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Luke Bryan Opens Up About Hosting CMA Awards With Peyton Manning

Country superstar Luke Bryan didn’t hesitate to pair up with Peyton Manning as co-hosts of the CMA Awards.

The annual awards show is in November. And it’ll be the second time Bryan, an American Idol judge plays host. And it’s the first time for Manning, the NFL Hall of Fame quarterback. The way Luke Bryan figures it, he and Manning are both funny humans. And that should translate well on stage. It’s also not the first time they’ve worked together. So it’s a win-win.

“Peyton is just a ginormous figure and a ginormous star,” Luke Bryan told Fox News Digital. “Through the years we’ve become pretty good friends and worked on some stuff together. It’s going to be fun to share the stage with him and see him get a little nervous out there running to helping me run the CMA Awards.”

Luke Bryan was super busy at last year’s CMA Awards. He hosted the show and performed a song. Plus, he also did a bit with his fellow American Idol judges. (Terry Wyatt/Getty Images)

Peyton Manning Can Do Comedy. Check Out His SNL Performaces

Bryan mentioned Saturday Night Live as part of Manning’s comedy bonafides. Manning hosted the long-running comedy show back in 2007. And he also made an appearance earlier this year, sitting at the Weekend Update desk. Everyone thought he’d be doing a bit on the NFL playoffs. Nope. Manning riffed on the new season of Emily in Paris. And he sold it, despite never having seen the Netflix series.

“We both don’t take ourselves too seriously,” Luke Bryan said. “And he’s obviously been in front of the TV. He’s just always done really well in front of the camera, and he’s a longtime fan of country music. I think us being on stage will be able to, you know, have a lot of fun with the crowd and just make it a really special night.”

Luke Bryan isn’t exaggerating about Manning’s comedy chops. Check out this clip from SNL:

Luke Bryan Started His Farm Tour This Week

So what will Luke Bryan, the country star, and Peyton Manning, the retired quarterback, banter about as they host the awards show?

“I mean, we’re going we’re going to see what big topics are happening,” he said. “You know, going into that week. And we’ll have some fun with some people.”

The show is set for Nov. 9. ABC will broadcast the show, which honors the best of country music.

Meanwhile, Luke Bryan is keeping up his frenetic work pace. Earlier this week, he kicked off his annual Farm Tour. He and his road crew travel to farms throughout the Midwest. The crew sets up a stage on farm property. And then Bryan entertains. It’s a project close to his heart. After all, Bryan comes from a family of farmers. And he owns one outside Nashville where he grows soybeans and field corn. In his latest single, Bryan sings about farmers in “Country On.”

“We go out and find these various farming families and farm sites,” Luke Bryan explained about his tour. “And we put all of our staging and our semi-trucks, and we put it out there on the stage, and we’re literally on a working farm. Fans come in, you know, 20,000 fans, American flags, nothing feels more American than being out there playing country music on the farm.”