shtick stuff that never much works and is super hokey. This falls flat.

8:22 p.m. - Zach Top comes out to put the show back on track with "Guitar." He's on acoustic, showing he can play that quite well thank you. "I ain't in it for the fame," he sings. Well, that ship has passed. He's done well and deservedly so. And lots of pedal steel too!

8:25 p.m. - Wilson and Ne-Yo is out to give out an award. Ah, why is he there?

8:27 p.m. - Brooks & Dunn win Vocal Duo of the Year. I was thinking Brothers Osborne, but it's their 16th win. Ronnie Dunn said, "We'll take this and try to make you proud," after saying that 80 percent of people showing up at their shows at there for the first time. Kix Brooks, "You ever get sick of this? Hell no." How about some more new music?

8:33 p.m. - New outfit for Wilson, gray cowboy hat and fake texts from Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan.

8:33 p.m. - Moroney is out with "6 Months Later." It's all pink there. She is one recognizable singer and seemed ready from the get go for this. Catchy song. Where's the band by the way. There are all these dancers - 6 - but no band.

8:37 p.m. - Chris Stapleton gets bluesy (and rocking) with the funky "Bad As I Used To Be." He's always a great singer. Low-key guy, but he does the job every time. Excellent use of harp too. His guitar playing is hardly ever mentioned, but muscular and vibrant as usual too.

8:45 p.m. - Marcella is Wilson's Cowgirl of the Night repeating phrases from Wilson, like "I am fearless." That's part of her concert routine. Manufactured, but the message is right.

8:46 p.m. - Kelsea Ballerini is swinging in "I Sit in Parks." Better listening to it or probably in concert. More of a pensive song.

8:51 p.m. - Big big win for Top for Best New Artist over Langley among others. Did not expect that, but maybe no one dominates tonight. He's the real deal. Top thanked everybody from his parents and siblings (he was in a family and) to his label. I thought Langley would win this as she's had more of a presence than Top until this point.

8:57: Veteran pedal steel ace Paul Franklin wins Musician of the Year. Well deserved. Doesn't get to go up on stage though.

8:58 p.m.: The Red Clay Strays scorch on "People Hatin'," a message song about people doing too much of that. Let love rule, in effect. Simple, but good message. These guys are great and looking for a. big '26 from and for them.

9:05 p.m. - Langley and Green are back winning Song of the Year as well. Can't say it's a big surprise at all. As Green said, "how cool is it that a song with talking verses wins Song of the Year." So true.

9:06 p.m. - Stephen Wilson Jr. has come out of nowhere, but he's here singing his take solo acoustic - it's different folks - of Ben E. King's "Stand By Me," which he also does in concert. It's an intense delivery from a pretty intense singer. The crowd gave applause a bit too early. He wasn't done with the song folks. Not exactly country, but he does a great job with making the song his own. He's popping more in '26 too with a headline tour with bigger venues.

9:15 p.m. - this is no surprise. Outfit number three for Wilson. Why is that always such a staple of these shows?

9:15 p.m. - Kenny Chesney hits the stage to sing "American Kids." Acoustic based with he and his guitarist acoustic. Sounds good. Life is good for Chesney as he has a number one hit with his book "Heart Life Music." Hard to believe he's already 57.

Chesney gets to sing a second song, "When the Sun Goes Down." It's a great summer song and even works in November. Tribute is paid to songwriter Brett James, who unfortunately was killed in a plane crash earlier this year.

9:28 p.m. - Old Dominion reprises "Break Up With Him," "One Man Band," "Hotel Key" and "Snap Back." I guess this is a night of musicians looking to the past at times. Sounds good though.

9:33 p.m. - Steve Martin an Allison Brown get to show off their banjo skills and plug their recently released banjo album. Rather something that they get playing time and the chance to present Album of the Year.

9:36 p.m. - Wilson wins Album of the Year for her excellent "Whirlwind." "I was absolutely not expecting this," Wilson said. "I wrote this during a time of life where everything was constantly changing...poured my heart and soul into that guitar. That's how I navigated (it)."

While there were other worthy albums here, Wilson needs more self-confidence it seems. Continuing to shill for Top, listen to "Cold Beer & Country Music," his nominated album.

9:43 p.m. - Shaboozey is singing with Wilson helping out on guitar for "Took a Walk" from the film "The Long Walk." It's different from most of the other songs tonight. It's not a big hit and it's a slower-paced song. Good one.

9:47 p.m. - Vocal Group of the Year - The Red Clay Strays. This was the shocker of the night (so far). I'd have thought Old Dominion was a shoo in. The Strays are a great band with a great lead singer. "Thank you Jesus," said Brandon Coleman. "Never ever would have dreamed of winning anything like this. We didn't even know how to set up music (equipment) when we started." Coleman told people to believe in themselves.

9:51 p.m. - Wilson comes out to sing (another costume change) "Ring Finger." Good story song. Fortunately, she's engaged. Very lively. Wilson is one excellent performer - for a full show!

9:56 p.m. - Langley comes out to honor the military - about 100 of them are in the house along with a soldier who received a wheelchair-accessible vehicle as a gift. A nice recognition.

10:03 p.m. - Stapleton and Lambert are out to sing the mid-tempo soulful "A Song to Sing." Nice back and forth, and their voices blend well.

10:06 p. m. - Cowboy of the Night, same shtick thought with actor Alan Ritchson. "I'm cute. I work out so much. I'm sore all the time. Im fearless. I am cowboy of the night."

10:08 p.m. - Back to the regularly schedule program with Green singing "Worst Way." Hey, he even has a fiddle going. Sings well too! Praise the Lord.

10:16 p.m. - No awards for a while here. Langley is out to sing (her third outfit change of the night) "Choosin' Texas," her current song. A couple is dancing to the song - not at all exciting. More exciting is the song. itself with pedal steel, fiddle and a more traditional sound. Nice voice.

10:21 p.m. - Cody Johnson wins Male Vocalist of the Year. Good singer. Not a big personality, but he does a good job winning honors.

10:24 p.m. - Tucker Wetmore gets face time singing "Wind Up Missing You." It's on the breezy, poppy side.

10:32 p.m. - Brandi Carlile is out to sing "When I Call Your Name" as part of the tribute to Vince Gill. The great Patty Loveless returns to the stage to sing with Carlile. It's great to see Loveless out there. Carlile does a great job also. Whoever picked these two deserves a lot of credit.

10:36 p.m. - George Stait came out to sing praises of Gill, who soon took the stage. Always humorous, Gill was, but also serious. "It's not lost on me that they had to have girls come out here and sing for me tonight. The boys can't get up that high. This is amazing. In the history, it's been given to nine or 10 people, and that list is astounding. I'm pretty confident I'm the only one who has ever won this award that has never smoked any weed."

Gill then went on to thank his professional and personal families for being with him. Gill is in the midst of releasing EPs, and it's great to see that he is making music and getting the honor he deserves.

10:47 p.m. - Big X tha Plug and Combs are out to sing "Pray Hard." Combs takes the harder edge, and Big X does the rapping. Not ad.