The DM Zone with Host Dianemarie (DM) Collins was fortunate to cover the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards, commonly known as CMA 50 or the 50th CMA Awards, were held on November 2, 2016 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The ceremony recognizes some of the best country music released during the eligibility period (between July 1, 2015 and July 20, 2016). It is the eleventh ceremony to be held at the Arena, the seventeenth to be held in November and the ninth night to be co-hosted by country stars Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. The ceremony was directed by Paul Miller.
As it was the 50th anniversary of the awards, the Country Music Association ran an extensive promotional campaign and CMA Executive Producer Robert Deaton stated that the aim of the ceremony was to include a lot of “heritage artists” and honor the history of country music, stressing that there would be less of a focus on artists promoting their current singles as is usually the case so that greater time could be spent including “exciting throwbacks”.
About Dierks Bentley
Frederick Dierks Bentley (born November 20, 1975) is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2003, he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his eponymous debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005’s Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006’s Long Trip Alone, is certified gold. It was followed in mid-2008 by a greatest hits package. His fourth album, Feel That Fire was released in February 2009. A bluegrass album, Up on the Ridge, was released on June 8, 2010; a sixth album, Home, followed in February 2012, as did a seventh one, Riser, in 2014. Bentley’s eighth album, entitled Black, was released in May 2016. His ninth and most recent studio album, The Mountain, was released on June 8, 2018.
Bentley’s studio albums have accounted for 25 singles on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, of which 16 have reached number one: his debut single “What Was I Thinkin'”, “Come a Little Closer”, “Settle for a Slowdown”, “Every Mile a Memory”, “Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)”, “Feel That Fire”, “Sideways”, “Am I the Only One”, “Home”, “5-1-5-0”, “I Hold On”, “Drunk on a Plane”, “Say You Do”, “Somewhere on a Beach”, “Different for Girls” and “Woman, Amen”. Seven more of his singles have reached the top 5.
About Elle King
Tanner Elle Schneider (born July 3, 1989), known professionally as Elle King, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her musical style encompasses country, soul, rock and blues. In 2012, King released her debut EP, The Elle King EP, on RCA. The EP track “Playing for Keeps” is the theme song for VH1’s Mob Wives Chicago series. She released her debut album, Love Stuff on February 17, 2015. The album produced the US top 10 single “Ex’s & Oh’s”, which earned her two Grammy Award nominations. King has also toured with acts such as Of Monsters and Men, Train, James Bay, the Dixie Chicks, Heart, Joan Jett, Michael Kiwanuka and Miranda Lambert. She is the daughter of actor and comedian Rob Schneider and former model London King. She currently resides in Los Angeles.
