NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville is back in the spotlight for the 2022 CMT Music Awards. The award show will take place downtown at the Municipal Auditorium.
Municipal Way has been closed to allow crews to transform the auditorium for the show. A portion of Broadway is also closed between Fifth and Sixth Avenue by Bridgestone Arena until after the show.
Some of the biggest names will be taking the stage, as performers and presenters.
Country superstar Kelsea Ballerini and actor Anthony Mackie, who portrays Falcon in the Marvel universe, will host country music's only entirely fan-voted award show together. On Monday morning, Ballerini announced she tested positive for COVID-19 and will host virtually from home.
There will also be appearances from CBS Morning's Gayle King, singer Martina McBride, cast members from Netflix’s Queer Eye, and actor Dennis Quaid.
You can also catch the first televised performance in over two decades from "The Judds."
After seven, years Kenny Chesney will be taking the CMT stage. People Magazine confirms Faith Hill will be making an appearance at the show. It’s been 12 years since she’s attended.
Mickey Guyton, who recently made history as the first Black woman to be nominated in a country solo performance category at the Grammys will be in attendance. She's nominated for "Female Video of the Year."
"It's about togetherness. We have been on lockdown for so long and now we're opening up — and this song I feel like colors... my sisters, my brothers, we're here and we're all each other's favorite colors,” Guyton explained.
Walker Hayes whose song "Fancy Like" made it extra cool to hit up an Applebee’s for a date night, is nominated for "Male Video of the Year" and will perform.
“I'm doing a little bit of dancing — just giving you hints of the good stuff — and there are talented dancers. There are like, real-life, get paid to do it, dancers... they just amp the energy. That's my favorite part of my performance,” Hayes said.
A lot of eyes will be on the "Video of the Year" category too.
Nominated artists include Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown, Cody Johnson, Cole Swindell with Lainey Wilson, and Jason Aldean with Carrie Underwood.
Underwood won "Video of the Year" last year with John Legend for "Hallelujah."
“Obviously I'm so excited to be nominated for Video of the Year, and to have it be with Jason Aldean is just extra special because I feel like two of us get to celebrate the song that we're so proud of, the video we're so proud of, and we'll see what our fans do!” Underwood explained.
Kacey Musgraves, who is nominated for “Female Video of the Year," thinks being honored for the visual side of her art is amazing.
"It's just really cool and different to be recognized for the visual part of your work, too because it's such a big deal to me. I instantly start seeing the music videos and the stories playing out whenever I’m writing the songs," Musgraves said.
The show airs on April 11 on NewsChannel 5 at 7 p.m. You can also catch it on Paramount+.
