 |
| CMT’s Artist of a Lifetime Winner Loretta Lynn |
It’s the year of the woman so this year CMT is doing it right. The network announced that Loretta Lynn will be honored with the “Artist of a Lifetime” award presented by Ram Trucks at this year’s all-female “CMT Artists of the Year” event premiering live Wednesday, October 17 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.
Academy Award winner and “Coal Miner’s Daughter” actress Sissy Spacek, who played Lynn in the movie about her life, present the award to Lynn. Previous recipients of the honor including Shania Twain (2016), Kenny Rogers (2015), and Merle Haggard (2014).
“I’m always so proud when I receive any awards for my music, but when I heard it was this year’s “Artist of a Lifetime” award it made me really happy,” says Loretta Lynn. “It’s an honor to be able to make music that people enjoy and I’m really excited to have a new album coming out. Thank you, CMT for acknowledging me with this award and for honoring the women in country music at Artists of the Year.”
Loretta Lynn has long been established as the undisputed Queen of Country Music, with more than 50 years of recording and touring to her name. A self-taught guitarist and songwriter, Lynn was one of the most distinctive performers in Nashville in the 1960s and 1970s. She wrote her own songs, many of which tackled boundary-pushing topics drawn from her own life experiences as a wife and mother. “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Fist City” and “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” are just three of 16 country No. 1 singles. She has sold over 45 million records worldwide. Lynn’s latest studio album, Wouldn’t It Be Great, (Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment) will be released Friday, September 28.
For the first-time ever the annual “CMT Artists of the Year” special is dedicated to the women of country music—past, present and future. This year’s all-female “Artists of the Year” celebration will honor Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini,
Maren Morris, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott.
As in past years, the event will feature surprise musical pairings and guests that will be announced at a later date. In addition, CMT will further its commitment to female artists through a day-long “Women of Country Music” takeover across all CMT platforms where music lives including music hours on CMT, the 24/7 digital channel CMT Music and CMT Radio’s widely-syndicated shows “CMT Radio LIVE” and “CMT After Midnite” to encourage and inspire increased female airplay on October 17.
A staunch advocate for country music’s female artists, CMT launched its dedicated “Next Women of Country” campaign in 2013 as a way to give female artists voice and airplay across all CMT platforms. Ballerini and Morris are both alumnae of the “Next Women” franchise.
