2020 CMA Awards: Maren Morris is the top winner; Luke Combs and Eric Church also win big

November 11, 2020

by Carla Hay

With three prizes, Maren Morris was the biggest winner at the 54th annual CMA Awards, which were presented at Nashville’s Music City Center on November 11, 2020. ABC had the U.S. telecast of the ceremony, which was hosted by Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker. Morris received the awards for Female Vocalist of the Year, while her hit “The Bones” was named Song of the Year and Single of the Year.

Other big winners were Eric Church (who was named Entertainer of the Year) and Luke Combs, who won the prizes for Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year (for “What You See Is What You Get”).

Miranda Lambert, who went into the ceremony with the most nominations (seven) and ended up winning one CMA Award: Music Video of the Year, for “Bluebird.” Other winners of the 2020 CMA Awards included Old Dominion (Vocal Group of the Year); Dan + Shay (Vocal Duo of the Year); ; Morgan Wallen (New Artist of the Year); and Carly Pearce and Lee Brice’s duet “I Hope You’re Happy Now” (Musical Event of the Year). Charley Pride received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

Performers at the ceremony included Jimmie Allen; Ingrid Andress; Kelsea Ballerini; Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth; Brothers Osborne; Eric Church; Luke Combs; Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber; Lambert; Little Big Town; Ashley McBryde; McEntire with Rucker; Maren Morris; Old Dominion; Jon Pardi; Carly Pearce with Charles Kelley; Rucker; Chris Stapleton Keith Urban; and Morgan Wallen. In addition, Thomas Rhett, McEntire and Chris Tomlin teamed up for a performance.

Presenters included Lauren Akins, Lauren Alaina, Dierks Bentley, Bobby Bones, Charles Esten, Sara Evans, Taylor Hill, Jake Owen, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Cece Winans.

The 54th Annual CMA Awards was a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton was the executive producer. Alan Carter was the director, and David Wild was the head writer.  

The following is a complete list of winners and nominees for the 2020 CMA Awards:

*=winner

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Eric Church*
Luke Combs 
Miranda Lambert
Carrie Underwood 
Keith Urban

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Award goes to artist(s), producer(s), and mix engineer

“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber) (Producer: Dan Smyers; Mix Engineer: Jeff Juliano)

“Beer Never Broke My Heart” – Luke Combs (Producer: Scott Moffatt; Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley)

“Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce)

“The Bones” – Maren Morris (Producer: Greg Kurstin; Mix Engineer: Greg Kurstin)*

“I Hope” – Gabby Barrett Producers: Ross Copperman, Zach Kale; Mix Engineer: Buckley Miller)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Award goes to artist and producer(s)

“Heartache Medication” – Jon Pardi (Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi)

“Never Will” – Ashley McBryde (Producers: Jay Joyce, John Peets)

“Old Dominion” – Old Dominion (Producers: Shane McAnally, Old Dominion)

“What You See Is What You Get” – Luke Combs (Producer: Scott Moffatt)*

“Wildcard” – Miranda Lambert (Producer: Jay Joyce)


SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to songwriters

“Bluebird” (Songwriters: Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert)

“The Bones” (Songwriters: Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz)*

“Even Though I’m Leaving” (Songwriters: Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III, Ray Fulcher)

“I Hope You’re Happy Now” (Songwriters: Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Carly Pearce, Jonathan Singleton)

“More Hearts Than Mine” (Songwriters: Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis, Derrick Southerland)


FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde 
Maren Morris*
Kacey Musgraves 
Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Eric Church
Luke Combs*
Thomas Rhett 
Chris Stapleton 
Keith Urban

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Lady A
Little Big Town 
Midland 
Old Dominion*
Rascal Flatts

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn 
Brothers Osborne 
Dan + Shay*
Florida Georgia Line 
Maddie & Tae

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Award goes to artists and producer(s)

“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber (Producer: Dan Smyers)

“Be A Light” – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban (Producer: Dann Huff)

“The Bones” – Maren Morris with Hozier (Producer: Greg Kurstin)

“Fooled Around And Fell In Love” – Miranda Lambert feat. Maren Morris, Elle King, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes & Caylee Hammack (Producer: Jay Joyce)

“I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice (Producer: Busbee)*

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle*
Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar
Rob McNelley, Guitar
Ilya Toshinskiy, Guitar
Derek Wells, Guitar

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Award goes to artist(s) and director

“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber (Director: Patrick Tracy)

“Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert (Director: Trey Fanjoy)*

“Homemade” –Jake Owen (Director: Justin Clough)

“I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice (Director: Sam Siske)

“Second One To Know” – Chris Stapleton (Director: David Coleman)

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Jimmie Allen 
Ingrid Andress 
Gabby Barrett 
Carly Pearce 
Morgan Wallen*

FINALISTS FOR BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (by market size):
National 

“American Country Countdown” (Kix Brooks) – Westwood One
“The Blair Garner Show” (Blair Garner and “Off Eric” Garner) – Westwood One
“CMT After Midnite” (Cody Alan) – Premiere Networks
“Country Countdown USA” (Lon Helton) – Westwood One*
“The Mayor of Music Row” (Charlie Monk) – Sirius XM Satellite Radio

 
Major Market

“Angie Ward” – WUBL, Atlanta, Ga. 
“Chris Carr & Company” (Chris Carr, Kia Becht, and McKaila Granning) – KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.*
“Double-L” (Lois Lewis) – KNIX, Phoenix, Ariz. 
“Fitz in the Morning” (Cory Fitzner) – KNUC, Seattle-Tacoma, Wash. 
“Paul Schadt & Sarah Lee in the Morning with Producer Geof” (Paul Schadt, Sarah Lee and Geof Knight) – WKKT, Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C.-S.C.

 
Large Market

“The Big Dave Show (“Big Dave” Chandler, Chelsie Shinkle, Jason Statt and Ashley Hempfling) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio*
“Jim, Deb & Kevin” (Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt and Kevin Freeman) – WFMS, Indianapolis, Ind. 
“Lexi & Banks” (“Lexi” Elena Abatgis and “Banks” Jared Danielson) – KUBL, Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo, Utah
“Obie & Ashley” (“Obie” Obed Diaz and Ashley Morrison) – WWKA, Orlando, Fla. 
“Ridder, Scott and Shannen” (“Ridder” Shaun Ridderbush, Scott Dolphin, and Shannen Oesterreich) – WMIL, Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.

 
Medium Market

“Brent Michaels” – KUZZ, Bakersfield, Calif. 
“Clay & Company” (Clay Moden, Rob Banks, and Val Townsend) – WYRK, Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.*
“Kenn McCloud” – KUZZ, Bakersfield, Calif. 
“Scott and Sarah in the Morning” (Scott Wynn and Sarah Kay) – WQMX, Akron, Ohio
“Steve & Gina In The Morning” (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.- Iowa


Small Market

“Big Rick In The Morning” (“Big Rick” Daniels) – WGGC, Bowling Green, Ky.
“Bobby & Steve (and Mandi!)” (Bobby Cook, Steve Schwetman and Mandi Turner) – WKYQ, Paducah, Ky. 
“Brent and Candy – The Cat Pak Morning Show” (Brent Lane and Candy Cullerton) – WYCT, Pensacola, Fla. 
“Officer Don & DeAnn” (“Officer Don” Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington-Fayette, Ky.*
“Steve And Jessica Mornings” (Steve Waters and Jessica Cash) – WFLS, Fredericksburg, Va.

FINALISTS FOR RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (by market size):

Major Market

KNUC – Seattle-Tacoma, Wash.
KSCS – Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas*
KYGO – Denver-Boulder, Colo. 
WXTU – Philadelphia, Pa. 
WYCD – Detroit, Mich. 

Large Market

KNCI – Sacramento, Calif.*
KUBL – Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo, Utah
WMIL – Milwaukee-Racine, Wis. 
WUBE – Cincinnati, Ohio
WWKA – Orlando, Fla. 

Medium Market

KATM – Modesto, Calif. 
WHKO – Dayton, Ohio 
WQMX – Akron, Ohio
WUSY – Chattanooga, Tenn.*
WXCY – Wilmington, Del.

Small Market

KKNU – Eugene-Springfield, Ore.
WBYT – South Bend, Ind.
WKXC – Augusta, Ga.*
WXBQ – Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn.-Va.
WXFL – Florence-Muscle Shoals, Ala.

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