Morgan Wallen’s Surprise Appearance at Ella Langley’s Ryman Show, Shades the CMA
Here’s the scene: Ella Langley, rising country star, is mid-set at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium when Morgan Wallen strolls onto the stage, much to the delight of fans. What follows is a duet…
Here’s the scene: Ella Langley, rising country star, is mid-set at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium when Morgan Wallen strolls onto the stage, much to the delight of fans. What follows is a duet version of “Cover Me Up” (originally by Jason Isbell) that gives chills, and a zinger aimed straight at the CMA Awards.
Morgan Wallen’s Surprise Appearance
Wallen made a surprise appearance at Langley’s show at the Ryman Auditorium, just a few steps away from Bridgestone Arena, where the CMA Awards will take place on November 19. ICYMI, Wallen and the award-giving body don’t exactly have a cordial relationship, and Wallen (CMA’s 2024 Entertainer of the Year) isn’t expected to attend this year’s festivities.
Langley told the crowd that she’s been inviting Wallen to perform with her for quite some time now, and Wallen found the perfect opening to take a jab at the CMA. Wallen said, “It takes a lot more than an awards show to get me out to Broadway these days, I’ll tell you that.”
Wallen and the CMA
The discord between the Tennessee-born singer-songwriter and the CMA started in 2021 when the association banned Wallen from attending after he was caught on video earlier that year using a racial slur. The next year, he attended as one of the performers, but not as a winner, even though he was nominated in three categories, including Entertainer of the Year.
In 2023, he was once again nominated as Entertainer of the Year, as well as Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year for One Thing at a Time. He did not take home a trophy, which had his fans calling out the CMA. After the event, Wallen posted on his Instagram Story: “Walked in tonight a winner, didn’t leave no different."
During the Billboard Music Awards, a week after the CMA, Wallen said after taking home 11 trophies, “You know, like the song says, you win some, you lose some. And last award show I went to, we came home empty handed, and this one, I don’t have enough hands for them all.”
He also admitted he was temporarily bothered when he did not win any awards during the 2023 CMA: “Bothered me for like five minutes.” His feelings were valid given that, in 2023, One Thing At A Time was the biggest album and most of its tracks were climbing to the top of the charts.
