THE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES NOMINEES AT INTIMATE DINNER AHEAD OF “THE 60TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS”
Reigning Entertainer of the Year and Host of the 2026 CMA Awards Lainey Wilson Shares a Toast; CEO Sarah Trahern Hosts Her Final Nominee Dinner
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Ahead of “The 60th Annual CMA Awards,” the Country Music Association welcomed nominees to its annual celebratory dinner on the Grand Ole Opry stage on Monday, October 19. Nominees in attendance included reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year and this year’s CMA Awards host, Lainey Wilson, as well as members of Old Dominion, Dave Haywood of Lady A, Thelma & James, Emily Ann Roberts, Charlie Worsham, and Jenee Fleenor, as well as multiple producers, engineers, music video directors and musicians.
CMA CEO Sarah Trahern welcomed attendees and invited Wilson to lead a special toast for the group. This year’s dinner was particularly meaningful for Trahern, marking the final nominee dinner she will host before her retirement. “This is one of my favorite nights every year because we get to recognize everyone in the business who made great music this past year,” Trahern said on stage. “[Country Music] lyrics capture the sentiment of many of us. As we continue to go forward and look at the songs that you all are writing, that you’re producing, that you’re performing, that is the special magic that we have in Country Music.”
“When I moved here 15 and a half years ago, I moved from the village of Baskin, which is my town in northeast Louisiana, and I really didn’t know what to expect. When I got here, I realized pretty quickly that’s exactly what this community is. It is a village, and I think that’s why Nashville is so special and unique. They say it takes a village to raise a child. I think it takes a village to raise a dream, and y’all do that every single day,” commented Wilson during a toast to her fellow nominees.
The evening’s menu was curated by Josh Habiger, a James Beard Foundation Award finalist and chef at Nashville’s own MICHELIN-starred restaurant Bastion, bringing a taste of the city’s acclaimed culinary scene to the celebration.
“The 60th Annual CMA Awards” hosted by Wilson will air live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+, and next day on Hulu.About the CMA Awards
First held in 1967, the CMA Awards is the longest-running, annual music awards program on network television. Each year, the show honors outstanding achievement in Country Music—celebrating the artists, songwriters, musicians, and industry professionals whose work has shaped the genre. Winners and nominees are determined by CMA’s Professional voting membership, reflecting the voices of their peers across the industry. The CMA Awards airs live on ABC, with next day streaming available on Hulu, and is part of CMA’s television portfolio alongside “CMA Fest” and “CMA Country Christmas.”
Nominees for the 2026 CMA Awards attend “The 60th Annual CMA Awards” Nominee Dinner on Monday, October 19, 2026 at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo credit: John Russell/CMA
Geoff Sprung and Trevor Rosen of Old Dominion as well as Brittany Schaffer (Incoming CMA CEO) attend “The 60th Annual CMA Awards” Nominee Dinner on Monday, October 19, 2026 at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo credit: John Russell/CMA
Sarah Trahern (CMA CEO) during “The 60th Annual CMA Awards” Nominee Dinner on Monday, October 19, 2026 at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo credit: John Russell/CMA
Lainey Wilson hosts “The 60th Annual CMA Awards” taking place Wednesday, November 18, 2026 live on ABC, Disney+ and next day on Hulu.
Photo Credit: ABC/CMA
