Jelly Roll and his wife Bunnie XO made their first CMT Music Awards red carpet appearance together, where he promoted his upcoming album Whitsitt Chapel on a patch of his red and black letterman jacket. Bunnie XO wore a black sequin strapless cocktail dress with thigh-high boots.
The “Son of a Sinner” singer and first-time nominee is nominated for three CMT Music Awards, including Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year, and CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year.
During rehearsals for his first-ever CMT Music Awards performance, Jelly Roll talked to CMT about how it was a moment he spoke into existence just one year ago.
“So last year I’m sitting on the couch, right, and we’re watching the CMT Awards, because dude we’ve been watching CMT since I was a kid, you know, and I was sitting there and I was like, man I’m gonna perform on this thing next year dude. Ya know how crazy that sounded when I told my wife that and I was just high enough to tweet it. I didn’t even remember tweeting it is the best part until it came back up.”
While walking the red carpet, Jelly Roll was surprised with his first-ever CMT Music Award for CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year for “Son of A Sinner” from CMT All Access while on the red carpet.
“What is this? I just won an award? Let’s go! What a way to start the night, baby! Let’s go. This motherf’s heavy. Y’all just did that for real? I thought I was doing an interview,” he said. “What a way to start, baby. Cody Allen just told me that I won the award for digital first performance tonight, baby. What a way to start the night. They told me I was coming to walk the carpet.”
Ahead of his first awards show performance, Jelly Roll’s wife Bunnie XO shared how proud she is of her husband in a sweet Instagram post:
“This weekend I get to see you perform at the Cmt awards & I don’t think I’ll be able to contain the tears. 😭 You’ve worked so hard to get here, never once compromising who you are as a man. Nothing is more beautiful than watching you become the star I always knew you were. Let’s bring ‘em hell Daddy & let’s bring home some awards! 🏆🪄💫 Tune in Sunday April 2nd at 8 pm to watch his first award show performance 📺🎵🎉”
Jelly Roll, 38, and Bunnie, 43, first met at one of the Nashville native’s concerts on Fremont Street in Las Vegas at The Country Saloon in 2015. Nearly a year later, the couple tied the knot on August 31, 2016.
In 2022, the beloved couple made their red carpet debut at the 56th Annual CMA Awards.
Co-hosted by Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, the 2023 CMT Music Awards will feature performances from Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, and Tyler Hubbard.
Additionally, the show will feature one-of-a-kind collaborations, including a 10th anniversary of CMT Next Women of Country celebration featuring Alanis Morissette with Lainey Wilson, Ingrid Andress, Madeline Edwards, and Morgan Wade. Gwen Stefani and Carly Pearce will join forces for a special collaboration, while Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown are set to team up for the television premiere of their chart-topping duet, “Thank God.”
The Black Crowes and Darius Rucker will deliver a first-time collaboration of “She Talks To Angels,” and Wynonna Judd and Ashley McBryde will also take the stage together for a world premiere performance.
The show will also include a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan from Gary Clark, Jr. and a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute featuring Billy Gibbons, Chuck Leavell, Cody Johnson, Paul Rodgers, Slash & Warren Haynes and LeAnn Rimes & Wynonna Judd as honorary “Honkettes.”
Rising stars Avery Anna, Chapel Hart, Jackson Dean, Lily Rose, Nate Smith, and Megan Moroney will make their CMT Music Awards performance debut on the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
Presenters include Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Charles Esten, Dixie D’Amelio, Dustin Lynch, HARDY, Ian Bohen + Jen Landon (Yellowstone), Jon Pardi, LeAnn Rimes, Madison Bailey (Outer Banks), Max Thieriot (Fire Country), Megan Thee Stallion, Noah Schnapp (Stranger Things), Parker McCollum, Peter Frampton, Shania Twain, Steve Howey (True Lies) and Travis Kelce.
The coveted awards show will air live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Sunday, April 2 at 8/7c on CBS. Additionally, it will stream live and on-demand via Paramount+.
