NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Country music star Luke Bryan has taken home the top prize at the CMA Awards, but he'll step into a larger role when he hosts the awards show in November.
The Country Music Association and ABC announced on Monday that the “American Idol” judge will host the show for the first time when it airs from Nashville, Tennessee on Nov. 10.
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“The CMA Awards is one of the biggest nights of the year for country music,” Bryan said in a statement. “Being asked to host the CMA Awards was definitely something I put a lot of thought into before answering. The pressure that comes along with that can be overwhelming, but knowing I get to help honor and celebrate so many of my friends, I knew it was something I couldn’t turn down."
The Georgia-born singer has twice won CMA entertainer of the year and is nominated this year along with Jordan Davis for musical event of the year. While this is his first time as a CMA Awards host, Bryan has plenty of experience after being a co-host for several years at the Academy of Country Music Awards, normally held in Las Vegas.
It's been a long time since CMAs have had a single host. Co-hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley had a 10-year run together starting in 2008. In 2019, Underwood returned as co-host with Reba McEntire, and Dolly Parton and McEntire hosted with Darius Rucker last year.