Miranda Lambert is Receiving the Merle Haggard Spirit Award . . . and Sturgill Simpson Is Blasting the ACMs for Creating It
Let’s start with good news. MIRANDA LAMBERT will receive the first-ever “Merle Haggard Spirit Award” at tonight’s ACM Honors. The show’s being recorded and will air September 9th on CBS.
The award represents Merle’s quote, “singular vision in carving an indelible path in country music” and Miranda is a pretty good choice.
She’s a longtime fan who sang “The Fightin’ Side of Me” in 2003 when she was a nobody competing on“Nashville Star”. She also loves performing his songs in concert and on awards shows.
And now the negative side: STURGILL SIMPSON hit up social media yesterday BLASTING the ACMs for creating the award.
He accused them of “hitching their wagon to his name” even though they turned their back on him in his later years. He knew Merle pretty well and “had a sense” that he wanted one last hit, “yet it never came.”
Then he went in a different direction by calling today’s country “formulaic cannon fodder,” and said the ACMs should dedicate their shows to “actual country music.”
While he was at it, he also called out “Garden & Gun” magazine for changing the cover of their April/May issue. Originally, it was himself and Merle, but they went with a photo of CHRIS STAPLETON instead.
Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, and Cam will be on tomorrow’s “Good Morning America” revealing the final nominations for the “50th Annual CMA Awards”. The show airs November 2nd on ABC . . . with BRAD PAISLEY and CARRIE UNDERWOOD returning as hosts. (Full Story)
Speaking of CAM. She announced the dates of her first-ever headline tour. The “Burning House” tour will kick off October 27th in Chicago. Grab the details at CamCountry.com.
THOMAS RHETT brought out ASHTON KUTCHER to help him sing a verse of “Friends In Low Places” at his show in Iowa over the weekend. They also chugged a couple of beers. (Careful: An audience member yells “kiss my ass” at the very beginning . . . and then again when Thomas and Ashton sing the “kiss my ass” part at the 1:12 mark. Here’s video.)