CMT announced it will air a two-hour TV special, CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special, on June 3 at 7 p.m. CT.
The special will feature one-of-a-kind tributes and performances from some of country music’s biggest stars, including Brothers Osborne, Florida Georgia Line, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and more. The lineup will perform from their own homes.
The show will highlight stories of unsung heroes who have done exceptional things for their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personal stories of those who have positively impacted their community, state and nation can be submitted directly to CMT for potential inclusion in the special.
In words and music, participating artists will recognize the following categories of COVID-19 heroes, including but not limited to:
- Healthcare Workers: Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, ambulance drivers and EMT’s fighting the heroic battle to treat the sick and dying while putting their own health risks aside.
- Food Industry: Farmers, distributors, migrant workers and truckers helping to provide the food that restaurants and grocery workers put on our tables.
- American Ingenuity: Big industry and small businesses who are retrofitting their production lines to provide ventilators, personal protective equipment and hand sanitizers, along with the scientists who are racing the clock to develop effective treatments that will stem the tide until a vaccine is perfected.
- Infrastructure: Educators, delivery drivers, sanitation workers and utility laborers who are necessary to maintaining our way of life.
- U.S. Military: Active and reserve military personnel who have answered the call to step up for any duty large or small, and their families who are left to navigate these uncertain times alone.
- First Responders: Fire departments and law enforcement officers who continue to protect our homes, families and our country.
The 2020 CMT Music Awards—originally slated for June 3—will take place on October 14.
The fan-voted CMT Awards hand out trophies in a number of categories, including Video of the Year, Collaborative Video of the Year, Breakthrough Video of the Year and more.
Last year, the show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena included performances by Carrie Underwood, Dan + Shay, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Boyz II Men, Brandi Carlile, Brett Young, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Combs and more.
