Performers Announced for ‘CMA Country Christmas’

This show is going to be unlike any CMA Country Christmas before!

Performers Announced for ‘CMA Country Christmas’
Lady Antebellum performs “On A Night Like This and Silent Night” at the 2019 “CMA Country Christmas” special filmed at Belmont’s Curb Center in Nashville, Tennessee; Photo courtesy of CMA

It’s officially time to gear up for the holidays because the air date and lineup for this year’s CMA Country Christmas has been announced. The fan-favorite holiday show will air on ABC on November 30 and will be hosted by one of country’s favorite couples, Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins.

The show will feature performances from Rhett, Lady A, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Gabby Barrett, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Kelsea Ballerini, and Darius Rucker with Lindsey Stirling. Although the show will not feature a live audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lady A say fans can still expect a high-spirited show.

“The show’s going to be a little bit different this year — obviously, not having a live audience and all of the precautions everyone’s taking to just make sure we’re all safe — but it will be a really incredible show,” the group’s Hillary Scott told a group of reporters, including Sounds Like Nashville. “Then having Thomas Rhett and Lauren hosting, it’s going to have a family vibe. I feel like the holidays are always so much about family and having the two of them hosting the night will just be really special.”

The show will mark Barrett’s first time on the yearly-special, a moment she’s waited for a long time. “I’ve watched [the show] the past couple of years and so to now be the person, flip-flopped, going to be performing on the television is really exciting,” she shared. 

“The idea for this year’s show was to do a throwback of the great Christmas specials of the 1960s and 1970s,” shared Robert Deaton, “CMA Country Christmas” Executive Producer, in a press release. “Andy Williams, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra all had classic Christmas specials where the viewer was invited into the homes of the host to celebrate the holiday like a best friend coming to visit. That was what we wanted to create for this year’s show. Instead of a big flashy production, we took a page from those iconic specials to say, ‘Come relax, and let’s celebrate the holidays together.’” 

Tune into ABC on November 30th at 9/8c to watch CMA Country Christmas.