CMA Awards Red Carpet: Kelsea Ballerini With Chase Stokes and More

The 57th annual Country Music Association Awards are underway at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning are hosting the show for a second time.

Nominees up for the coveted Entertainer of the Year award include Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson. In terms of overall nominations, Lainey Wilson leads the pack with nine, followed by Jelly Roll with five nominations.

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Musical performers for the evening include Luke Bryan, The War and Treaty, Lainey Wilson, Tanya Tucker with Little Big Town, Carly Pearce, Old Dominion with Megan Moroney, Ashley McBryde, Cody Johnson, Jordan Davis, Jelly Roll with K. Michelle, Stapleton, Dan + Shay, Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Wallen, Post Malone and a tribute to Jimmy Buffett from Kenny Chesney, Mac McAnally, Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band and the Coral Reefer Band.

Presenters for the evening include Paula Abdul, Bill Anderson, Nate Bargatze, Kevin Cahoon, Jordan Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Sara Evans, Brian Kelley, Lady A, Martina McBride, Parker McCollum, Craig Morgan, Darius Rucker, Corey Seager, Gerry Turner, Keith Urban, Hailey Whitters and Chris Young.

Early highlights in the show included Jelly Roll opening the show with his hit “Need a Favor,” which turned into a surprise duet featuring Wynonna Judd; Tracy Chapman winning a CMA Award for writing “Fast Car,” which has seen renewed fame and a new audience thanks to a popular cover by Combs; and Bryan performing a medley of his hits, including “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” “One Margarita,” “That’s My Kind of Night,” “Play It Again” and”Country Girl (Shake It for Me).”

Check out some of the best red carpet fashion from the CMA Awards.

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Jelly Roll

Nicole Kidman

Mickey Guyton

Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes

Post Malone

Lainey Wilson

Lainey Wilson at the 2023 CMA Awards

Darius Rucker

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

Colbie Caillat

Gerry Turner

Cynthia Erivo

Lindsay Ell

Paula Abdul

Ashley McBryde

Brothers Osborne

Brenda Lee

Kelsea Ballerini

Chase Stokes

Luke and Caroline Bryan