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Cody Johnson surprised the Bridgestone Arena crowd with powerhouse singer-songwriter Carrie Underwood on Wednesday night (November 20). Johnson took the stage to perform the duo’s heartfelt duet, “I’m Gonna Love You,” at the 58th CMA Awards in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee.
Underwood joined Johnson on the romantic ballad that appears on Johnson’s deluxe edition of Leather. The stunning song — written by Chris Stevens, Kelly Archer and Travis Denning and produced by Trent Willmon — is one of 13 new tracks in the collection. Leather Deluxe relased earlier this month.
“From the moment I heard this song, I heard Carrie’s voice on it. It was a non-negotiable for me; either we sing it together, or I wouldn’t sing it at all. It’s that special to me,” Johnson previously said of his collaboration with Underwood. “Working with Carrie has been an absolute pleasure. She’s not only one hell of a singer, but she’s a class act all the way around. It warms my heart to work with someone who’s seen so much success in their career and they’re still so down to earth. I feel like this duet is going to be massive in so many ways, and I couldn’t be prouder of it!
“I think people have preconceived notions about what a big star is like, and she's not that,” he added on a recent episode of Biscuits & Jam, a podcast hosted by Southern Living Editor-in-Chief Sid Evans. “It's like having a friend that you didn't know you had. It's also really fun to sing with someone that challenges you. To know what caliber of vocalist that she is, that helps me step my game up, you know. It's been a real pleasure, and she's gone above and beyond. Even when we did the music video, I mean, we worked in there for 12 hours that day, and she never, never took the smile off her face and never complained.”
The star-studded lineup of performers at the CMA Awards also includes Chris Stapleton and Post Malone, Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan, Brooks & Dunn with Jelly Roll, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Ella Langley with Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves, Bailey Zimmerman, Dierks Bentley (featuring Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes), Luke Bryan, Ashley McBryde, Shaboozey, Thomas Rhett and Teddy Swims, and Lainey Wilson. Presenters include Simone Biles, Clint Black, Jeff Bridges, Mark Collie, Jordan Davis, Freddie Freeman, Don Johnson, Jackson Laux, Little Big Town, Dustin Lynch, Katharine McPhee, The Oak Ridge Boys, Taylor Frankie Paul, Carly Pearce, Caleb Pressley, Nate Smith, Daniel Sunjata, Mitchell Tenpenny and Billy Bob Thornton. The Country Music Association also revealed the all-star group of artists — Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson — paying tribute to country legend George Strait. Strait is the recipient of the 2024 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Luke Bryan returned to host the show again with Peyton Manning, and this time, they teamed up with first-time host and 2023 Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson. Check back with iHeartRadio for a live-updated list of winners throughout the evening, a gallery of the most stunning red carpet looks, coverage of can’t-miss performances and more throughout the evening. The 58th CMA Awards is airing on ABC on Wednesday evening, and will be available next day on Hulu.