Charter a Private Jet to the Country Music Awards

It sure isn’t your father’s country music anymore.

The popularity and mainstreaming of country music has never been hotter, the Country Music Association found in a recent market study.

The 2016 awards, which will be held at the Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 2, mark the 50th year the Country Music Association has honored the biggest stars and best songs in country music.

We Can Get You There

If you are one of the more than 100 million fans of country music, Paramount Business Jets can arrange a charter flight for you into Nashville, Tenn., for what has been called “Country’s Biggest Night.” You’ll land in any of these nearby airports in a style usually reserved for the likes of Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton:

• Cornelia Fort Airpark Airport, KM88, M88, Nashville, United States (5 miles)
• John C Tune Airport, KJWN, JWN, Nashville, United States (6 miles)
• Nashville International Airport, KBNA, BNA, Nashville, United States (6 miles)
• Smyrna Airport, KMQY, MQY, Smyrna, United States (18 miles)
• Sumner County Regional Airport, KM33, M33, Gallatin, United States (26 miles)
• Lebanon Municipal Airport, KM54, M54, Lebanon, United States (26 miles)
• Robertson Airport, KM91, M91, Springfield, United States (27 miles)
• Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, KMBT, MBT, Murfreesboro, United States (30 miles)
• Portland Municipal Airport, K1M5, 1M5, Portland, United States (34 miles)
• Dickson Municipal Airport, KM02, M02, Dickson, United States (36 miles)

The History

The Country Music Association was formed in 1958 in Miami by a small group in the music industry that wanted to bring more attention to the genre. It now has more than 7,000 members in 40 countries, all involved in trying to help country music grow.

It handed out its first awards in 1967 when Eddy Arnold was named the first CMA Entertainer of the Year. The popularity of country music was evident even in its early stages. The first awards show was not televised. The next year, when Glen Campbell received the coveted award, the show was taped for later showing. By its third year, when Johnny Cash was named Entertainer of the Year among his five awards, the show was televised live as it has been ever since.

“CMA is dedicated to bringing the poetry and emotion of Country Music to the world,” the association’s vision statement reads. “We will continue the tradition of leadership and professionalism, promoting the music, and recognizing excellence in all its forms.”

Memorable Moments

The CMA Awards are anything but boring. Here are some that may even shock you:

• Charlie Rich, who had been named Entertainer of the Year in 1974, was asked to hand out the award to 1975’s winner. He took the stage, opened the envelope, looked at it, set it on fire and then walked off the stage never announcing the winner (John Denver). It was the beginning of Rich’s career nosedive that he blamed on prescription drugs and gin and tonic chasers.
• Big-bosomed Dolly Parton had to borrow a jacket from Kenny Rogers’ wife to put on over the dress she had busted out when sitting down right before she was to go on stage to accept her award as 1978 Entertainer of the Year. In that sweet Dolly-voice of her, she said, “My Daddy said that’s what I get for putting 50 pounds of mud in a five-pound bag.”
• Taylor Swift, known more for her pop than country music, kept Kenny Chesney from winning his fourth straight Entertainer of the Year award when she beat him out in 2009.
• Johnny Cash was given three awards posthumously in 2003 in an awards show dedicated to him.
• Loretta Lynn, who, in 1972, became the first female to win the Entertainer of the Year award, raised eyebrows when she called out her husband in her acceptance speech. “I'm real happy,” she said, “but the only thing I'm kind of sad about is my husband is going hunting. He couldn't make it back in to share my happiness with me.”
• Two mainstream stars helped boost the popularity of country when they joined to sing duets with country stars. Sting sang a duet with Toby Keith in 1998 and the next year, ‘N Sync took the stage with Alabama.

Other Country Music Awards

Having a hard time keeping track of all the award shows for country music? Here’s a list of the others to help you out:

• The Grammy Awards: Country music is an important and popular category in these awards presented by The Recording Academy. They are usually held in February.
• The Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM): These awards, usually held in April or May, are given out by the Academy of Country Music, which was founded in 1964 to “connect fans, the artists and the industry.”
• The American Country Countdown Awards (ACC): Produced by Dick Clark Productions, these awards honor country music artists based on popularity.
• The Billboard Music Awards (BBMA): Based on tracking of sales, radio airplay and social media, Billboard hands out awards in categories such as Top Country Artist, Top Country Album and Top Country Song.
• The Country Music Television Awards (CMT): Fans vote for the top country performers for these awards, usually handed out every summer in Nashville.
• The American Music Awards (AMA): There are four country music awards handed out every fall based on fan votes in all fields of music.

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