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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 17 OcTOber 2017
CMT changes award show format after Vegas shooting

By KRISTIN M. HALL
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) —
CMT is forgoing formal
award presentations dur-
ing this year’s Artists of the
Year show and devoting
the entire live show to “a
night of hope and heal-
ing through the power of
music” following a mass
shooting at a country mu-
sic festival in Las Vegas. The
cable network said Thurs-
day the new format for the
Oct. 18 show will focus on
the fans, as well as those af-
fected by recent devastat- This combination photo shows CMT Artists of the Year honorees, Chris Stapleton, from left, Jason Aldean, Kieth Urban and Luke Bryan.
ing hurricanes and wildfires. Associated Press
The show will air live from ducer, told The Associated the headliner at the Route by Andra Day along with it occurred. But he said
Nashville’s Schermerhorn Press. Each of the show’s 91 Harvest Festival on Oct. Grammy winners Little Big that he believes that music
Symphony Center at 8 p.m. honorees, which include 1 when a gunman opened Town. Day and Common has the capacity to heal in
Eastern. “It doesn’t feel Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, fire on fans, will have an op- will perform their collabo- times of national tragedy.
right to be patting ourselves Florida Georgia Line, Chris portunity to give a message ration “Stand Up for Some- “The right song in the right
on the back that night like Stapleton and Keith Urban, to fans. The show will also thing” with Little Big Town moment, even in your dark-
we would normally do, agreed with the changes, direct fans to the CMT One and Lee Ann Womack. est hour when you’re alone
but instead turn the focus Comeaux said. Country website, which has Stapleton said the shooting or feeling alone, can let
a little bit toward the fans Musicians will participate in resources for volunteer op- that killed 58 people and you know that somebody
and thank them for what public service announce- portunities, charities and left nearly 500 injured was else has been in that dark-
they’ve done for the art- ments throughout the night relief organizations. the “worst news to wake est hour or has felt the way
ists,” Margaret Comeaux, and all the honorees, in- The show will begin with a up to” and that he has felt that you do,” Stapleton
the show’s executive pro- cluding Aldean, who was performance of “Rise Up” both fear and sorrow since said.q