Page 12 - 2017 Official CMA Program

Dear Friends,
On behalf of the State of Tennessee, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Nashville, home to
the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame, for “The
51st Annual CMA Awards.” We are certainly proud to host the longest running annual music
awards program on network television here in the Music City.
WELCOME
This year, we pause before the celebration to remember and honor the victims of last month’s senseless attack
in Las Vegas. This tragedy has touched the entire country, especially the country music community and the
many fans, musicians and their crews attending or performing at the event. Through music, the CMA and its
members have lifted the human spirit, and provided hope and inspiration to countless listeners around the
world in these trying times.
Here in the Volunteer State, the CMA Foundation continues to make a difference by promoting music
education and the positive effects it has on students’ general reading skills and verbal intelligence. The CMA’s
efforts are very much appreciated and I thank the association for its dedication to this cause.

Crissy and I offer our congratulations to the artists and industry professionals being honored tonight and send
our very best wishes to all of the fans who have gathered to celebrate “Country Music’s Biggest Night.”

Warmest regards,

Bill Haslam, Governor of Tennessee

Dear Fans,

Welcome to Nashville for the 51st CMA Awards, country music’s biggest night. I know this year has been unlike
any other for country music fans in light of what happened at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas early
last month. As Keith Urban and others have said, country’s musicians and fans are a family, and that family
recently suffered some big losses as so many innocent lives were senselessly taken or forever changed.

While we continue to pray for the victims and their families, I hope tonight also can be a chance for the country
music family to come together to celebrate everything that’s good and joyful about the music and the people
who play it. And I want you to know that the men and women of the Metro Nashville Police Department, along
with other law enforcement agencies, will be working as hard as they always do to ensure your safety while
you’ re here.

Whether you live here, you visit often or you’re seeing Music City for the first time, we’re pleased that you’re
here and hope you’ll enjoy your time in Nashville. Underlying our city’s many changes, which you ‘ ll see all
around Bridgestone Arena, are Nashville’s core values. This is a diverse, warm and welcoming city where
friendliness and hospitality are the norm and where we work every day to give our residents and visitors great
culture, beautiful parks and much more.
Thank you for being here, and thank you for being part of the country music family, which gives our city so
much every day.
Kind regards,

Megan Barry, Mayor of Nashville

10 THE 51st ANNUAL CMA AWARDS