ACM Awards stacks the deck with Stapleton, Ballerini, Hayes
The first set of superstars to perform at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards on March has been announced. It’s a lineup of all-stars befitting the show’s site, Allegiant Stadium.
Kelsea Ballerini, Walker Hayes, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, Parmalee and Blanco Brown featuring Brooke Eden, Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde all are booked for the the event. The two-hour show streams on Prime Video at 5 p.m. March 7. Amazon Music breakthrough artist Breland also is set to perform.
More than 20 performances are planned in a show that traditionally plays out much like a concert, with the awards interspersed. Further details are to be announced.
The show will stream live without commercial interruption, hosted by Dolly Parton and co-hosted by ACM New Male Artist of the Year Jimmie Allen and ACM New Female Artist of the Year Gabby Barrett.
In their ACM Awards performance debuts, Parmalee and Brown will be joined by Eden for their No. 1 hit “Just the Way.” Two-time ACM Award winners McBryde and Pearce will perform their Music Event and Video of the Year-nominated hit “Never Wanted To Be That Girl.” Breland, named the next Breakthrough Artist for Amazon Music, will perform his new song “Praise The Lord.”
Breland is the second country music artist to be named to the program, following this year’s ACM Awards co-host Barrett, who was selected in 2020.
Performance details for Ballerini, Hayes, Morris, Rhett, and Stapleton will be announced in the coming weeks. Morris is a five-time ACM Award winner and nominee for Female Artist of the Year. Rhett is an eight-time ACM Award winner and is nominated for Male Artist and Album of the Year.
Stapleton is a five-time nominee this year, including his fourth nod for Entertainer of the Year and seventh for Male Artist of the Year. He is a nine-time ACM Award winner. Stapleton and Carlos Santana have collaborated on “Joy,” a highlight on Santana’s latest album, “Blessings and Miracles.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
