The meaning of ‘country strong’ is more important and rings truer than ever. The country music industry’s strength will be celebrated on ABC’s Pre-CMA special.
Country Strong 2020: Countdown to the CMA Awards
ABC’s Country Strong 2020: Countdown to the CMA Awards is set to air Tuesday, Nov. 10 beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET. The annual hour-long special will take place the night before the CMA Awards.
Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker, the hosts of the CMA Awards, will make an appearance during the Country Strong special.
Darius will be moderating a roundtable conversation with rising stars Ashley McBryde, Jimmie Allen and Charlie Worsham.
Country music artists Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Kelsea Ballerini, Mickey Guyton, Lionel Richie and many more will also be appearing at the Pre-CMA Awards special. Robin Roberts will be hosting the event once again.
The meaning of ‘Country Strong’
America and the rest of the world’s been turned upside down by COVID-19. However, the title of the 2020 Pre-CMA awards, ‘Country Strong’, shines a light in the darkness while demonstrating the perseverance of the country music industry and its artists.
“We’re trying to keep it upbeat and light. We as a country, we as a nation, we as a world, we need entertainment,” said McEntire in an interview with the Associated Press. “I think people sitting at home in front of their TV screens or their computers, I think they want to see what we can deliver.”
Leading up to the 2020 CMA Awards
Rucker and Reba will be providing insight into what viewers can expect from the 2020 CMA Awards ceremony.
He says they will be addressing the pandemic and the struggles many people have experienced this year, but he said the focus will be on the music.
“They want to hear music, and see the stars,” says Rucker regarding the 2020 CMA Awards. “They want to see collaborations they haven’t seen before.”
The CMA Awards will air live the following night from the Music City Center in Nashville at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
