Dierks Bentley, Carrie Underwood, Jon Pardi & Lainey Wilson To Honor Alan Jackson At 2022 CMA Awards

Dierks Bentley, Carrie Underwood, Jon Pardi and Lainey Wilson will deliver an all-star tribute performance in honor of Country Music Hall of Fame member Alan Jackson at the 2022 CMA Awards.

Jackson will receive the prestigious 2022 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at The 56th Annual CMA Awards, which will broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, November 9 on ABC.

The Country Music Association revealed the news on Thursday (Oct. 27) via press release and confirmed that the country music icon will be present to accept the prestigious award.

Following the announcement, Bentley recalled meeting Alan Jackson when he moved to Music City 28 years ago.

“The first country singer I ever met in Nashville when I moved here in 1994, was Alan Jackson….and by “met” I mean stalked!” Bentley wrote. “I was in the Green Hills mall when I saw him and his wife Denise. I waited outside for probably a half an hour until he walked out. I shook his hand and told him I was a huge fan. That’s all I wanted, was a handshake and to be able to tell him that. Not sure how much it meant to him, but it meant a lot to me! I remember watching him drive away in a lifted Chevy suburban, which I thought was pretty cool, since I drove a lifted Chevy Silverado.”

Wilson previously opened up to CMT about how Jackson means to Country music.

“Alan Jackson means so many things to me and to the rest of the world. He is a legend. He is a storyteller. He is true to himself and has stayed true to himself and has paved the way,” Wilson shared.

I’m thrilled to announce I’m performing in honor of @OfficialJackson receiving the 2022 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the #CMAawards! Y’all tune in Wednesday, Nov. 9! pic.twitter.com/ptxcZASG6R

— Lainey Wilson (@laineywilson) October 27, 2022

According to the CMA, the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award “is for an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music.” The award recognizes an artist who has achieved national and international success through performances, philanthropy, streaming, record sales, humanitarian efforts, and public representation “at the highest level.” The recipient of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award has had a positive impact on the country music genre and contributed to the growth of the genre over the course of several years.

“We are thrilled to honor Alan Jackson this year with the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “A three-time CMA Entertainer of the Year, he is responsible for so many iconic moments in CMA Awards history. Just as Alan has been influenced by many Country legends throughout his career, he too has inspired a generation of artists to stay true to the authenticity of Country Music. We are so excited to bring Dierks, Jon, Carrie and Lainey together on the CMA Awards stage for what will surely be an incredible and touching tribute to an artist they each deeply admire. Having had the great fortune of working with Alan over the years, I am delighted we are honoring him with this milestone award next month.”

Previous recipients of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award include Willie Nelson (2012), Kenny Rogers (2013), Johnny Cash (2015), Dolly Parton (2016), Kris Kristofferson (2019), Charley Pride (2020), and Loretta Lynn (2021).

Jackson’s unmatched stature as a singer and songwriter flourished by deeply tipping his hat to the legends of his youth and boldly embracing his roots.

Throughout his impressive career, he has blended the old and new in a unique style that is urban and rural, rugged and raw, and appeals to the large sector of the Country Music audience that reflects on the past for its musical influences.

Jackson has released more than 20 albums and collections—including forays into gospel and bluegrass—nine of which went multi-Platinum with 2 million or more in sales. Those albums have led to one of Country Music’s most decorated careers with three CMA Entertainer of the Year Awards (1995, 2002, 2003); two Grammy Awards; and membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry, the esteemed Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

Jackson was also given the first ASCAP Heritage Award (2014) by the performance rights organization, recognizing him as the most performed Country Music songwriter-artist of the last 100 years. Jackson has charted 35 No. 1 hits, sold nearly 60 million albums, and is among the genre’s most decorated and respected figures, with more than 150 awards.