BY MELISSA RUGGIERI
NASHVILLE -- We all know that the big stories from last night’s CMA Awards in Nashville were the coronation of Chris Stapleton and obvious acceptance of Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush.”
But before the show on a steamy red carpet that made everyone’s makeup smear and afterward in the press room, several country popped by to chat.
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Luke Bryan – After giddily posing for photographers with his second career Entertainer of the Year trophy, the Leesburg native immediately started talking about others. "What an amazing night of music. It's so fun to watching the birth of an artist happen like (it did with Chris Stapleton). When you look at the songs he's written for other artists…and then Little Big Town…you're talking about a group that has worked YEARS. It's just fun watching because it's so deserved."
Bryan also called LBT’s Karen Fairchild “one of the finest vocalists on the planet,” and gushed about Garth Brooks, with whom he shared a tight hug on his way to the podium to accept his award.
“Garth re-wrote the book on entertainment and he caught a lot of flak for that. I was a 14-year old kid caught up in the middle of it as much as anyone in this whole nation. No one watched the Garth Brooks specials more than me. When you can have that moment with him, I hope he knows…that’s what pushed me.”
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Chris Stapleton – In his black overcoat and feather-adorned cowboy hat, the burly Stapleton cut an imposing figure, but spoke with quiet humility. "It's surreal. I feel very loved," he said of the three major awards he won (check out show coverage here).
When asked about the importance of airplay – his “Traveller” album has come nowhere near the mainstream – Stapleton was diplomatic.
“I don’t think there’s any right way to do thing; I think it’s important to find your own way. We did things the way we felt like we could get them done. There’s literally 100 people that should be standing up here talking about all of the work that’s gone into (my career).”
A reporter inquired how Stapleton would react to this newfound attention, which prompted a shy laugh. “I’m going to do my best to handle it with some degree of grace.”
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Brantley Gilbert – The Jefferson native, in his typical uniform of dark jeans and cap, chatted with wife Amber Cochran about why he he's back living near his hometown. "There's people there that are really good at holding me accountable and making sure I stay true to who I am and where I'm from. It's hard to forget where you can from if you're still there." Gilbert will kick off "The Blackout Tour" in January (Michael Ray and Canaan Smith open); a Feb. 4 date is slated for Augusta.
Granger Smith – The genial Smith, one of those "overnight sensations" who has been relentlessly touring the country for a decade, discussed the solid debut of his EP, "4x4." "It's a combination of a lot of groundwork we built with fans over a decade, the right song at the right time, and the record label, they're rock stars right now." Smith will release a full-length album in early 2016 (he lamented that he couldn't yet share the title or official release date), but fans can catch him Dec. 12 at Wild Bill's with A Thousand Horses and Lindsay Ell for 94.9 The Bull's Georgia Country Christmas show.
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Pentatonix – The vocal quintet might have seemed an odd fit at the show (they presented the Vocal Group of the Year award), but the group's Scott Hoying said they're all big country fans. "What I love about it is that it's about singing. Every singer in country music is a good singer and that's what we do, we sing. It's a perfect fit," he said. As for their self-titled album, their first of original material that debuted at No. 1 last week, Kirstin Maldonado said the group really didn't know what to expect when they first started putting the release together. "But it was a cool way to channel our creativity and figure out our sound," she said. Look for a Pentatonix tour in early 2016.
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Lauren Alaina – The spunky Rossville native lives in Nashville but tries to make the 2 ½-hour drive home once a month. "I miss my family and the food. There's nothing like being back home. Nashville is my home now, but there's a difference, there's a comfort being home with your family and where you grew up. Alaina recently returned after a two-year break with "Next Boyfriend" from a self-titled EP. She wrote more than 200 songs during the "gap," which found her dealing with personal issues such as her parents' divorce, her dad going to alcohol rehab (he just celebrated two years of sobriety) and vocal cord surgery, which all but silenced her for nearly eight months. "Girl, it was as bad as it sounds, trust me!" she said with a laugh. The 2011 "American Idol" runner-up plans to release a full-length album next year.
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Cassadee Pope – The lovely Pope, clad in what was probably the most talked-about outfit at the CMAs, was excited to talk about her upcoming album. "It's been a really awesome year figuring out what kind of message (the album) is going to have. 'I Am Invincible' is out and it's just a really positive message and I'm continuing with that theme. I have a few songs that I'm really excited for fans to hear because I think it will really help them through some rough times." Pope debuted "I Am Invincible" at the Special Olympics Summer Games. She's also featured on "Think of You," a duet with Chris Young, and will be part of a tour slated for January-March.
Aaron Tippin – To celebrate his 25th anniversary in the music business, Tippin has a commemorative album, of course, but also a 25th anniversary blackberry wine, from Stonehaus Winery in Tennessee. "Buddy, it is so delicious," Tippin said. "When you go buy a bottle, put it in the refrigerator. When it's cooling down, go to the oven and make a big ol' batch of biscuits and stick 'em in there and eat biscuits and drink wine and, whoo!" Tippin also reflected on his career accomplishments, noting, "That road narrows as it goes, so to still be out there flying down it, I'm very thankful."
About the Author
