Garth Brooks announced he doesn’t want to be considered for the Country Music Association Awards’ Entertainer of the Year award this year.
The 58-year-old country superstar said Wednesday during a Zoom press conference that ‘it’s time for somebody else to hold that award,’ according to The Tennessean.
The Grammy winner is no stranger to claiming the prize, having won it seven times in the past.
Taking a break: Garth Brooks, 58, said he wouldn’t compete for the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year award on Wednesday; Brooks pictured with his wife Trisha Yearwood in November 2019
Brooks last won the honor in 2019, though many country fans thought the other nominees, including Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Keith Urban and Chris Stapleton, were ready to claim the award.
‘There’s one tweet in there that really stuck in my head,’ Brooks said remotely. “It said, “Hey, man. This guy, why doesn’t he just step down (and leave) the entertainer for the next generation?” 100 percent agree.
‘The last thing I want to do is seem ungrateful,’ he continued, adding that ‘it’s time for somebody else to hold that award … ’cause they’re all out there busting their butts.
‘With all the love in the world, we are officially pulling ourselves out of Entertainer of the Year,’ he said.
Winning streak: Brooks won the prize seven times in the past, most recently in 2019; pictured in 2018
New blood: His 2019 win divided country fans, many of whom thought his competitors Carrie Underwood or Eric Church should have won for the first time; Carrie pictured in November 2013
Brooks previously won the award, considered one of the most prestigious honors in country music, in 1991, ’92, ’97, ’98, 2016 and ’17.
The Friends In Low Places singer wasn’t completely opposed to winning an award, suggesting the CMA could give him with an Entertainer of the Year Emeritus award, though he acknowledged that the association ‘can’t just create a title and give it to somebody, because they want to treat everybody fairly.’
‘If I had my dream, that’s how we’d handle this situation right here,’ he said.
Though the singer made clear he doesn’t want the trophy for 2020, it may be out of his hands, as the CMA organizers aren’t allowed to change the nominees.
Friends in low places: The Friends In Low Places singer wasn’t completely opposed to winning an award, suggesting the CMA could give him with an Entertainer of the Year Emeritus award; shown in 1990
‘There’s one tweet in there that really stuck in my head,’ Brooks said. “It said, “Hey, man. This guy, why doesn’t he just step down (and leave) the entertainer for the next generation?” 100 percent agree’; pictured with Yearwood in December 2019
Instead, enough voting members would have to exclude him from the category in order for him to miss out.
Voting among members began late in June, and second round ballots will go out on Friday, with the final voting occurring in October.
‘If voters have nominated Garth Brooks in the first round, his name will appear on the second ballot,’ a statement from the CMA said. ‘It will then be up to voters in this second round to select their top finalists. The final 2020 CMA Awards nominees, which will consist of five nominees in each category, will be announced in the coming weeks…’
Brooks was optimistic about his 2021 performances, assuming the pandemic wanes enough for it to be safe to play in front of crowds.
‘We stand a good chance of having the best year of our career,’ he said, noting the rescheduled performances from this year, along with a live television special later this year.
He also plans to have a massive stadium tour in 2022 that will take him to some of the country’s largest venues.
In their hands: The CMA can’t take Brooks out of the running, so it’s up to voters to exclude him from their ballots
‘We could be up for this thing for the next three years and deservingly have a shot at it,’ he said, before conceding that ‘I just don’t think that would be fun for anybody.’
The Unanswered Prayers singer also confirmed his plans to build a branded bar in downtown Nashville, as well as his COVID-19 scare from earlier this year.
Both he and his country singer wife Trisha Yearwood went into isolation earlier this month after fearing they were exposed to the coronavirus, though they later tested negative.
Though he’s not looking to snag the top CMA award this year, the singer sounded optimistic about getting back to performing as soon as possible.
‘I could do this for the next 100 years,’ Brooks said. ‘I can’t wait to get out there.’
More to come: The country singer didn’t sound like he was slowing down anytime soon. ‘I could do this for the next 100 years,’ Brooks enthused. ‘I can’t wait to get out there’