CMA Awards EP on Post Malone, Why Beyoncé Is Always Invited and That Epic Justin Timberlake-Chris Stapleton Duet

The CMA Awards are identified for his or her inventive, collaborative performances, and Robert Deaton — who has govt produced the present since 2007 — is chargeable for quite a lot of them.

He invited Ariana Grande to sing with Little Large City, had Fall Out Boy rock out with Thomas Rhett and paired Beyoncé with The Chicks. Different instances, he’s sensible sufficient to say sure when another person brings the concept to the desk, like Rhett performing a brand new track alongside breakthrough performer Teddy Swims at Wednesday’s present, or Chris Stapleton becoming a member of forces with Justin Timberlake in 2015 for a life-changing efficiency that’s within the CMA historical past books. 

Deaton recollects the rehearsal for Stapleton’s career-changing second, saying: “It was good. I wouldn’t have gone residence considering, ‘That’s the best factor I’ve ever seen.’ After which Justin whispered in my ear, ‘Hey man, thanks, don’t fear, we’ll deliver it tomorrow evening.’ I type of brushed it away.”

He continues: “After which, that evening, they carried out it, and I’m like, ‘Now I perceive what he was saying.’ Oh my God. I’ve by no means had a efficiency that actually sucked the air out of the room. Usually your mind and your thoughts and your physique resets throughout a industrial break. Yeah, no, there was no resetting. That efficiency hung over the remainder of the present. It simply did. It was all anyone may speak about. It modified the room for the remainder of the present.”

It’s one among many moments Deaton is happy with, and he’s hoping this 12 months’s present can have related power. Stapleton will open with Publish Malone and different performers embrace Luke Combs, Kacey Musgraves, Shaboozey, Brooks & Dunn with Jelly Roll, Dierks Bentley, and Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan. George Strait will obtain the 2024 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award and Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning and Lainey Wilson will host the occasion, airing reside on ABC from the Bridgestone Enviornment in Nashville.

Earlier than rising to govt producer, Deaton labored on the CMA Awards as inventive producer and TV chair. He’s additionally a five-time Grammy nominee who has directed music movies for Reba McEntire and Martina McBride, he produced the Billboard Music Awards and even earned two Sports activities Emmys for his work on Monday Evening Soccer. This 12 months’s awards marks his fiftieth occasion for the Nation Music Affiliation.

“I’m actually proud and I’m actually blessed and I really like these folks,” he tells THR. “I additionally assume that this 12 months is such an thrilling time to be in nation music.”

In an interview, he talks about loving Publish Malone’s nation album, Eric Church’s deliberate tribute to North Carolina and why Beyoncé — who was closely snubbed on the CMA Awards — is at all times welcomed to the present. 

You talked about that that is an thrilling time in nation music — are you able to elaborate on that? 

I really feel like there’s been so many doorways which might be opening in the absolute best manner. Nation music, we’re at all times finest once we’re loads of various things. It’s like again within the ‘50s and ‘60s — we may very well be Merle Haggard, however we may be Eddy Arnold and we may be Charley Delight. And people have been all completely different sounds and completely different artists. [Now] we’ve obtained Luke Combs, however we additionally obtained Shaboozey. And Shaboozey, that’s not a one-hit factor. That is an artist that’s going to be round for a very long time, and to have the ability to help him is admittedly necessary. And then you definately obtained Jelly Roll — he’s our Johnny Money. 

I do know that some folks would possibly have a look at it as complicated and adverse, and I don’t. I feel we embrace know-how, we embrace artists and the way they get right here as a result of everybody will get right here otherwise now. However I feel it’s super-positive, and I feel we adapt to vary as a result of I have a look at the present and I’m actually happy with it. Megan Moroney, look what she’s executed in two years. That ascendance wouldn’t have occurred 10 years in the past. She’s on a rocket ship. Then after all, we obtained Ms. Lainey…

Often entertainer of the 12 months winners are artists who’ve been doing it for much longer than Lainey, and her win modified my notion of that award…

Proper. And isn’t {that a} good change? To me, that’s progress, for my part. As a result of right here’s the factor, whether or not you prefer it or not, you bought to regulate. However every thing’s quicker now. And everybody’s life is quicker. And that win final 12 months, that was unbelievable for one factor. Let’s honor these artists now.

We’re reinventing ourselves, however we’re taking a web page from the previous historical past as a result of that’s what it was within the ‘70s and the ‘80s — actual artists doing their very own particular person factor but it surely all matches beneath what we name the umbrella of nation music.

Publish Malone and Chris Stapleton are opening the present with “California Sober” — what can we anticipate?

I really like that report, the Publish album. I used to be on trip and I used to be figuring out and I made a decision to hearken to the entire thing, each albums. And I’m like, “My goodness gracious.” To begin with, the album with all of the collabs is wonderful, and it’s the nation music that I grew up with, and I really like that. On the second album, the one which doesn’t have the collabs, there’s a monitor on there, and I’m like, “Man, bro, you might be channeling Bob Wills.” I wished to leap up and down for pleasure. So after I heard “California Sober” … I used to be like, “Oh, we obtained to do that” as a result of Publish is the story of the 12 months, in our format, after which Chris has by no means opened the present earlier than. Publish got here in, made a rustic report, however gosh, he’s uncovered so many individuals that will not have ever identified of any of our artists, he gave them extra publicity, and I feel we’re gaining followers due to it. And I really feel like that’s what we’ve to have the ability to do. Pay attention, I’ve at all times felt like we must always have open arms. I feel acceptance is best. 

With that in thoughts, Beyoncé had one of many greatest nation albums of the 12 months with Cowboy Carter however was closely snubbed. What are your ideas on that? 

I don’t ever touch upon whether or not somebody’s nominated or not, whether or not it’s Beyoncé or whether or not it’s Miranda Lambert, for instance. Truthfully, right here’s the factor, I type of have a look at myself as a soccer coach, it’s like, “What’s the group?” I’ve obtained to educate the group that I’ve. And now, is Beyoncé invited? All the time, with open arms. Utterly open arms. And by the best way, I completely beloved working together with her. That was my concept seven years in the past [when she performed at the 2016 CMA Awards]. I used to be in Los Angeles and I used to be prepping for the Billboard Music Awards and Beyoncé dropped that album (Lemonade). I didn’t know anyone in that camp. I obtained the publicist and the supervisor’s identify and I despatched an e-mail, launched myself, and I didn’t hear something again till, I feel, it was in all probability September. It was so humorous as a result of they answered the e-mail like I had simply despatched the e-mail the day prior to this. It was hilarious. And I’m like, “Oh my gosh, I had forgotten that I even despatched the e-mail.” They usually have been like, “Hey, we like this concept that you just had. Let’s speak about it.” 

We went by way of the entire thing and we obtained The Chicks concerned, which was superior, and it was nice to have them again. I really like that efficiency. I believed it was so implausible, and he or she was so pretty. It was attention-grabbing although. The supervisor stated, “Have you ever met Beyoncé but?” And I’m like, “No. I used to be ensuring that she’s not overwhelmed and getting her bearings.” And he’s like, “No, no, come up onstage.” So we went up there and I met her, and he or she was nice, and he or she was so heat and good. So, we have been strolling again to the producer’s desk with the supervisor, and he goes, “OK, so right here’s the factor. She is aware of you now.” I’m like, “OK.” He’s like, “So subsequently you don’t should go between anyone, you don’t should ask me or anyone on her group. You bought something you wish to do, change, something that you just wish to discuss creatively together with her about, she is aware of you now, simply go proper up and discuss to her.”

It was superior. I can solely inform you what I really feel and what I’ve in my coronary heart, OK? So, I’m watching the efficiency go down that evening, I see all of the cameras, I obtained 17 cameras, I obtained an enormous large monitor backstage at my producer’s desk. I’m taking a look at all of the cutaways of everyone, and it is best to have seen Religion Hill’s face. It was superior. And her efficiency was superior. And I might say that, they usually know this, I’ve talked to Beyoncé’s supervisor, I don’t know, I feel 3 times since that album got here out, they usually know that they’re at all times welcome. She is at all times welcome to come back on this present. Once more, let’s be inclusive. And I can solely discuss to what I can do. I can solely discuss to what I do know that’s in my coronary heart. It’s at all times higher once we’re inclusive. And I really feel like we’re simply scratching the floor right here.

Once you say there’s at all times an invite for Beyoncé, is that to attend or carry out?

I advised them manner again in June, or earlier than June, when the album [Cowboy Carter] got here out. I stated, “Hey, hear, I do know that what y’all do is completely different,” and it needs to be, by the best way, she’s Beyoncé. As a result of in the previous few albums, she hasn’t executed the everyday [promotion], even with the pop stuff, she doesn’t do the everyday promotion. It’s like, she’s Beyoncé, she doesn’t should go do late-night tv, you realize what I’m saying? How she promotes her music is completely different. However I had a dialog together with her supervisor, and stated, “Look, I’m simply letting you realize, the arms are open vast for her, if she needs to carry out, if she needs to attend. No matter she want to do, I need you to know that the welcome mat is on the entrance door.” So that they know that. We had pretty conversations together with her supervisor. I’ll say this — I had a beautiful time working together with her, and once more, I beloved the efficiency. It was my concept to ask her within the first place. And let me inform you one thing, speak about work ethic. Woohie. That work ethic is next-level. I feel they rehearsed for seven days in L.A. Like everyone. Full band. Dancing. Every part. 

The 2001 CMAs happened two months after 9/11 and Alan Jackson carried out “The place Had been You (When the World Stopped Turning).” What do you keep in mind about that second?

This can be a shaggy dog story. I used to be the TV chairman then and I’m driving into work and I get a name from [Sony]. “Alan Jackson has obtained a track that he needs to play us.” Take into accout, we have been already in manufacturing, we’re near the awards and we already know what Alan is performing. They play “The place Had been You (When the World Stopped Turning).” The track is over, and Walter [Miller, former CMA Awards EP] and I and Ed [Benson, former CMA chief], all of us have a look at one another and I feel I stated, “Nicely, clearly we’ve to do that track.” It was the proper factor to say on the proper time. I might say in case you have been going to select 5 of the most important issues that’s ever been on the CMA Awards in its 58 years, that’s within the prime 5. 

Eric Church has raised hundreds of thousands for Hurricane Helene reduction and also you each are from North Carolina. How do you propose to honor storm victims on the awards?

This one is admittedly pricey to my coronary heart, and for quite a lot of causes. I’m so happy with him. We love our state and we love our folks. And I’m so happy with him and Luke Combs as a result of what occurred in Asheville, North Carolina, and that complete area is devastating. It’s Katrina-level. Eric and I began speaking and he’s recorded this track, “Darkest Hour,” and he has given all of the proceeds, for perpetuity, to the residents of North Carolina. And Eric requested me what have been the possibilities of him doing it on the CMA Awards — and once more, no brilliance on my half, I simply needed to be sensible sufficient to say sure. It’s greater than only a efficiency for us. That is who we’re. That is the place we’re from. And hopefully we will elevate extra consciousness as a result of this isn’t going away.