Last night, something amazing happened. A big awards show was attended by wealthy and famous celebrities who were able to act normal and sane.
Wednesday’s 56th Annual Country Music Awards were presented by ABC. They were hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, Hall of Fame quarterback.
The show opened with a moving musical tribute to Loretta Lynn, a country legend who died last month. Country stars Carrie Underwood and Reba McEntire sang a variety Lynn’s classics, including “You’re Lookingin’ at Country” (Coal Miner’s Daughter) and “Coal Miner’s Daughter”.
Stars sang legends’ songs with original arrangements and lyrics, rather than trying to “update or “reimagine” old songs.
Luke Bryan, co-host, made it clear what the ceremony was about in his opening.
Bryan: Bryan, I am the CMA Awards co-host. My goal tonight is for everyone to have fun, come together, unite, and to help our country. (Audience cheers.) It was a shameless plug. [Bryan has a song called “Country On.”] To celebrate being Americans.
This goal was met by the show. The winners gave heartfelt, drama-free thanksgiving speeches to God, family and faith. There was no political soapbox.
In his acceptance speech, Jordan Davis, the Song of the Year winner for “Buy Dirt,” exemplified the general tenor of the evening.
Davis: But country radio is for everyone — everybody that has played this song and all the fans. We wrote a song on — we wrote songs about faith and family, and if that’sn’t country music, I don’t know what else is. Luke Bryan, come here bro.
The ceremony briefly honored Createvets, a charity program for military veterans. It was shortlisted because it is rare for awards shows that highlight non-partisan causes that everyone can support.
Singers sang in clothing that covered their private parts. Home viewers didn’t have the need to quickly turn off the screen when a child entered.
It was a wonderful feeling to be back in a more healthy time, with the focus on entertainment rather than lecturing and the retrospective of classic country.
Thanks, CMAs. It was so refreshing not to have to watch obese, half-naked women dance to their favorite songs and then tell the audience how oppressed it is.
