CMA Awards 2026 Performers Revealed With Dolly Parton Tribute

The CMA Awards just dropped their first round of performers, and a Dolly Parton tribute is already on our must-watch list.

Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore will perform at The 60th Annual CMA Awards.

The broadcast airs live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on November 18 from 8-11 p.m.

ET/PT on ABC and Disney+.

On-demand streaming will be available the next day on Hulu.

Lainey Wilson returns as host for a third consecutive year.

Robert Deaton returns as executive producer, Alan Carter is back as director, and Jon Macks is the telecast's head writer.

This is only the first announcement of performers.

More names are expected in the coming weeks.

A special tribute to Dolly Parton is also on the way.

Details about the tribute have not been released yet.

Ella Langley walks into the night as the most-nominated artist with nine nods.

Her nominations include Entertainer, Album and Female Vocalist of the Year.

She also earned nods for Musical Event and Music Video of the Year.

Plus two nominations each for Single and Song of the Year.

Last year, Langley took home three CMA Awards.

What she will perform remains under wraps.

With that many categories in play, Langley is already one of the night's biggest names to watch.

Miranda Lambert heads into the ceremony with seven nominations.

She holds the record as the most-nominated female artist in CMA history with 70 career nominations.

This year's recognition includes her 19th Female Vocalist of the Year nomination.

She also earned nods as an artist, songwriter and producer.

Cody Johnson returns as the reigning Male Vocalist of the Year with four nominations.

His nods include Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single and Music Video of the Year.

Johnson's performance and the possibility of another major trophy give CoJo Nation plenty of reasons to tune in.

Tim McGraw's appearance comes with a particularly meaningful milestone.

He was newly inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

McGraw has 40 career CMA nominations, the latest of which is a current nod for Musical Event of the Year.

Kacey Musgraves has five nominations heading into the night.

Zach Top enters with two nominations.

The Red Clay Strays will defend the title they picked up last year as Vocal Group of the Year.

Tucker Wetmore is contending for New Artist of the Year.

Other top nominees include Ben West, Langley's co-producer, with five nominations.

Chris Stapleton and Stephen Wilson Jr. each have four nominations.

Wilson, Luke Combs and Dave Clauss, Langley's mix engineer, each have three nominations.

A full list of this year's nominations has been published separately.

The show marks the 60th anniversary of the CMA Awards.

Ella Langley has had an explosive run over the past several years.

It started with songs like Country Boy's Dream Girl, paint the town blue and her breakout single with Koe Wetzel, That's Why We Fight.

That song was released in April 2023 and was one of the first songs of hers that Langley heard on the radio.

In 2024, she had her first major hit with her Riley Green collaboration, you look like you love me.

Other hits include weren't for the wind.

The Alabama native became a phenomenon thanks to the megahit Choosin' Texas.

Since its release on October 17, it is now the longest-running #1 hit by a female artist this century.

It is the only country song by a woman to triple up and go #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, Hot Country and Country Airplay charts simultaneously.