Brooks & Dunn caught up with Billboard’s Tetris Kelly on the Winners Walk at the CMA Awards 2024.
More than two decades since it was released, Chicago indie veterans Wilco have announced a 20th anniversary edition of their fifth album, A Ghost is Born.
The new deluxe edition package arrives via Nonesuch on February 7th, 2025 and complements the original recording with a myriad new extras.
Available in both a nine-CD or nine-LP/four-CD format, the packages include the initial album paired with alternates, outtakes, and demos which chart the record’s conception, in addition to a full 2004 concert recording from Boston’s Wang Center and the band’s “fundamentals” workshop sessions.
In total, 65 previously unreleased tracks are accompanied by a 48-page hardcover book which features liner notes from Grammy-winning writer Bob Mehr and previously unpublished photos. Alongside its announcement, the band have also shared an alternate version of “Handshake Drugs”, recorded at New York’s Sear Sound in November 2003.
Released in June 2004, A Ghost is Born arrived as Wilco’s fifth album and as the follow-up to 2001’s difficult (though critically-acclaimed) Yanke Hotel Foxtrot. Peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, it was the group’s highest-charting album up to that point, and garnered reviews that equally labelled it their most “difficult and uncompromising album to date” and “the ever-evolving band’s richest work”.
Notwithstanding, the album went on to be named Best Alternative Music Album and Best Recording Package at the 2005 Grammy Awards, and became revered amongst fans as one of Wilco’s best.
“I was worried the album was going to feel like something dark and not me anymore,” frontman Jeff Tweedy told Mehr as part of the record’s new liner notes. “But the album was ahead of me as a person.
“It was the part of me that I was trying to preserve—enthusiastic and furious about the world, as well as open and loving. I reached that in the music, before I could get there emotionally on my own.”
Temperatures rose at the 2024 CMA Awards when Jelly Roll stepped out onstage for his second performance of the night, joined by Keith Urban for a rousing performance of “Liar.”
Backdropped by bursts of flames and rhythmic balls of sparks, the two musicians brought the heat, with the “Son of a Sinner” singer passionately belting out his lyrics while the Australian-American country star shredded on guitar next to him. “You ain’t nothin’ but a liar/ Yeah, I walk right out the fire,” Jelly sang, with his wife — podcaster Bunnie XO — mouthing along to the lyrics in the audience. “Yeah, you try to keep me down/ Try to put me underground/ But I’m only going higher.”
Bowing at No. 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 18 on the Hot Country Songs chart, “Liar” appears on Jelly’s Billboard 200-topping album Beautifully Broken. The Tennessee native previously debuted the track in May at the ACM Awards.
Jelly was up for numerous awards at the 2024 CMA Awards, including entertainer of the year, which an absent Morgan Wallen won at the very end of the night. He was also in the running for album of the year with 2023’s Whitsitt Chapel and male vocalist of the year, but the prizes went to Cody Johnson’s Leather and Chris Stapleton, respectively.
Earlier that night, the “Need a Favor” musician took the stage for the first time, performing a religious rendition of his collaboration with Brooks & Dunn “Believe.” The three-hour show was hosted by Peyton Manning, Luke Bryan and Lainey Wilson and took place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
The 2024 CMA Awards are a wrap!
Going into Wednesday’s (Nov. 20) ceremony at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Morgan Wallen was the leading nominee, racking up seven nods, and he ended up taking home the night’s top prize of entertainer of the year. Chris Stapleton also had an excellent night, winning three of the five prizes he was up for, including male vocalist of the year.
Who else won big? Find the full winners list below.
Entertainer of the year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton
WINNER: Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
Single of the year
Award goes to artist(s), producer(s) and mix engineer(s)
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey; Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry; Mix Engineer: Raul Lopez
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson; Producer: Trent Willmon; Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen); Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore
“Watermelon Moonshine” – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
WINNER: “White Horse” – Chris Stapleton; Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton; Mix Engineer: Vance Powell
Album of the year
Award goes to artist, producer(s) and mix engineer(s)
Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves; Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian; Mix Engineers: Shawn Everett, Konrad Snyder
Fathers & Sons – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
Higher – Chris Stapleton; Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton; Mix Engineer: Vance Powell
WINNER: Leather – Cody Johnson; Producer: Trent Willmon; Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke
Whitsitt Chapel – Jelly Roll; Producers: Andrew Baylis, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Jesse Frasure, David Garcia, Kevin “Thrasher” Gruft, Austin Nivarel, David Ray Stevens; Mix Engineers: Jeff Braun, Jim Cooley
Song of the year
Award goes to songwriter(s)
“Burn It Down”; Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Parker McCollum, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose
“Dirt Cheap”; Songwriter: Josh Phillips
“I Had Some Help”; Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters
“The Painter”; Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins
WINNER: “White Horse”; Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson
Female vocalist of the year
Kelsea Ballerini
Ashley McBryde
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
WINNER: Lainey Wilson
Male vocalist of the year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
WINNER: Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Vocal group of the year
Lady A
Little Big Town
WINNER: Old Dominion
The Red Clay Strays
Zac Brown Band
Vocal duo of the year
WINNER: Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War and Treaty
Musical event of the year
Award goes to artists and producer(s)
“Cowboys Cry Too” – Kelsea Ballerini (with Noah Kahan); Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen); Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan (ft. Kacey Musgraves); Producer: Zach Bryan
“Man Made a Bar” – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church); Producer: Joey Moi
WINNER: “you look like you love me” – Ella Langley (feat. Riley Green); Producer: Will Bundy
Musician of the year
Tom Bukovac – Guitar
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Rob McNelley – Guitar
WINNER: Charlie Worsham – Guitar
Music video of the year
Award goes to artist(s) and director(s)
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson; Director: Dustin Haney
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen); Director: Chris Villa
“I’m Not Pretty” – Megan Moroney; Directors: Jeff Johnson, Megan Moroney
“The Painter” – Cody Johnson; Director: Dustin Haney
WINNER: “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” – Lainey Wilson; Director: Patrick Tracy
New artist of the year
WINNER: Megan Moroney
Shaboozey
Nate Smith
Mitchell Tenpenny
Zach Top
Bailey Zimmerman
2024 CMA Broadcast Awards
Broadcast personality of the year (by market size)
Weekly national
“American Country Countdown” (Kix Brooks) – Cumulus/Westwood One
“Country Gold with Terri Clark” (Terri Clark) – Westwood One
WINNER: “Crook & Chase Countdown” (Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase) – Jim Owens Entertainment
“Highway Hot 30 with Buzz Brainard” (Buzz Brainard) – SiriusXM
“Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence” (Tracy Lawrence and Patrick Thomas) – Silverfish Media
Daily national
WINNER: “The Bobby Bones Show” (Bobby Bones, Amy Brown, “Lunchbox” Dan Chappell, Eddie Garcia, Morgan Huelsman, “SZN Raymundo” Ray Slater, “Mike D” Rodriguez, Abby Anderson, “Kick Off Kevin” O’Connell, and Stephen “Scuba Steve” Spradlin) – iHeartMedia
“Michael J On Air” (Michael J. Stuehler) – iHeartMedia
“Nights with Elaina” (Elaina Smith) – Westwood One / Cumulus Media
“PickleJar Up All Night with Patrick Thomas” (Patrick Thomas) – PickleJar / Cumulus Media
“Steve Harmon Show” (Steve Harmon) – Westwood One / Cumulus Media
Major market
“The Andie Summers Show” (Andie Summers, Jeff Kurkjian, Donnie Black, and Shannon Boyle) – WXTU, Philadelphia, Pa.
“Chris Carr & Company” (Chris Carr, Kia Becht, and Sam Sansevere) – KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
WINNER: “Frito & Katy” (Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey) – KCYY, San Antonio, Texas
“The Morning Wolfpack with Matt McAllister” (Matt McAllister, Gabe Mercer, and “Captain Ron” Koons) – KKWF, Seattle, Wash.
“The Most Fun Afternoons With Scotty Kay” (Scotty Kay) – WUSN, Chicago, Ill.
Large market
“Dale Carter Morning Show” (Dale Carter) – KFKF, Kansas City, Mo.
“Heather Froglear” (Heather Froglear) – KFRG, Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.
WINNER: “Jesse & Anna” (Jesse Tack and Anna Marie) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
“Mike & Amanda” (Mike Wheless and Amanda Daughtry) – WQDR, Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
“On-Air with Anthony” (Anthony Donatelli) – KFRG, Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.
Medium market
“Brent Michaels” (Brent Michaels) – KUZZ, Bakersfield, Calif.
“Joey & Nancy” (Joey Tack, Nancy Barger, and Karly Duggan) – WIVK, Knoxville, Tenn.
“New Country Mornings with Nancy and Woody” (Nancy Wilson and Aaron “Woody” Woods) – WHKO, Dayton, Ohio
“Scott and Sarah in the Morning” (Scott Wynn and Sarah Kay) – WQMX, Akron, Ohio
WINNER: “Steve & Gina In The Morning” (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa
Small market
“Dan Austin Show” (Dan Austin) – WQHK, Fort Wayne, Ind.
“Dave and Jenn” (Dave Roberts and Jenn Seay) – WTCR, Huntington-Ashland, W. Va.
WINNER: “The Eddie Foxx Show” (Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx) – WKSF, Asheville, N.C.
“Hilley & Hart” (Kevin Hilley and Erin Hart) – KATI, Columbia, Mo.
“Officer Don & DeAnn” (“Officer Don” Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington-Fayette, Ky.
Radio station of the year (by market size)
Major market
KCYY – San Antonio, Texas
KKBQ – Houston, Texas
KYGO – Denver, Colo.
WXTU – Philadelphia, Pa.
WINNER: WYCD – Detroit, Mich.
Large market
WIRK – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla.
WMIL – Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.
WINNER: WQDR – Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
WSIX – Nashville, Tenn.
WWKA – Orlando, Fla.
Medium market
KXKT – Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa
WBEE – Rochester, N.Y.
WIVK – Knoxville, Tenn.
WLFP – Memphis, Tenn.
WINNER: WUSY – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Small market
WCOW – La Crosse, Wis.
WKML – Fayetteville, N.C.
WKXC – Augusta, Ga.
WXFL – Florence-Muscle Shoals, Ala.
WINNER: WYCT – Pensacola, Fla.
Paul Simon might be responsible for writing some of music’s most revered songs, but as he’s revealed previously, he’s progressively becoming unable to hear them.
Last year, Simon explained to British paper The Times that he began to experience hearing loss in his left ear while recording his 2023 song cycle, Seven Psalms. “Quite suddenly, I lost most of the hearing in my left ear, and nobody has an explanation for it,” he explained. “So everything became more difficult.”
Now in a new interview with CBS Mornings, Simon spoke to reporter Anthony Mason about his journey with hearing loss and his search for ways to manage it.
“It was incredibly frustrating. I was very angry at first that this had happened,” Simon admitted, noting his greatest fear is the possibility or no longer writing or composing. “I guess what I’m most apprehensive about would be if I can’t hear well enough to really enjoy the act of making music,” he added.
Though Simon wrapped up his final tour in 2018, he’s still making sporadic appearances here and there. Most recently, he performed a surprise set at New York City’s Irish Arts Centre, and weeks prior, he performed for The SoHo Sessions as part of a fundraiser for the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss
“I’m going through my repertoire and reducing a lot of the choices that I make to acoustic versions. It’s all much quieter,” he explained. “It’s not ‘You Can Call Me Al.’ That’s gone. I can’t do that one.”
As part of his CBS Mornings interview, Simon visited with the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss at their Palo Alto, California facilities, discussing how the likes of zebrafish, mice, and other animals are a point of focus for research. While zebrafish have had hearing benefits thanks to a drug which been approved by the FDA, mice are being used as part of gene therapy in an effort to regenerate damaged hair cells.
Per Simon’s own admission though, he tells CBS that his desire to create hasn’t been affected despite his ability to perfectly hear the fruits of his labor.
“You know Matisse, when he was suffering at the end of his life, when he was in bed, he envisioned all these cut-outs and had a great creative period,” he noted. “So I don’t think creativity stops with disability. So far, I haven’t experienced that. And I hope not to.”
Old Dominion caught up with Billboard’s Tetris Kelly on the Winners Walk at the CMA Awards 2024.
With a whopping 44 chart-toppers on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs list, George Strait is a bona fide legend in the genre and beyond. And at the 2024 CMA Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday (Nov. 20), Strait made a rare public appearance to accept the Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award from the Country Music Association.
The tribute opened with a fiery-eyed, ferocious Jamey Johnson performing Strait’s 2006 single “Give It Away,” a Hot Country Songs No. 1 hit that Johnson co-wrote. (Johnson made headlines just days ago after being arrested in Tennessee on Sunday and charged with speeding and drug possession; Johnson has spoken about his sobriety journey before but acknowledges that he sometimes smokes “a joint”).
Miranda Lambert and Parker McCollum followed with Strait’s 2008 single “Troubadour,” a fitting enough song for the 72-year-old legend given that it’s a meditation on music, aging and legacy (“I was a young troubadour / When I rode in on a song / And I’ll be an old troubadour when I’m gone”).
After that, Strait himself proved he’s far from done, taking the stage with Chris Stapleton for a full-throated duet on “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame” from his recent album Cowboys and Dreamers while his wife, Norma Strait, bopped along from the crowd.
“First of all I want to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ,” Strait said after wrapping his performance and receiving a standing ovation from the crowd (including Luke Combs, who mimed bowing down to Strait). “I want to thank the CMAs for adding my name to the incredible artists on this small list of recipients, hearing the name of the icon Willie Nelson.”
He also thanked “these great artists” who performed his songs on the CMA Awards stage. “It’s amazing to hear y’all do them – I’m so glad I got to ‘em before you,” he said, laughing, and adding, “Not you, Jamey.”
After paying homage to some of his departed associates over the years, Strait paid tribute to his closest companion for more than half a century. “I want to thank my family who are all here tonight. My wife Norma, my son Bubba, his wife Tamara, my grandkids Harvey and Jillian,” Strait said. “Especially Norma who has supported me for just shy of 53 years – it’s been an amazing 53 years.”
Ashley McBryde caught up with Billboard’s Tetris Kelly at the CMA Awards 2024.
The 2024 CMA Awards took over Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday night (Nov. 20) to honor country’s brightest stars, from fresh talent like new artist of the year winner Megan Moroney to CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award honoree George Strait.
The awards show — hosted by Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson and Peyton Manning — was packed with performances, from Shaboozey playing his 18-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” alongside his single “Highway” to Brooks & Dunn joining forces with Jelly Roll for a come-to-Jesus performance of “Believe.”
Post Malone pulled double duty, kicking off the show with Chris Stapleton for the F-1 Trillion standout “California Sober” and then showing his sensitive side with the song “Yours,” inspired by his 2-year-old daughter. Stapleton has also hit the stage a few times — with his 2023 single “White Horse” picking up two early awards (not to mention a win for male vocalist of the year) and joining wife Morgane Stapleton for a gloriously harmonized performance of “What Am I Gonna Do.”
Stapleton was also part of the musical tribute to Strait, performing “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame” alongside the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Their duet was preceded by tribute performances from Wilson, Miranda Lambert and Parker McCollum.
The winners on Wednesday night included Cody Johnson’s Leather taking home album of the year; Old Dominion winning vocal group of the year for a seventh time; Brooks & Dunn taking home vocal duo of the year for a 15th time; Ella Langley and Riley Green winning musical event of the year for “you look like you love me”; and Wilson’s “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” being named video of the year.
Below, find the best photos from the 2024 CMA Awards, from performances to crowd shots to the night’s biggest winners.
Nate Smith caught up with Billboard’s Tetris Kelly at the CMA Awards 2024.
