CMT Brings Out The Stars On 'Artists Of The Year' Ceremony

CMT Honors Stars Of 2015

LUKE BRYAN, BLAKE SHELTON, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, LITTLE BIG TOWN and SAM HUNT were crowned “CMT Artists Of The Year” last night (12/2), during a live telecast on – you guessed it – CMT-TV, originating from NASHVILLE’S SCHERMERHORN SYMPHONY CENTER (NET NEWS 11/11). Additionally, KENNY ROGERS was presented with the Artist Of A Lifetime Award. CHRIS STAPLETON was honored with the first-ever Breakout Award, while the cast of ABC-TV’s “NASHVILLE” collectively accepted the inaugural International Impact Award.

In accepting his Lifetime award, ROGERS remembered first hearing RAY CHARLES at the age of 12, and telling his mother that’s what exactly he wanted to do. He then reminded all artists in the audience that somewhere, young people are watching them perform and saying the same thing, advising, “You can change the world.”

During BRYAN’s recognition, he and presenter BLAKE SHELTON traded hilarious quips. SHELTON mocked BRYAN’s line of scented candles, claiming they smelled of vanilla and deer urine. While accepting the trophy,  BRYAN remarked how he never expected to anybody to say “deer urine” on an awards show – which prompted SHELTON to respond, mostly off-mike, “I never expected to hear someone say LUKE BRYAN on an awards show.”

The 90-minute show also featured performances from BRYAN, HUNT and STAPLETON, with a tribute to SHELTON from DARIUS RUCKER, RAELYNN and CASSADEE POPE, and a stirring rendition of LITTLE BIG TOWN’s “Girl Crush” from Pop artists ADAM LAMBERT and LEONA LEWIS.

« see more Net News