After previously honoring Reba McEntire and Hank Williams Jr., CMT is staging its third tribute concert in honor of Alan Jackson:
Alan Jackson will be honored in the third installment of CMT Giants airing Dec. 6 on CMT. The 90-minute special will be taped at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Oct. 30. Tickets go on sale on Saturday (Oct. 11) via Ticketmaster. Artists performing at the taping include George Strait, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Dierks Bentley, Lee Ann Womack and Miranda Lambert, with other guests to be announced.
Not a bad lineup so far. My question is this:
Who would you like to see honored by a CMT Giants concert, and what acts would you have perform in their honor?
dolly parton (i think she should have been the first, but reba’s ok too):
reba, martina, faith, trisha, leann, lee ann, vince gill, elton john, garth brooks, etc.
vince gill:
keith urban, amy grant, reba, allison, martina, trisha, lee ann, dolly, miranda lambert, patty loveless, emmylou harris, etc.
garth brooks:
alan, brad, george, martina, reba, dolly, trisha (of course), faith, tim mcgraw, carrie, etc.
pardon me for the subtle bias for dolly, reba, vince, martina.. hehe ;-)
Since John Hiatt just received the lifetime achievment award for songwriting, he would be my choice. Guest artists honoring him could include…Suzy Bogguss, Jim Lauderdale, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Miller, Nick Lowe, Steve Earle, Alison Moorer, Rodney Crowell, and Emmylou Harris. Sounds like a great concert to me, and a well deserved tribute to John Hiatt.
Martin, I’d be very surprised if such a concert was to be aired on CMT. It’s definitely not their target demographic.
I already know that cmt is for kiddie country, but this is who I feel deserves to be recognized. These are my thoughts, and I know it will never happen on cmt. I just like talking about music, and John is the first artist that came to mind. He’s a great songwriter, and should be honored as he was at the AMA Honors and Awards. His acceptance speech was incredible.
I have to disagree with your implied classification that Reba, Hank JR. or Alan Jackson are “Kiddie country.” While I won’t dispute that Hiatt is deserving of honors, I don’t think that CMT’s choices for this show have been inappropriate or geared toward kids so far. I won’t deny, however, that CMT is geared toward mainstream country rather than Americana.
I’d love to see a John Hiatt tribute, though it would never happen on CMT.
As for my pick, I’d really like to see Dwight Yoakam get the Giants treatment, and I’d invite Urban, Gary Allan, Miranda Lambert, Raul Malo, Crystal Shawanda, and Elizabeth Cook to the party.
However, Reba, and Jackson are played right along side Swift, and Flatts. As far as Hank Jr., the only recognition he gets nowadays is singing with Rehab or Kid Rock.
I agree with Dwight. I wonder, however, if people can do Dwight songs nearly as well as Dwight can. I think Malo could be up to the challange though.
A John Anderson show would be awesome too. Tracy Lawrence, Mark Chesnutt, Sarah Buxton, Dierks Bentley are some people that would be good to sing his songs.
I just mentioned those three people because they’ve been the previous “Giants” for the CMT Giants series so far.
I’d definitely agree with Dolly Parton.
For inviting people?
Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek fame, Jamie O’Neal, Jennifer Hanson, Lee Ann Womack, SHeDAISY, and Trisha Yearwood.
I guess I would make it all girls, for no particular reason. xD
Dwight probably can’t be topped, per se, but I tried to pick artists who I thought could at least offer distinct takes on his very distinct material.
Chris,
Have you heard Dolly’s tribute album? It’s comprised of all female singers as well.:)
Yes, I liked your list, Dan. What I love about Dwight is that his own songs are great and he makes his covers even better than the originals in so many instances.
I really don’t see how Dwight would fit into the cmt format either. He’s recognized in Americana too not Mainstream. Speaking of Malo, have you heard the two cover songs he does of Yoakam’s? Pocket of a Clown, and It only Hurts Me When I Cry. They’re on his CD “After Hours”. Unique arrangements on both, to say the least.
Personally, I’d love to see a Dixie Chicks CMT Giants tribute. and if there were no disputes between them and other artists, my peersonal line up would be:
-Shania Twain (Goodbye Earl)
-Carrie Underwood (Cowboy Take Me Away)
-Miranda Lambert (Top Of The World)
-Reba McEntire (Long Time Gone)
-Trisha Yearwood (Landslide)
-SHeDAISY (Not Ready To Make Nice)
-LeeAnn Rimes (Without You)
-Sara Evans (Travelin’ Soldier)
yep… this list is a personal bias.
But seriously, I would love to see the Chicks be honored by the CMT Giants!!!
(even though its probably not possible..)
I also agree with Dolly parton!
heres mine:
-Shania Twain
-Reba McEntire
-Loretta Lynn
-Trisha Yearwood
-Alison Krauss
-Sugarland; or Jennifer Nettles
-Faith HILL!!!!
-Martina McBride
-Patty Loveless
and the list could go on and on….. xD
Yeah, Dwight probably wouldn’t get picked either. But I can dream…
I haven’t listened too extensively to After Hours, actually – I mostly know him from the Mavericks’ stuff. I’ll have to check it out!
oh my gosh… seriously??
Taylor Swift?!?!?!
I just hope nobody on Alan’s show covers “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning.” That would be so crass.
First, let me say that Reba’s GIANTS show is my favorite so far…but with a lineup like this one, I’m sure this will come close to topping it!
I’d love to see a Dolly show. I mean she should really be the next to be honored. I can see people like Kellie Pickler, Reba, Lee Ann Womack, Martina McBride, and Carrie as performers.
It would be cool to see George Strait or Garth Brooks.
Zach,
The Dixie Chicks were the first group I thought of too, and that is a great line-up, with one exception. I don’t think Reba wants to get involved with them given what happened 2 years ago. It should be an old story, forgive and forget, but it’s not and that’s unfortunate.
I think Taylor Swift should be honored!
The could bring in Miley Cyrus, Kellie Pickler, Cobie Caillat, and maybe even The Joans Brothers! It would be, like, totally awesome!
At first I didn’t see that was you Jim, and I almost had a heart attack. xD
No Leeann, I haven’t seen the Dolly tribute album, I’ll have to check it out.
Martone,
I have those two Malo albums. You’re right that the Dwight covers are arranged rather uniquely. After Hours is a good album.
I would love to see a George Jones tribute. Covering George is a risky proposition because he is such a stylist but I think artists such as Vince Gill, James Taylor, Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Joe Nichols, Blake Shelton, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, and Lee Ann Womack would give interesting performances of his greatest hits.
Garth Brooks. Why not?
Also, the two Georges, Jones and Strait. Or Loretta Lynn.
I’d love to see a Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Alabama, or George Strait show.
Back to the Alan Jackson show, based on that line up so far this is what I want to see performed:
George Strait – “Don’t Rock The Jukebox”
Brad Paisley – “I Don’t Even Know Your Name”
Taylor Swift – “Gone Country” (LOL)
Dierks Bentley – “I’ll Go On Loving You”
Miranda Lambert – “Drive (For Daddy Gene)”
Lee Ann Womack – “Midnight In Montgomery”
Ooo, I really like your Alan set list, Tony. Especially good call on Dierks doing “I’ll Go On Loving You” – that’d be a natural.
Tony, I like how you paired Brad up with the joke song.:)