Time Life in conjunction with the Country Music Association (CMA) will release CMA Awards Live: Greatest Moments 1968-2015, an extensive 10-DVD set of many of country’s musical moments that have made history over the years. Time Life will begin taking pre-orders Wednesday, Oct. 11, with a 30-minute infomercial promoting the package airing throughout the fourth quarter of 2017. CMA Awards Live will be officially released to retail early next year.
The set includes 127 performances from five decades of the nationally-televised ceremony, with performances from many of the premier artists in the genre – Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, Barbara Mandrell, Buck Owens and Kenny Rogers. Outside of their original airings, these performances have never been commercially available.
Besides the performances, the set also includes bonus features and interviews with artists who have performed – and won – on the telecast over the years, including Naomi Judd and Charley Pride, as well as the last interview with the longest-serving CMA Executive Director, Jo Walker Meador, and CMA’s current Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. Other moments include:
• Merle Haggard’s performance of the iconic “Okie From Muskogee,” the Single of the Year from 1970 – the same night that he was named CMA Entertainer of the Year.
• Dolly Parton and Kenny Roger’s performance of “Islands In The Stream,” which opened up the 1983 telecast – the same year that the song topped the country and pop charts throughout the world.
• Alan Jackson’s 2001 world premiere performance of “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)” which captivated America following the tragic 9/11 attacks.
• CMA Entertainer of the Year winners Brooks and Dunn (1996) and Reba McEntire (1986) performing a passionate version of “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” in 2008.
• Alan Jackson and George Strait’s tender tribute to George Jones following his passing in 2013 with a soaring version of “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” a CMA Single and Song of the Year winner from 1980.
And, speaking of collaborations, there are plenty in the collection, like once-in-a-lifetime pairings of artists Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette, from 1993 performing “Silver Threads and Golden Needles,” and an performance from Miranda Lambert, Loretta Lynn, and Sheryl Crow of Lynn’s signature “Coal Miners’ Daughter” from 2010.
About the Author
Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
