By Tribune Staff
NASHVILLE, TN — The Academy of Country Music’s (ACM) annual awards show is shifting both its air date and location. It was announced that the program was moving to September and was not going to air in its usual home of Las Vegas. Instead it’s airing in September and in Music City. Nashville mayor John Cooper announced in a morning press briefing that the city will host the September 16 show on CBS (locally WTVF-5). It will be shown in three locations: the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium, and the Bluebird Cafe.
It’s the first time in the shows’ 55-year history that it has been presented in Nashville. The Academy of Country Music’s home base is Los Angeles. “While we were disappointed to postpone our April show in Las Vegas, we couldn’t be more thrilled to host the rescheduled 55th ACM Awards in the home of country music for the first time in the Academy’s history,” the ACM told Variety in a statement. “First and foremost, we want to ensure the safety of our artists and industry, and to ease the burdens of traveling large teams; therefore, we decided to bring the ACM Awards to them this September in Nashville.”
Tennessee’s governor Bill Lee also issued a statement “On behalf of all Tennesseans, I want to thank the Academy of Country Music for bringing this event home … Tennessee is honored to be a part of this historic event.”“Country music has been our voice and our companion through so many difficult times and now it is our comfort as we confront and defeat the coronavirus,” said Cooper. “I’m excited to join country music fans worldwide to celebrate with the Academy of Country Music and artists that uplift and inspire us all in these extraordinary times. And I look forward to the day when we can safely welcome visitors back to enjoy all that Music City has to offer, including over 160 live entertainment venues with the best country music shows in the world.”
The ACM Awards, hosted by last year’s entertainer of the year winner Keith Urban, will air live at 7 p.m. CDT.