FIRST PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED FOR “THE 47^th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS” AIRING WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6 ON THE

 ABC TELEVISION NETWORK

Miranda Lambert is one of many country superstars performing on the CMA Awards show.

NASHVILLE – “Country Music’s Biggest Night™” is bringing together the biggest names in Country Music with today’s announcement of performers for “The 47^th Annual CMA Awards.”

Three-time nominee this year Jason Aldean, three-time nominee this year Luke Bryan, reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert, reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town, former CMA Entertainer of the Year Tim McGraw, reigning CMA Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year Blake Shelton, two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year Taylor Swift, and former CMA Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban are all scheduled to perform.

Hosted for the sixth consecutive year by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, “The 47^th Annual CMA Awards” will air live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 6 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Aldean is nominated this year for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year, as well as Musical Event of the Year for “The Only Way I Know” with Bryan and Eric Church. Aldean is a two-time CMA Award winner with 13 career CMA Awards nominations.

Nominated this year for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year, and Musical Event of the Year for “The Only Way I Know” with Aldean and Church, Bryan has seven career CMA Awards nominations. He was first nominated in 2010 for New Artist of the Year and has been a presence at the CMA Awards every year since. This marks his first nomination for the night’s highest honor, CMA Entertainer of the Year.

Lambert is among this year’s top nominees, with three individual nominations (Female Vocalist of the Year, and Single and Music Video of the Year for “Mama’s Broken Heart”) and two with Pistol Annies (Music Video and Musical Event of the Year for “Boys ‘Round Here” with Shelton). Lambert is a six-time CMA winner with 25 career CMA Awards nominations.

Reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town is nominated in that category again, as well as for Album of the Year for Tornado, and Music Video of the Year for the album’s title track. In addition to their win last year for Vocal Group of the Year, their song “Pontoon” was named Single of the Year.
One of the top CMA Award winners of all time, McGraw has won 12 trophies throughout his career, including two for Male Vocalist of the Year and one for Entertainer of the Year. He is a three-time nominee this year, with nods for Single, Musical Event, and Music Video of the Year for “Highway Don’t Care” with Swift and Urban. He has 33 career CMA Awards nominations.
Shelton finds himself tied with Lambert this year with five nominations, including Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for Based On A True Story, and Musical Event and Music Video of the Year for “Boys ‘Round Here” with Pistol Annies. Shelton has taken home the Male Vocalist of the Year trophy for the past three years (2010-2012), and is a six-time CMA Award winner.
Swift, a seven-time CMA Award winner, is a top nominee this year with six nominations, including Entertainer and Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for RED, and Single, Musical Event, and Music Video of the Year for “Highway Don’t Care” with McGraw and Urban, bringing her total career CMA Awards nominations to 21.
Male Vocalist of the Year nominee Urban is also nominated for Single, Musical Event, and Music Video of the Year for “Highway Don’t Care” with McGraw and Swift. Urban has been named Male Vocalist of the Year three times (2004-2006) and is a six-time CMA Award winner with 29 career CMA Awards nominations.
Winners of “The 47^th Annual CMA Awards” will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting members of the Country Music Association. CMA Awards balloting is officiated by the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP. The third and final ballot will be emailed to CMA members Thursday. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends Monday, Oct. 28 (5:00 PM/CT).

The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by more than 7,000 industry professional members of CMA, which was formed in 1958 as the first trade organization to promote an individual genre of music. The first “CMA Awards Banquet and Show” was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast for the first time – making it the longest-running, annual music awards program on network television. The CMA Awards moved to ABC in 2006, where it will remain through 2021.

A limited number of tickets for “The 47^th Annual CMA Awards” are still available. Follow CMA on Facebook (Facebook.com/CMA) and Twitter (@CountryMusic) to be the first to learn when additional tickets may be released. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster outlets; by calling (800) 745-3000; or at the Bridgestone Arena Box Office, located at 501 Broadway (corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, Nashville). Ticket prices for the CMA Awards start at $110 for Upper Level seating. Ticket prices include tax, but exclude applicable service fees. The CMA Awards have sold out in advance the past four years.

Official merchandise for “The 47^th Annual CMA Awards” is available now at CMAawards.com.

“The 47^th Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.