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Morgan Wallen, The CMA’s Entertainer Of The Year, was a no-show on “Country’s Biggest Night,” the 58th annual CMA Awards last night in Nashville.
To make matters worse, actor Jeff Bridges announced the winner as “Morgan Waylon.”
Beyonce, who dropped her GRAMMY-nominated “Cowboy Carter” Country album earlier this year, was not nominated in any category.
Former CMA winner Billy Ray Cyrus, no stranger to controversy, took to Instagram to congratulate the winners adding, “I’m so happy and proud to see country music opening their doors and format to be inclusive to all people, all styles.”
Adding, “I was surprised to see @beyonce wasn’t nominated??? Her album was brilliant… her single ruled. But she knows that. She doesn’t need a trophy from the CMA… or permission …. or approval from any of their judges. ‘When ya knock em out…. Ya don’t need no judge.’ – Muhammad Ali.'”
Matthew Knowles, Beyonce’s father, suggested race may have played a part in the snub, suggesting that despite the album’s success, Nashville was still not fully embracing Black artists.
Beyonce has a complicated relationship with Country and The CMA’s. In 2016 her performance with The Chicks (then known as the Dixie Chicks) was met with boos.
The performance included the controversial song “Daddy Lessons.” Beyoncé suggested that this experience influenced her decision to produce a complete Country album.
The other night’s surprise was Post Malone and Shaboozy, the artists behind two of the year’s biggest hits, going home without hardware.
