If you are like me, you love making Country Music Association Awards night on TV into a party! All the biggest names are in attendance and your TV is loaded down with non-stop country music and hours of entertainment. But it wasn't always that way.

Did you know that in 1967, when the CMA's were first presented, the show wasn't even televised? On that night, Eddy Arnold was named Entertainer of the Year. Sonny James and Bobbie Gentry hosted.

In 1968, the second CMA Awards was recorded by NBC and televised a couple of weeks later. Glen Campbell won the Entertainer of the Year Award.

Finally in 1969, the CMA’s were televised live. In 1969, 1970, and 1971, the CMA Awards were broadcast on NBC In 1972 the show aired for the first time on CBS where it stayed for the next 33 years. Since then, ABC has been the home to the show.

The Ryman Auditorium was the first home for the first seven CMA awards shows. Then it moved to the Grand Ole Opry House and finally the Bridgestone Arena, where the show now takes place and will again on November 5th.

The show was not always filled with star studded performances. In fact, it originally began as a one hour show, then in 1976 it ran for 90 minutes.

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood have been hosting the show for the last seven years. The record holder is: Vince Gill who has hosted it 12 times.

 

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