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Widely hailed as "Country Music's Biggest Night," the CMA Awards recognize outstanding achievement in Country Music for artists, musicians, producers, publishers, songwriters, video directors and industry executives. CMA Award winners are chosen by their peers, through a vote by CMA members who are professionals in the Country Music industry. The televised ceremony is a gala event, anticipated by Country Music professionals and fans all year long!
1967
- The first "CMA Awards Banquet and Show" was not a televised event.
- Sonny James and Bobbie Gentry hosted the inaugural gala.
- Eddy Arnold named Entertainer of the Year.
1968
- Roy Rogers and Dale Evans hosted from the Ryman Auditorium.
- Awards went to Bobby Russell for "Honey" and Jeannie C. Riley for "Harper Valley PTA."
- Glen Campbell named Entertainer of the Year.
1969
- First live broadcast of the CMA Awards.
- Johnny Cash won five awards (Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single ("Boy Named Sue"), Album and Vocal Group of the Year (with June Carter)--a record that stood until 1993, when Vince Gill also took home five CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year.
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1970
- Merle Haggard nominated for nine awards--the most ever--and won four, including Entertainer of the Year.
- Vocal Duo of the Year Award presented for the first time to Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton.
- Comedian of the Year Award given for the last time to Roy Clark.
- Burl Ives inducted Bill Monroe and The Carter Family into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
1971
- Charley Pride won both Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year Awards.
1972
- CBS-TV began telecasting the CMA Awards--an association which continues to this day.
- Loretta Lynn became the first female to be named Entertainer of the Year.
1973
- Charlie Rich won Awards for Male Vocalist, Single and Album of the Year for "Behind Closed Doors." The song, written by Kenny O'Dell, won Song of the Year honors.
- Tanya Tucker made her first appearance on a CMA Awards special.
1974
- Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn won the third of their four Vocal Duo of the Year Awards.
1975
- Entertainer of the Year John Denver accepted his Award via satellite from Australia.
1976
- The Year of "The Outlaws" was marked by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings winning three awards: Single for "Good Hearted Woman," Vocal Duo and Album of the Year for Wanted--The Outlaws with Tompall Glaser and Jessi Colter.
1977
- Ronnie Milsap captured three Awards: Entertainer, Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Ronnie Milsap Live.
- Kenny Rogers performed "Lucille," his CMA Award-winning (Single of the Year) classic.
1978
- The CMA Awards simulcast on radio for the first time.
- Dolly Parton named Entertainer of the Year.
- Crystal Gayle and Don Williams took home respective Female and Male Vocalist honors.
1979
- Kenny Rogers hosted the broadcast and took home the Male Vocalist Award. His album, The Gambler, was named Album of the Year.
- Charlie Daniels won three Awards: Instrumental Group for the Charlie Daniels Band, Instrumentalist and Single of the Year for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."
- Willie Nelson named Entertainer of the Year.
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1980
- Barbara Mandrell and Mac Davis began a three-year run as hosts.
- Barbara Mandrell named Entertainer of the Year.
- Burt Reynolds joined Jerry Reed in announcing the Male Vocalist Award.
1981
- The Horizon Award was presented for the first time, with Terri Gibbs taking the honor.
- Barbara Mandrell became the first performer to repeat as Entertainer of the Year.
- Alabama made the group's first appearance on the CMA Awards.
- Willie Nelson's "Always On My Mind" captured Single, Song and Album of the Year.
1982
- Alabama became the first group to win Entertainer of the Year.
- Single, Song and Album of the Year trophies were captured for the second straight year by Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind."
1983
- Kris Kristofferson honored by his friends with a medley of his self-penned songs.
- Two duet performances took place that still stand as memorable CMA Awards highlights: Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton singing "Islands in the Stream," and Willie Nelson joined by Julio Iglesias to perform "To All the Girls I've Loved Before."
- The Irving Waugh Award of Excellence was presented for the first time to the man for whom it is named. Waugh served as executive producer of the CMA Awards for more than 25 years.
1984
- Alabama named Entertainer of the Year an unprecedented third time.
- Lionel Richie was a surprise duet partner with Kenny Rogers on "Lady."
- Ray Charles, who was nominated for the Horizon Award, performed a medley from his Friendship album.
1985
- Anne Murray and Kris Kristofferson hosted "The 19th Annual CMA Awards" gala.
- The Video of the Year Award presented for the first time to Hank Williams Jr. for "All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin' Over Tonight."
- Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Ray Price and Juice Newton paid tribute to songwriter Willie Nelson.
- New traditionalist Ricky Skaggs won Entertainer of the Year.
1986
- Hosted by Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.
- Amy Grant joined Ricky Skaggs for "Walking in Jerusalem."
- Alabama and Lionel Richie joined forces on "Deep River Woman."
- Anita Pointer and Earl Thomas Conley reprised their "Too Many Times."
- The Trio (Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris) performed.
- Songwriters Don Schlitz and Paul Overstreet earned Song of the Year honors for Randy Travis' "On the Other Hand."
1987
- Kenny Rogers hosted.
- Don Schlitz and Paul Overstreet repeated as winners of Song of the Year for the Randy Travis classic, "Forever and Ever, Amen."
- The CMA Awards first broadcast in Canada.
- Hank Williams Jr.'s anthem "Young Country" spotlighted emerging talents Lyle Lovett, Nancy Griffith, K.T. Oslin and others.
- Williams won his first of two consecutive Entertainer of the Year Awards.
- Reba McEntire won an unprecedented fourth consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year Award.
1988
- Dolly Parton hosted the gala for the first time.
- Vocal Event of the Year Award introduced for the first time to recognize the collaboration of two or more individual acts. It was presented to The Trio (Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris). k.d. Lang was joined by Kitty Wells, Brenda Lee and Loretta Lynn to reprise their "Honky Tonk Angels."
- K.T. Oslin ended Reba's four-year reign as Female Vocalist of the Year. Her self-penned anthem, "80's Ladies," also won Song of the Year.
1989
- Anne Murray and Kenny Rogers hosted the gala event.
- Dolly Parton electrified the audience with "He's Alive," backed by a 100-voice choir.
- Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. II captured Album of the Year honors, and many of the participants, including Roy Acuff and John Hiatt, joined The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in the performance.
- George Strait won the first of two consecutive Entertainer of the Year Awards.
- Hank Thompson inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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1990
- Reba McEntire and Randy Travis hosted the CMA Awards.
- A then-unknown Mary Chapin Carpenter received a standing ovation for her tongue-in-cheek performance of "Opening Act."
- Roy Rogers joined Randy Travis, George Jones and Tammy Wynette for "Heroes."
- A tearful Tennessee Ernie Ford was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- Garth Brooks won the Horizon Award, foreshadowing the start of one of the most successful solo artist careers in music history.
1991
- President and Mrs. George Bush attend the telecast.
- The telecast won the night in ratings and was the second highest-rated special of the 1991-1992 television season.
1992
- Reba McEntire and Vince Gill hosted the CMA Awards, which again placed first in the ratings.
- Don Henley was a surprise addition to Trisha Yearwood's performance of "Walkaway Joe."
- George Jones and BMI's Frances Preston inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
1993
- Vince Gill and Clint Black hosted "The 27th Annual CMA Awards." Gill took home five awards, including Entertainer of the Year.
- Liza Minnelli led a standing ovation for Reba's performance with Linda Davis of "Does He Love You."
- Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette performed "Silver Threads and Golden Needles."
- Willie Nelson became the 54th inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
1994
- Two collaborative efforts, "Rhythm,Country, and Blues" and "Common Thread: Songs of the Eagles" were featured in nominations and performances.
- Little Richard honors Mary Chapin Carpenter's request to "Shut Up and Kiss Me." He also performed with Tanya Tucker.
- Lyle Lovett and his then wife, Julia Roberts, attended. Lovett performed with Asleep At The Wheel.
- Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Merle Haggard was saluted with a star-studded performance of "Working Man Blues."
- The CMA Awards was the highest-rated entertainment special on CBS, ranking seventh out of 107 entertainment specials overall.
1995
- First-time CMA Award nominee Alison Krauss won all four Awards for which she was nominated, including the Horizon Award and Female Vocalist of the Year.
- Vince Gill, who hosted the live telecast from the Grand Ole Opry House, took home a record fifth consecutive Male Vocalist of the Year Award. With 15 CMA Awards to his credit, the MCA singer retained his title as the leading CMA Award winner of all time, an accomplishment that continues into 2001.
- The late Roger Miller and former CMA Executive Director Jo Walker-Meador inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
1996
- Brooks & Dunn become the first duo in history to win Entertainer of the Year.
- George Strait won Male Vocalist of the Year, an honor he last received 10 years prior. He also took home awards for Album and Single of the Year.
- Patsy Montana, Buck Owens and Ray Price inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- Once again hosted by Vince Gill, the broadcast was opened by newcomer LeAnn Rimes with her hit "Blue," and Wynonna was joined on stage by pop star Michael Bolton for a duet.
1997
- "The 31st Annual CMA Awards" marked the sixth consecutive time that Vince Gill charmed the audience as host.
- Harlan Howard, Brenda Lee and Cindy Walker inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- Shania Twain made her first public performance with her new single "Love Gets Me Everytime." Clint Black and Martina McBride came together for their first televised performance of "Still Holdin' On" and rock star Sting and Toby Keith teamed up for the Sting self-penned "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying."
1998
- George Morgan, Elvis Presley, E.W. "Bud" Wendell and Tammy Wynette became the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- The Dixie Chicks not only made their debut performance on the broadcast, but also took home their first two CMA Awards--Horizon and Vocal Group of the Year--making history as the first all female group to win the Vocal Group category. Reba McEntire gave her first television performance of "Forever Love."
1999
- Johnny Bond, Dolly Parton and Conway Twitty became the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- For the eighth consecutive year, Vince Gill hosted the broadcast, which featured more than 40 Country luminaries from a broad spectrum of the industry, including Alabama teaming up with pop sensation 'N Sync for Alabama's hit "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You," and multi-platinum pop artist Jewel singing with Hall of Famer Merle Haggard on his classic "That's The Way Love Goes."
- Shania Twain took home the evening's highest honor, winning Entertainer of the Year. It marked the first time in 13 years a female artist won in that category. She also was honored with the CMA International Artist Achievement Award. The Award recognizes outstanding achievement by an artist who contributes to the awareness and development of Country Music outside North America.
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2000
- For the ninth consecutive year, Vince Gill hosted the show, which featured Lance Bass of 'N Sync appearing on stage with Sara Evans to present Tim McGraw with his second Male Vocalist of the Year Award, Montgomery Gentry performing alongside Charlie Daniels, and Brad Paisley winning the Horizon award.
- Montgomery Gentry ended Brooks & Dunn's eight-year, win streak when they won Vocal Duo of the Year.
- Charley Pride and Faron Young became the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- The Dixie Chicks took home the Entertainer of the Year award as well as awards for Music Video, Vocal Group of the Year and Album of the Year.
2001
- The soundtrack to the hit movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? was the big winner of the night, taking home Album of the Year as well as Single of the Year for "I am A Man of Constant Sorrow."
- Vince Gill returned to host for the tenth consecutive year. The show featured superstar Garth Brooks performing alongside Country legend George Jones, Willie Nelson singing with Sheryl Crow and twelve new inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame, including Waylon Jennings, the Everly Brothers and Bill Anderson.
- Patriotism and tribute were the prominent themes of the evening. Brooks & Dunn opened the show with "Only In America," Diamond Rio paid tribute to the heroes of September 11 with their song, "One More Day" and Alan Jackson performed "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" for the first time. A chorus of Country Music's brightest stars closed out the show with "America the Beautiful."
- Tim McGraw was named Entertainer of the Year, Toby Keith won the Male Vocalist of the Year award, Lee Ann Womack won Female Vocalist of the Year, and the Horizon Award went to Keith Urban. All were first time winners in their respective categories.
2002
- "The 36th Annual CMA Awards" continued its ratings win in its November sweeps time slot. An estimated 38 million viewers tuned in for all or part of the broadcast, which featured a record 26 musical performances. Vince Gill hosted for an unprecedented 11th year.
- Shania Twain opened the show, launching a motorcycle onto the Opry stage on for her single "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!" The performance marked Twain's first television performance in three years. Backed by the Christ Church Choir of Nashville, Dolly Parton turned in a show-stopping performance of "Hello God." Faith Hill received a standing ovation for "When The Lights Go Down." Toby Keith brought the house down with the rambunctious "Who's Your Daddy." Travis Tritt paid tribute to the late Waylon Jennings with "You Can't Count Me Out Yet."
- Alan Jackson made history when he was nominated for 10 Awards, breaking Merle Haggard's 1970 record of nine. Jackson also became one of three artists to win five Awards in a single night when he won Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album of the Year for Drive; and Single and Song of the Year for "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)."
- Martina McBride won her second Female Vocalist trophy, the Dixie Chicks reclaimed the Vocal Group Award and Rascal Flatts won the Horizon Award.
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