Maren Morris Delivers Dreamy Performance of ‘The Bones’ at CMA Awards

"When the bones are good, the rest don't matter..."

Maren Morris Delivers Dreamy Performance of ‘The Bones’ at CMA Awards
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 11: Maren Morris performs onstage during the The 54th Annual CMA Awards at Nashville’s Music City Center on Wednesday, November 11, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for CMA)

Maren Morris took to the CMA Awards stage on Wednesday, November 11 to provide an ethereal performance of her hit song, “The Bones.” Morris put a new twist on the beginning of the song, as it began with a cello intro as opposed to the electric guitar intro of the recorded version. Morris sang a couple of lines from the chorus slowed down as the cello backed her up.

The singer then jumped into the song, which slowly built from the muted version to the full-fledged version heard on the original performance. Morris’ apparel added to the dreamy aspect of the performance, as she was dressed in a long, sparkly, beaded gown. Behind her, a graphic of pillars, the moon and stars eventually changed to a cathedral ceiling with a waterfall in the middle. Morris continued singing the song as she walked around the stage, ending it by belting out the last chorus.

Morris co-wrote “The Bones” with Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz after the three discussed how strong they felt in the foundations of their own relationships.

“Laura brought the title ‘The Bones’ and she’s always so good at bringing stuff like that to the table. And, it’s always like a weird title and that’s why she and I get along so well is I’m willing to get weird. And-but she also knows how to make it so sentimental and real life. We just started taking about how gracious we were with our relationships at the time. And, I was really feeling so solidified in my relationship with my then fiancé and now husband. She was feeling so amazing with her marriage and her children. Jimmy just found out that his wife was pregnant. It was like we all were super solid with our partners and so writing this song about like the bones of a house, you know even if a hurricane comes, a storm, if the wolves come the structure of the house is still standing. The foundation is still there. So you could rip it down to the studs and the foundation of this relationship isn’t going anywhere.”

“The Bones” has been a smash hit for Morris, cruising up the country radio charts. The song marked the first time a female artist has had a multi-week Number One since 2012.

“Breaking that record meant a lot, not just for me, but my co-writers, my friends, people that have moved to Nashville to make this dream happen for themselves, seeing progress like that being made is hopeful for them to do it some day too and it not be another eight year streak that needs to be broken,” shared the Texas native.

In addition to performing, Morris took home the awards for Single of the Year and Song of the Year for “The Bones,” as well as Female Vocalist of the Year. Co-hosted by Darius Rucker and Reba McEntire, the 54th Annual CMA Awards aired live on ABC from Nashville’s Music City Center on November 11.