The Crown Goes To...

Maren Morris was this year's queen of the 50th CMA nominations. With the most nominations she made an appearance in almost every category, obviously excluding vocal group, duo, male vocalist as she isn’t any of the above (but if she qualified this would of been her year to make history). My Church off her debut album was nominated for both Single of the Year and Song of the Year. Her debut album Hero was nominated for Album of the Year. Maren herself is also up for Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year. 5 in total!

The breakout superstar has had quite the year. Before the second leg of Charles Kelley’s The Driver Tour was cancelled this winter CK snagged her as his opener, before anyone really knew who she was..She was great. She has such a unique voice and a way with words. She can go from sass to heartbreak flawlessly. She has that soul in her voice. The collection of songs on Hero are so personal you know she writes and performs from her heart. You can hear the soul in her voice in this performance of Once Live from the RCA Studio.

Maren was in high demand from all the greats. Before you knew it Keith Urban got her next for his RipCord World Tour this year. I saw the Boston stop- her set included Drunk Girls Don’t Cry, Wish I Was, Sugar, Rich, and My Church. She comes back on stage to be Miranda Lambert with Keith Urban for their duet We Were Us (See video). Northeast readers can still catch the act this November at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

My Church might of put her on the map, but it was I Wish I Was off her EP that caught my ear. She wrote it about an old relationship that wasn’t right. Wish I could feel about you/ The way you feel about me/ But you can’t make a heart say something/That it don’t believe/I’m not the hero in the story/ I'm not the girl that gets the glory/Cause you're looking for true love/And I’m not the one/But I wish I was. (Video from The Driver Tour at the Gramercy Theater).

Just Another Thing I shouldn't be doing

When all said is done don’t forget that you loved me Once

I’m a 90s baby in my 80s Mercedes

Every promise you made me would have some real value I’d be Rich

Make my heart race won’t you be my Sugar

The art is in her lyrics.They stick with you. The album is an entire story. So go see her live, but do yourself a favor and listen to the entire album. Each song is uniquely hers and you will see why it earned all its accolades.

You can see all the nominees here: http://www.cmaworld.com/cma-awards/nominees/

And catch the award show live November 2nd on ABC at 8/7C! It’s going to be a close race. Especially with Old Dominion also in the running for New Artist of the Year, who also deserves praise for their song writing. Even harder competition with Old Dominion and Lady Antebellum head to head for Vocal Group of the Year. All these artists each had an album worth applauding. OD’s Meat & Candy, Lady A’s 747, and Maren’s Hero. In the end we all win because we have unbelievable tours to attend and incredible albums to play on repeat, until the awards, followed by the highly anticipated follow up albums!