2026 CMA Awards performers revealed with Dolly Parton tribute

The 60th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

The show runs from 8-11 p.m. ET / 7-10 p.m. CT on ABC and Disney+.

It will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of ABC News, Disney+ and Hulu.

The Country Music Association announced the first round of performers on Good Morning America.

Lainey Wilson will host the ceremony for a third time.

Wilson is a twelve-time CMA Awards winner and was named entertainer of the year in 2025.

She will emcee the night from the stage at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

The first group of performers includes Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, and Kacey Musgraves.

Cody Johnson, Tim McGraw, and Zach Top are also on the list.

Tucker Wetmore and The Red Clay Strays round out the initial lineup.

More performers are expected to be announced before the show.

The night will include a special tribute to Dolly Parton.

Parton died in August at the age of 80 after what her family described as a brief battle with cancer.

She was widely known as the queen of country music.

The CMA had already aired a separate Dolly Parton celebration last month.

This tribute will be a separate performance during the awards show itself.

The nominations list is headlined by Ella Langley with nine nods.

Langley received her first-ever Entertainer of the Year nomination.

She is also nominated for Album of the Year for Dandelion.

Single and Song of the Year nominations include both Be Her and Choosin' Texas.

She is up for Female Vocalist of the Year.

Music Event of the Year includes I Can't Love You Anymore with Morgan Wallen.

Music Video of the Year includes Choosin' Texas.

Miranda Lambert received seven nominations.

Lambert co-wrote Choosin' Texas with Langley.

She is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year.

She received two Musical Event of the Year nods: A Song to Sing with Chris Stapleton and Horses and Divorces with Kacey Musgraves.

Lambert is the most nominated female artist in CMA history.

Kacey Musgraves returned to the top of the nominations with five.

She is up for Female Vocalist of the Year.

Album of the Year for Middle of Nowhere is among her nods.

Song and Music Video of the Year nominations include Dry Spell.

She is also nominated for Musical Event of the Year for Horses and Divorces with Lambert.

Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, and Stephen Wilson Jr. each received four nominations.

Wilson Jr. is a first-time nominee.

Other first-time nominees include Smith Ahnquist, Avery Anna, and Jack Antonoff.

Tim Cofield, Carter Faith, and Austin Goodloe are also first-time nominees.

Muscadine Bloodline, Emily Ann Roberts, and Caylee Robillard round out the list.

Laura Sisk, Joybeth Taylor, and Thelma & James are also first-time nominees.

Ben West is nominated for the first time as a songwriter.

The awards honor artists, songwriters, producers, mix engineers, musicians, and music video directors.

The CMAs are celebrating six decades of country music's biggest night.

The first round of performers represents a mix of established stars and rising artists.

Cody Johnson faces the ceremony with four nominations.

He is nominated for Entertainer of the Year.

Johnson recently scrapped his final 2026 tour dates after a doctor's warning.

He is still scheduled to perform at the CMAs.

Tim McGraw is a veteran performer with multiple CMA wins over his career.

Zach Top is known for his song I Never Lie.

Tucker Wetmore is known for his song Brunette.

The Red Clay Strays are the reigning Vocal Group of the Year.

A limited number of tickets remain available at CMAawards.com/tickets.

The show will be produced by the Country Music Association.

The broadcast marks the 60th consecutive year of the awards.

The first CMA Awards were held in 1967.

The ceremony has been held at Bridgestone Arena since 2006.

The venue seats approximately 20,000 people.

The show is typically one of the highest-rated music awards telecasts each year.

The Dolly Parton tribute is expected to be a major moment of the night.

Parton's career spanned more than six decades.

She won 11 CMA Awards during her lifetime.

She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999.

Her song I Will Always Love You became one of the best-selling singles of all time.

The tribute will feature multiple performers from the announced lineup.

The exact format of the tribute has not been disclosed.

The CMAs have a history of tribute performances for fallen legends.

Previous tributes have honored Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, and Loretta Lynn.

The show will air live across all time zones in the United States.

ABC has broadcast the CMA Awards since 2006.

Disney+ began streaming the ceremony in 2024.

Hulu adds the show the following day for on-demand viewing.

The ceremony typically runs three hours including commercial breaks.

The red carpet coverage begins before the main broadcast.

The performers announced so far cover multiple categories of the awards.

Ella Langley's nine nominations are the most of any artist this year.

She is seen as a strong contender for Entertainer of the Year.

Her album Dandelion was released in 2025.

The single Choosin' Texas became a breakout hit.

Miranda Lambert's seven nominations continue her record as the most nominated female artist.

She has won 14 CMA Awards in her career.

Kacey Musgraves has won six CMA Awards.

She took a break from touring before returning with Middle of Nowhere.

Cody Johnson has won two CMA Awards.

He is known for his traditional country sound.

Stephen Wilson Jr. is a first-time nominee in multiple categories.

Chris Stapleton has won 11 CMA Awards.

He is nominated again this year in several categories.

The show will be the first CMA Awards since Parton's death.

Parton's influence on country music is widely acknowledged.

She wrote over 3,000 songs in her lifetime.

Her philanthropy included the Imagination Library program.

The tribute is expected to be an emotional highlight of the evening.

The full list of winners will be announced during the live broadcast.

The CMAs do not release winners in advance.

Voting is conducted by CMA members.

The membership includes artists, songwriters, producers, and industry professionals.

The awards are considered among the highest honors in country music.

The 60th anniversary adds significance to this year's ceremony.

The first CMA Awards in 1967 featured Eddy Arnold as host.

Only one award was presented that year: Entertainer of the Year.

The show has grown to include 12 competitive categories.

The 2026 ceremony will follow the same format as recent years.

Viewers can expect performances, award presentations, and special segments.

The Dolly Parton tribute will be one of the special segments.

The show will air live on Nov. 18 from 8-11 p.m. ET.

It will also stream live on Disney+.

Hulu subscribers can watch the next day.

The announcement of performers came just under two weeks before the show.

More performers are expected to be announced in the coming days.

The CMAs have not confirmed how many total performers will appear.

Past shows have featured between 12 and 15 performances.

The lineup so far includes eight acts.

The tribute to Parton may involve multiple artists performing together.

The CMAs have not released details about the tribute format.

Fans have speculated about which songs will be featured.

Parton's catalog includes hundreds of songs.

The tribute will be produced by the CMA Awards production team.

The show is directed by multiple-time Emmy winner Glenn Weiss.

The ceremony will be broadcast in high definition.

ABC will air the show in all markets.

International viewers can access the show through various streaming services.

The CMAs are a major event for the Nashville music industry.

The awards generate significant tourism revenue for the city.

Bridgestone Arena is located in downtown Nashville.

The area is known as the heart of Music City.

The red carpet will be set up outside the arena.

Media coverage of the event will be extensive.

The CMAs are covered by outlets including Good Morning America.

The announcement was first made on that program.

The show will feature a mix of solo performances and collaborations.

Some performers may appear in multiple segments.

The Dolly Parton tribute is expected to be a collaborative performance.

The exact number of artists involved has not been confirmed.