Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney Win Pre-Show CMA Awards
Congrats to the night's first winners!
Winners in a pair of pre-show categories for tonight’s (November 10) 55th Annual CMA Awards have been revealed, and it’s the duo of Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney prevailing in both.
Announcing the 2021 ceremony’s first round of honorees on ABC’s Good Morning America, Ballerini’s “half of my hometown” featuring Chesney won for both Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year, marking her first ever CMA wins.
Written by Ballerini with Ross Copperman, Nicole Galyon, Shane McAnally and Jimmy Robbins, “half of my hometown” was also produced by Ballerini, Copperman and Robbins, who all score the Musical Event trophies. Its video, which portrays what Ballerini’s life might have been like if she had stayed in her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee, was directed by Patrick Tracy.
Ballerini and Chesney got the news live on GMA as it took over Nashville’s Bridgestone Plaza, just outside the arena which will host tonight’s CMA Awards, with Old Dominion there to perform “Hotel Key” and their latest release, “All I Know About Girls.”
Later on, first-time CMA Awards host Luke Bryan gave viewers a preview of what’s to come, and the GMA crew also chatted with just-departed Dancing With the Stars contestant Jimmie Allen, who will also perform at the glitzy ceremony.
Featuring performances from some of country music’s biggest stars, the 55th Annual CMA Awards will air live tonight (November 10) from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on ABC, starting at 8/7c. Here’s a complete list of the night’s nominees.
