During The 45th Annual CMA Awards, reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley and former CMA Entertainers of the Year Vince Gill and Keith Urban will pay tribute to Country Music Hall of Fame member and former CMA Entertainer of the Year Glen Campbell. Show organizers expect the salutatory performance to be a highlight of Country Music’s Biggest Night.
Campbell was named both CMA Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year in 1968, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. As a musician, Campbell was part of the Wrecking Crew, who performed on a variety of artists’ albums. His guitar prowess is featured on the Beach Boys’ seminal album Pet Sounds and on Frank Sinatra’s megahit “Strangers in the Night,” among others. He acted alongside John Wayne in the movie True Grit and hosted The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on television from 1968-1972. Earlier this year, Campbell announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He is in the midst of his successful Goodbye Tour after releasing his final album, Ghost on the Canvas.
The 45th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Paisley and Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wed., Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network. Previously announced performers include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Thompson Square, Keith Urban, Chris Young and Zac Brown Band. Plus Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter will sing their hit collaboration “You and Tequila;” Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield will sing their current duet “Easy;” Lionel Richie will perform a medley of hits with Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts and Darius Rucker; and co-hosts Paisley and Underwood will have their first live televised-performance of their No. 1 song “Remind Me.”
