Garth Brooks Pulls Out From CMA Entertainer Of The Year Voting

Jul 30, 2020

Country music legend Garth Brooks, 58, announced in an online press conference on Wednesday that he will not compete for Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards this year.

Garth Brooks won't compete for Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards this year. Brooks — a seven-time winner of the lauded country music honor, considered by many to be a top prize in the format — said Wednesday in a Zoom press conference with about 70 reporters that "it's time for somebody else to hold that award." 

The 58-year-old won CMA Entertainer of the Year in 2019 when some in country music fandom argued passionately for Carrie Underwood or Eric Church be a first-time recipient of the award, according to Tennessean. He said in the conference:

"There's one tweet in there that really stuck in my head. It said, 'Hey, man. This guy, why doesn't he just step down (and leave) the entertainer for the next generation?' 100% agree."

"It's time for somebody else to hold that award." He continued, "With all the love in the world, we are officially pulling ourselves out of 'Entertainer of the Year.'" Brooks, who is one of the world's top-selling live entertainers across all genres and the highest-grossing touring artist out of Nashville last year, first won the Country Music Association honor in 1991, with 'Entertainer of the Year' trophies following in 1992, 1997, 1998, 2016, 2017.

Fellow country music artists have taken to social media to express their support to Brooks' decision. Blake Shelton retweeted Steve Wariner's post captioning:

"Agreed Steve.... He is Garth Brooks. GARTH BROOKS!!! I don’t give a sh*t what anyone says. ANYONE. Entertainer of the century."

For his win in 2019, Brooks used much of his speech to shine the spotlight on his fellow country stars and up-and-coming entertainers like Luke Combs and Kelsea Ballerini and sent a special shout out to his wife and fellow country star Trisha Yearwood.

"This means the world to me," he told ET backstage. "The fact that it's number seven and the fact that it came on the tribute to women's night, being married to one of the greatest female singers ever, being the father of three daughters, love this show. This is very special."

What are your thoughts on the legend that is Garth Brooks pulling himself out of the running for the CMA honor and who do you think will win the title this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and be sure to pass this along to all the country music lovers in your life.