Country Music Month is in full swing and has received a State of Tennessee Proclamation by Governor Bill Haslam. The Country Music Association is celebrating October as Country Music Month with promotions, events, and activities designed to drive awareness of the format leading up to the annual CMA Awards, “Country Music’s Biggest Night™,” on Wednesday, Nov. 9.
In the state document proclaiming October as Country Music Month in the state of Tennessee, Governor Haslam cited the origins of the format in the Appalachian foothills, the values and principles of the music, and the undeniable impact Country Music and the Country Music Association has had on the community, state, and society as a whole.
According to the proclamation, “This art form remains quintessentially American, uncovering the poetry embedded in everyday life, and celebrating the same traits that inspired those who laid its foundation.”
First observed in October of 1964, Country Music Month was created by the Country Music Association to celebrate the format and bring additional awareness to landmark events and institutions in the history of Country Music, including the formation of CMA and the anniversary of the WSM Grand Ole Opry. What followed was a groundswell of support from dozens of states, which issued proclamations in support of the idea, and eventually the White House with several Presidential Proclamations beginning in 1970.
Events, promotions, and activities are planned through Wednesday, Nov. 9, when the campaign culminates with “The 45th Annual CMA Awards,” which will be held at the Bridgestone Arena and broadcast live on the ABC Television Network. Planned grassroots promotional efforts include:
- CMA Songwriter Series events in New York and Nashville
- Launch of CountryMusicMonth.com with daily content updates
- Online artist and nominee spotlights
- CMA Awards Channel for Country Music Month on iHeartRadio
- CMA giveaways and partner sweepstakes, and more!
The Grand Ole Opry will be celebrating its 86th birthday in the month of October with special shows and events. For more details, go to opry.com. CMA is making Web tools available for partners including logos, graphics, banners, video and audio files, and more. For information visit CountryMusicMonth.com/webtools.
Founded in 1958, the Country Music Association was the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. In 1961, CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Music’s highest honor. More than 6,400 music industry professionals and companies from around the globe are members of CMA. The organization’s objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advance the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA’s core initiatives – the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry and air Nov. 9 on the ABC Television Network; the CMA Music Festival, which benefits music education and is also taped for a three-hour special on ABC-TV; and CMA’s latest ABC-TV property, “CMA Country Christmas,” which is taped the day after the CMA Awards and features Country artists performing original music and Christmas classics for broadcast during the holiday season.
Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio packager of the CMA Awards. Chevrolet™ is a Proud Partner of the CMA Awards and Official Ride of Country Music. American Airlines is the Official Airline of the 2011 CMA Awards. Macy’s is the official presenting partner of the CMA Awards Red Carpet. CMA is a Proud Supporter of DRIVE4COPD.