A mix of classic and contemporary country stars kicked off the 2016 Country Music Association Awards to celebrate its 50th anniversary, including Randy Travis, Vince Gill, Carrie Underwood, Charley Pride and Merle Haggard’s youngest son, Ben.
Brad Paisley, Roy Clark, Alabama, Charlie Daniels, Reba, Ricky Skaggs, Alan Jackson and Dwight Yoakam also helped start the show Wednesday night with 12 different performances, singing songs like “Mama Tried” and “Forever And Ever, Amen.”
Later in the show, Jason Aldean sang Brooks & Dunn’s “Brand New Man” with the duo, and couple Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood sang a medley together.
Paisley and Underwood, returning as hosts for the ninth time, told jokes about politics, Wikileaks, Brangelina’s breakup and more at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
“We’re so sick of politics, we don’t even care who wins,” they sang in harmony. At one point, Paisley called Underwood a “nasty woman,” mocking Donald Trump.