CMAs Get It Done "Softly And Tenderly"

Carrie Underwood for the win.

If there were a CMA Award for "Best CMA Awards Show Moment," Underwood's six-minute vocal clinic on "Softly And Tenderly" would be the hands-down winner. The performance memorialized not only members of the Country music community who passed this year, but all 58 victims of the Las Vegas shootings last month. As a moving and emotional companion piece, all 58 faces were displayed (on TV, at least) as Underwood delivered an understated-yet-stirring tribute that only someone with her chops could have pulled off. Everyone I spoke to who was at the awards inside Nashville's Bridgestone Arena said it was a total rain-maker, in terms of tears. Well, I was in a bar, full of mostly strangers, watching the CMAs on TV with the sound lower than I’d have preferred, and everybody in there was sitting and bawling, too.

Underwood's segment was one of many moments when this year’s show paused for some much-needed reflection, as we get ready to close out an extremely difficult year on so many levels that extend far beyond music. The Brothers Osborne saluted the late Don Williams during their performance slot by breaking into “Tulsa Time.” Eddie Montgomery appeared onstage while Dierks Bentley and Rascal Flatts collaborated on “My Town,” a salute to the late Troy Gentry, and one of Montgomery Gentry’s signature hits. It’s the first time most of us have laid eyes on Montgomery since Gentry’s tragic death. To hear Montgomery finish the song, familiarly snarling those last few lines, was invigorating for us, and – I would imagine – empowering for him. Little Big Town teamed with Jimmy Webb for a Glen Campbell salute, impeccably singing "Wichita Lineman." To me, this was a close second to Underwood for the most well-executed performance of the evening.

Keith Urban debuted his new song, the topically-charged “Female,” which addresses the issue of sexual harassment. The song came about within the last few weeks, as that topic – driven by the Harvey Weinstein Hollywood scandal – escalated rapidly, then arrived in Nashville last week. Turning around a song like that so quickly is fraught with peril; the danger is being perceived as exploitive and schmaltzy. My classic example of that occurred during the early weeks of the 1990 Gulf War with Iraq, when Hank Williams Jr. rushed out “Don’t Give Us A Reason.” The song was aggressively jingoistic, and one Hank Jr. bragged about writing in just 15 minutes. And, it sounded like it. “Female” is neither of these. In typical Urban fashion, the song is well-written, delivered with class and sensitivity, from an artist who has gained listeners' trusted for always saying and doing the right thing. If any male could have made a song like that work, it's Urban.

These were the golden moments of this year’s CMA Awards, outshining some of the usual tries at TV magic, which – if we’re being honest – usually fall short of expectations and come across as somewhat contrived. Last night’s recognition over the loss of some Country music greats was necessary and healing in nature. Gentry’s death was sudden, painful, and came far too early for someone so young, so universally liked by this entire industry. Conversely, Campbell’s passing came after a long, excruciating, and public journey through the Hell that is Alzheimer’s disease. Campbell is missed dearly, too, but I'd imagine many would agree that his passing – as is the case with many Alzheimer patients – came as a relief after such a harrowing experience for he, his entire family, and all Glen Campbell fans.

When Underwood and co-host Brad Paisley opened the show by going through a painfully long list of tragedies before shifting to topical humor via parody songs, it underscored how ridiculous last week's short-lived media restrictions issued by the CMA really were. Though well-intentioned, the Thursday, November 2nd announcement about refraining from Las Vegas, politics, and such was poorly executed and perceived as draconian. It's no wonder the show's co-host, Paisley, was so pissed that he tweeted about it Friday morning (11/3), causing the CMA to walk back its policy so quickly, wisely rescinding its decision within 24 hours. I applaud them for that, but even the take back was delivered in an impersonal, corporate manner, coming from "The CMA," instead of being authored and signed by, say, an actual human being with a real name.

Had the telecast and its hosts chosen to ignore the obvious current social and political events taking place in America right now, the CMA – and all of Country music – would have been perceived as having its collective head in the sand, or a much darker place – an orifice which shall go unnamed here. That's the last thing this genre needs, as we always seem to incur an unfair rash of shit from people outside of our world, even though they don't have a clue about our music and our business.

Having said that, and since I think I DO have a clue, and a point of reference (and strong opinions) about the CMA Awards, here are some further observations about the show. Some are mine, and some are a composite of the many people I spoke with during and after last night's telecast.

The show open. Not Carrie and Brad, then Tim and Faith, Carrie and Brad – but the first musical number: the stark, acapella open of "Amazing Grace" by Eric Church was haunting and impactful. Everyone loves Darius Rucker; I was, and am a huge Hootie And The Blowfish fan. I love "Hold My Hand," and getting virtually every Country star on one stage singing along was cool. But, I found it to be ultimately off point, when Brad Paisley said moments later, in the opening monologue while mentioning all the recent tragedies, "The best way to honor our fans is to play our music, loud and proud." That comment, after we just heard a Hootie And The Blowfish song from 1994. "Our music, loud and proud?" Doesn't Country, as a genre, have a healthy catalog of songs offering healing and unity? I know that sounds ticky-tacky, but when you're talking about healing, unity, and coming together as a family, I think nuance matters.

P!nk. And, a full performance on the CMA Awards. She's an amazing singer. She was a CMA nominee, with Kenny Chesney, for "Settin' The World On Fire." But, having her perform her new single ("Barbies") was completely out of context for this show. Many people shared that thought with me after last night's show – two of whom were artists singing on stage during the show open. They did not want their thoughts attributed.

To offer more perspective, no radio station would segue from Brad, or Little Big Town, or Garth, to a P!nk song. SiriusXM wouldn't, either. And, since the streaming listening experience is now part of the musical consumption conversation, I doubt there's many algorithms on earth that would take us from Keith Urban, or Miranda Lambert, or Eric Church to P!nk, either. But, then again, I don't math very well.

The question I will continue to ask the CMA, and producers of the awards, as they stubbornly insist on these performance slots is this: by inviting P!nk to sing her brand new, largely unfamiliar song on the CMAs – on "Country's Biggest Night" – is, what artist making music heard on Country radio, SiriusXM, Pandora, or Spotify Country channels was NOT invited to sing their brand new single? Or, as a Country programmer wrote me this morning – again, asking to be unattributed, "Where are the slots for full [performances] by some of Country's new artists? Where was Brett Young (nobody had a bigger year), Carly Pearce (next Female in line), LANCO (top five song), Chris Janson (insane performer), Aaron Watson (sells [CDs] out of the back of his car), Dustin Lynch (one of biggest songs of the year)? I can go on and on. Put them in a writer's round, put them in a club down the block, showcase them! Do you realize only five artists inside the current top 20 performed last night?"

Jon Pardi as New Artist of the Year. Speaking of new artists, as my PD friend just was, I think this was a very strong category filled with young talent that should bless this format with excellent music for years to come – at least, I hope they do. They each also represent this genre very well. Any of them could have won, and we'd be satisfied. But, as I posted on Facebook last night, "All CMA New Artist nominees were great, but [I] love seeing Jon Pardi win. He could be Traditional Country music torch bearer." I'll discuss this topic in greater length next week here in The 'Ville, but I detect a small movement toward some more Traditional music coming back to Country radio – as texture, not the driver of the format. Pardi has a Rock edge to his stuff, but he's also got a fiddle player – and he's a hat guy. He's young enough to lead the way and make that musical lane grow wider.

Single, Song of the Year winners. Can't argue with Keith for Single and Little Big Town for Song (via Taylor Swift). And, it says something about the depth of our format in both categories when Sam Hunt's "Body Like A Back Road," which is arguably the biggest single of the year – in all of music – isn't able to win a CMA Award in his home format.

Nobody thanked Country Radio. I originally thought that, but I missed Jon Pardi, Old Dominion, Karen, of Little Big Town, and, Garth - which shouldn't shock me. Totally my bad for not paying attention, but I'm glad the platform everyone says is most imoprtant for exposing new music in our format, was given its well-deserved shout-out.

The sound mix. Very iffy on TV, as usual. But here's what's odd – I got in the car to drive back downtown for after parties and listened to the radio broadcast on WKDF/Nashville. That mix sounded terrific, particularly the Little Big Town/Jimmy Webb collaboration on "Wichita Lineman." Pristine sound. Also, kudos to former co-worker, Shawn Parr, and his "Nash Nights Live" co-host, Elaina Smith, for doing a super job hosting the radio broadcast in real time. That was akin to calling play-by-play for a football game. Impressive job by them.

Old Dominion Performance/Recognizing Radio Award Winners. Let's do one or the other, not both at once, K? It served neither party well. Let Old Dominion play their entire damned song. Jeez, they were nominated for two awards, have a string of #1 songs going – can we hear one of them all the way through? But, no. Instead, they had to play through the Broadcast Award announcements – and that's also not fair to the radio winners. The show producers, and the CMA Radio Committee, HAVE to find a better way to do this without compromising radio and the artists – at the same time!

Sugarland. Did they drop a reunion hint?

Underrated performance of the night. Dan + Shay and Lauren Alaina absolutely nailing "Get Together," the 1967 hit by The Youngbloods. (Also re-issued in '69.) Man, that was great! Everybody where I was watching stood up and sang out loud; that is a unifying experience. Come to think of it, if we had to see a cover song to open the show, why not this one? With all that's going on in the world, this seems more poignant that ever, right?

Garth as EOTY. Keith Urban was a sentimental favorite. Eric Church was deserving. All nominees could make a case. Garth is undeniable. There's nobody in all of music who can bring an event of his magnitude to a market for three days and create bedlam like Garth. Also, two words for any naysayers: ticket sales.

Boom!

As always, I welcome your feedback on the CMAs. Respond in comments section below, or hit me on email here.

This column was updated at 8:35a (CT)on Friday (11/10) to include information about award winners who thanked Country radio at Wednesday's (11/8) CMA Awards