Garth Brooks is among a new group of celebrity presenters announced for the 2021 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony on Wednesday (Oct. 13). The singer will reflect on Randy Travis‘ career as he presents him with the Artist of a Lifetime award.
Eric Church, Lady A, Morgan Evans, Connie Britton, Michael W. Smith, Misty Copeland and Nelly are the other presenters set to honor CMT Artists of the Year Chris Stapleton, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini and Luke Combs.
Mickey Guyton will also be honored with the Breakthrough Artist of the Year award. The show will air live on CMT from Music City’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center, starting at 9PM ET.
The news that Travis would become the sixth CMT Artist of a Lifetime came last month. He joins Merle Haggard, Kenny Rogers, Shania Twain, Loretta Lynn and Reba McEntire, winners in 2014 to 2019, with no award given in 2020.
The 90-minute show will feature several performances, including some first-time collaborations — Boyz II Men, Jonas Brothers, Kevin Olusola of Pentatonix, Walker Hayes and Yola are set to perform. The five Artists of the Year are also expected to perform.
The Artist of a Lifetime award comes as Travis celebrates the re-release of his 1986 debut album, Storms of Life, with three new songs added.
Brooks has kept busy as well, despite having to cancel his 2021 stadium tour. On Monday (Oct. 11), his Dive Bar Tour resumed with a show for 700 contest winners in Oklahoma City, Okla.
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See pictures of Randy Travis through the years, beginning with a photo of a wide-eyed young man from North Carolina in 1978, before he even had a hit song.