From honorees and awards to performers and presenters, here’s everything a country music fan needs to know about CMT’s Artists of the Year television special.
Date: Oct. 17
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Television Station: CMT
Honorees: CarrieUnderwood, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott
Artist of a Lifetime Award: Loretta Lynn, presented by Sissy Spacek
Performers: Carrie Underwood with Maddie & Tae and Runaway June; The Pistol Annies; Kelsea Ballerini with Alison Krauss; Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman with Gladys Knight; Hillary Scott with Tori Kelly and Kirk Franklin; Maren Morris with Brandi Carlile; Dierks Bentley and Martina McBride with Sheryl Crow
Presenters: Keith Urban, Smokey Robinson, Elle King, Little Big Town’s Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet, Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, Trisha Yearwood and Sheryl Crow
photos by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com