Country legend Alan Jackson will be honored as CMT's Artist of a Lifetime. The award will be presented at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center during CMT's Artists of the Year celebration, which will air on Oct. 14 at 9 p.m. ET /8 p.m. CT.
"I believe I've made more videos than just about anybody, and I know how important they have been in bringing my songs to life for the fans, so thank you CMT for all the years and for this sweet honor," Jackson said in a statement. "I'm very proud."
Jackson has a long history with the CMT network, including memorable videos for "Chattahoochee," "Midnight in Montgomery" and more.
"We're honored to recognize the incomparable Alan Jackson as this year's CMT Artist of a Lifetime. For more than 30 years, his traditional sound, iconic voice and beloved catalog of music has captivated audiences across the globe and his talent as a recording artist and songwriter are simply unmatched," shared CMT producers in a statement.
Previous recipients of CMT's Artist of a Lifetime honor include Randy Travis, Reba McEntire, Loretta Lynn, Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers and Merle Haggard.
Artists of the Year
Luke Combs, Walker Hayes, Carly Pearce, Kane Brown and Cody Johnson will be honored at the 2022 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony. The event recognizes artists who've dominated the last 12 months in country music.
"We are honored to recognize the astounding achievements of this illustrious group of artists over the past year. Carly, Cody, Kane, Luke and Walker all represent the vibrant future of the country music format, as they defy convention and blaze new trails, breaking industry records and genre barriers," Margaret Comeaux, CMT's Senior Vice President of Production, Music & Events, said in a press statement. "We can't wait to celebrate their extraordinary accomplishments alongside their fellow artists and friends."
Pearce, Johnson and Hayes are first time honorees while Brown and Combs are honored for the third time.
The 90-minute special will feature performances from some of country's most beloved stars who'll come together to celebrate this year's honorees. Performers, presenters and additional honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.
Each of this year's nominees has had a profound impact on country music in the past 12 months. Combs' released his third studio album Growin' Up and announced a 2023 world tour.
Brown released Different Man, featuring "Like I Love Country Music." He also made history as the first-ever male country solo artist to perform on the 2022 MTV VMAs with new single "Grand."
Following the release of 29: Written in Stone, Pearce celebrated her third No. 1 single and her third No. 1 hit with "Never Wanted To Be That Girl," a duet with Ashley McBryde.
Johnson scored a No. 1 hit with "Til You Can't," from his highly successful and acclaimed Human The Double Album and released the Dear Rodeo documentary.
Hayes because a household name with his massive No.1 hit "Fancy Like." He also scored a Grammy nod and built on his already immense success with "AA" and "Y'all Life."
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on Sept. 21, 2022. It was updated on Sept. 30, 2022 to add the news of Alan Jackson being named Artist of a Lifetime.
