The CMA annual award show usually has the pulse of what the country music community currently likes and is spending their hard-earned dollars to listen to. Their annual awards show has focused most of their time on what is new and hot. They’re also known to put together a star-studded band of musicians who pay homage to a giant in the business, postmortem. Many fans tune in for the collaborations of both new and classic artists. That is why we cannot fathom who they did NOT pay tribute or offer a touching reference at their recent award show.

Let’s start with who they did pay tribute to during the broadcast. Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers and Joe Diffie each received a memorial tribute. There’s no arguing giving them their due. CMA found time to remember the movie, “Urban Cowboy,” as a major influence on the country music world. The argument that there wasn’t the time to include these artists is a bogus statement. Hell, the CMA’s give each artist who is up for a major award a slot to highlight a tune.  We believe there’s room to allocate some of their time to the influential artists, in my humble opinion.

It’s who they omitted that has caused such a stir. There was no mention of John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker or Billy Joe Shavers. They too passed away earlier this year, having left an indelible mark on country music and the public, at large. These artists are on equal footing with Charlie, Kenny and Joe, I believe. That’s why it’s so puzzling that this was allowed to go on. Surely time can be found so that each artist could get a 4-5-minute tribute. The CMA needs to acknowledge the influence and notoriety these artists had on today’s country music stars as well as generations before them!

My stance on this matter is apparently shared in part by Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires. They cited the failure to pay tribute to these artists as enough for them to cancel their lifetime memberships to the CMA’s.  At the time of writing this, I have heard that Sturgill Simpson, a close friend of John Prine, is also considering taking similar action. The lesson here is that the CMAs need to shine the light more on the artists who are responsible for influencing the popularity of today’s country music. If they do, we’ll be listening!

On the bright side, ESPN opened up their November Masters broadcast on Thursday morning with John Prine’s, “I Remember Everything.” The tune was the last song Prine recorded before his death in April of this year. It was set to a collage of memorable moments and recognitions that makes Augusta National a nearly mythic oasis set in time and tradition. You can likely find it on YouTube.

Having a lifetime affair with both music and sports, I have caught snippets of tunes from bands such as the Grateful Dead and Phish being played when a sporting event is going to or from a commercial break.  It doesn’t show up in the credits but it is recognizable to the discerning ear. Keep up the good work slipping in the Masters of Rock with all variety of sports.

#johnprine #jerryjeffwalker #billyjoeshaver #CMA #AugustaNational