Keith Urban Leads Inital Lineup of 13th Annual ACM Honors

Chris Janson, Barbara Mandrell, Trisha Yearwood and more will also take the stage.

Written by Chris Parton
Keith Urban Leads Inital Lineup of 13th Annual ACM Honors
Keith Urban performs at Nissan Stadium on Sunday, June 9 during the 2019 CMA Music Festival in downtown Nashville. Photo courtesy of CMA

A star-studded list of talent has been revealed as the first round of performers at the 13th annual ACM Honors, with some of country’s biggest names helping celebrate a special group of ACM Awards winners and honorees.

Meant to pay tribute to those who were honored at the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards in April, but weren’t included on the TV broadcast due to time constraints, the ceremony will be highlighted by this year’s ACM Entertainer of the Year, Keith Urban. He’ll be joined by a bill which also includes Chris Janson, Maddie & Tae and Barbara Mandrell, plus Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes and Trisha Yearwood.

The glitzy event will be held August 21 at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium — commonly known as the Mother Church of Country Music — and more performers are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets are available to the public now.

Apart from the exciting performances, the 13th annual ACM Honors will also shine a light on superstars like Brooks & Dunn and Martina McBride, who will be given the ACM Cliffe Stone Icon Award for their efforts in “advancing the popularity of the genre.” Likewise, Miranda Lambert will accept the ACM Gene Weed Milestone Award for “outstanding achievement in the field of country music in the preceding year;” Kacey Musgraves will receive the ACM Jim Reeves International Award for her success in helping spread country music around the world; Rodney Crowell, Kye Fleming and Billy Joe Shaver will receive the ACM Poet’s Award for “longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions;” and A Star Is Born will be recognized with the ACM Tex Ritter Film Award for raising country’s profile on the big screen. The evening will also honor winners of the Industry and Studio Recording Awards, along with Songwriter of the Year Award winner, Shane McAnally.