Country Music Association facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | CMA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1958 |
| Type | Music organization |
| Headquarters | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Sarah Trahern | |
The Country Music Association (CMA) is an American group that helps share and grow country music all over the world. It was started in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. The CMA was the first group of its kind created to promote a specific type of music.
The CMA is famous for its yearly CMA Fest. It also hosts the Country Music Association Awards. These awards are shown live on TV each fall, usually in October or November.
Contents
About the CMA
When the CMA first started, it had 233 members. Its first leader was Wesley Rose, and Connie B. Gay was the first president. Mac Wiseman was the first secretary. The CMA was formed to support country music, especially as rock and roll music became popular.
At first, there were nine types of memberships for individuals. Now, there are 15 types, covering all parts of the music industry. Groups can also join. To be a member, you need to be directly involved in country music.
Harry Stone was the first executive director from 1958 to 1960. Jo Walker-Meador took over in 1962. She was the CMA's first full-time employee and led the group until 1991.
CMA Awards History
The very first CMA Awards show happened in 1967 in Nashville. It was not shown on TV. Sonny James and Bobbie Gentry were the hosts.
The first "Entertainer of the Year" award went to singer Eddy Arnold. Jack Greene won "Male Vocalist of the Year." The "Female Vocalist of the Year" award went to Loretta Lynn.
In 1968, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans hosted the awards. This show was filmed at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. It was later shown on NBC. The first time the show was broadcast live on TV was in 1969.
Award Categories
Today, awards are given in twelve main categories each year. These include:
- Entertainer of the Year
- Male Vocalist
- Female Vocalist
- New Artist of the Year (this used to be called the Horizon Award)
- Vocal Group
- Vocal Duo
- Single
- Album
- Song
- Music Event
- Music Video
- Musician
The CMA also gives out "CMA Broadcast Awards" to country radio stations. These awards are given based on the size of the radio market. A station cannot win this award two years in a row.
In 2016, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the CMA Awards, a song called "Forever Country" was released. In 2021, the CMA announced that its TV contract with ABC will continue until 2026.
List of CMA Award winners
CMA Events
The most important time for the CMA is "Country Music's Biggest Week." This week includes the CMA Awards in early November.
CMA Country Christmas
CMA Country Christmas is a special holiday concert. Country artists perform holiday songs at this event. The concert is usually recorded and then shown later on ABC.
CMA Fest
The CMA Fest is the longest-running country music festival in the world. It takes place in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, every summer. Hundreds of thousands of fans come to hear many artists perform on over 11 stages.
Throughout the day, fans can meet their favorite country music artists at Fan Fair X. The four days of events are later edited into a three-hour TV special. This special also airs on ABC during the summer.
See also
In Spanish: Asociación de Música Country para niños
- Academy of Country Music – a different group from the CMA
- Academy of Country Music Awards
- CMT – a TV channel for country music
- Grand Ole Opry
