The 59th annual CMA Awards are taking place on Wednesday, November 19th, in Nashville, TN, and today we are taking a look back at the history of the show’s biggest award of them all. Every year, the Entertainer of the Year award is presented last at the CMA Awards.
According to the Country Music Association, the Entertainer of the Year award goes to the artist with “The greatest competence in all aspects of the entertainment field. Voters should give consideration not only to recorded performance but also to the in-person performance, public acceptance, leadership, and overall contribution to Country Music”.
Here is a look at every CMA Entertainer of the Year winner ever
1967 - Eddy Arnold - 1st Win
1968 - Glenn Campbell - 1st Win
1969 - Johnny Cash - 1st Win
1970 - Merle Haggard - 1st Win
1971 - Charley Pride - 1st Win
1972 - Loretta Lynn - 1st Win
1973 - Roy Clark - 1st Win
1974 - Charlie Rich - 1st Win
1975 - John Denver - 1st Win
1976 - Mel Tillis - 1st Win
1977 - Ronnie Milsap - 1st Win
1978 - Dolly Parton - 1st Win
1979 - Willie Nelson - 1st Win
1980 - Barbara Mandrell - 1st Win
1981 - Barbara Mandrell - 2nd Win
1982 - Alabama - 1st Win
1983 - Alabama - 2nd Win
1984 - Alabama - 3rd Win
1985 - Ricky Skaggs - 1st Win
1986 - Reba McEntire - 1st Win
1987 - Hank Williams Jr. - 1st Win
1988 - Hank Williams Jr. - 2nd Win
1989 - George Strait - 1st Win
1990 - George Strait - 2nd Win
1991 - Garth Brooks - 1st Win
1992 - Garth Brooks - 2nd Win
1993 - Vince Gill - 1st Win
1994 - Vince Gill - 2nd Win
1995 - Alan Jackson - 1st Win
1996 - Brooks & Dunn - 1st Win
1997 - Garth Brooks - 3rd Win
1998 - Grath Brooks - 4th Win
1999 - Shania Twain - 1st Win
2000 - The Chicks - 1st Win
2001 - Tim McGraw - 1st Win
2002 - Alan Jackson - 2nd Win
2003 - Alan Jackson - 3rd Win
2004 - Kenny Chesney - 1st Win
2005 - Keith Urban - 1st Win
2006 - Kenny Chesney - 2nd Win
2007 - Kenny Chesney - 3rd Win
2008 - Kenny Chesney - 4th Win
2009 - Taylor Swift - 1st Win
2010 - Brad Paisley - 1st Win
2011 - Taylor Swift - 2nd Win
2012 - Blake Shelton - 1st Win
2013 - George Strait - 3rd Win
2014 - Luke Bryan - 1st Win
2015 - Luke Bryan - 2nd Win
2016 - Garth Brooks - 5th Win
2017 - Garth Brooks - 6th Win
2018 - Keith Urban - 2nd Win
2019 - Garth Brooks - 7th Win
2020 - Eric Church - 1st Win
2021 - Luke Combs - 1st Win
2022 - Luke Combs - 2nd Win
2023 - Lainey Wilson - 1st Win
2024 - Morgan Wallen - 1st Win
2025 - TBA - This year’s nominees include Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, and Cody Johnson
You can watch this year’s CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 19th at 8/7 CT on ABC and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.