CMA Responds As Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires Quit Over Missing Tributes To John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver

The Country Music Association is under fire for not paying tribute to recently deceased artists during its November 11th CMA annual awards show.

Jason Isbell and wife Amanda Shires took to Twitter to announce that they were surrendering their lifetime CMA membership cards over the lack of respect shown to recently departed musicians John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Billy Joe Shaver.

Rosanne Cash and Sturgill Simpson have also been critical of the CMA’s narrow focus.

Country Music Association Responds

“The CMA Awards broadcast historically does not include an In Memoriam segment.

An In Memoriam did air in 2017 to honor the victims of the tragic shooting at Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas. In order to recognize those we have lost each year, the CMA does include an In Memoriam tribute on our website and in our annual CMA Awards Program Guide, which was mailed to CMA members ahead of this year’s broadcast.

To note, this year’s In Memoriam includes those lives lost prior to the program guide’s printing deadline of October 14, 2020.”