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After MidNite with Granger Smith

After MidNite with Granger Smith

The biggest hits in Country music, exclusive artist interviews, performances and more.Full Bio

 

Brad Paisley: CMA Awards Prep Is Like Olympic Training

Preparations for the 51st Annual CMA Awards and underway, and host Brad Paisley is going for the gold!

The country star told reporters backstage at the recent CMA Music Festival that training for the CMAs each year is similar to training for the Olympics.

“It’s the closest I would get to being an Olympic athlete, where we’re training for this few minutes that go by one time,” Brad says. “You don’t do that again. We’ll never perform the monologue we do or the things we do when hosting ever again.”

Brad and Carrie began CMA Awards prep this month and will continue “preying all the way off and on through the beginning of November for [material],” Brad says.

But it’s an opportunity he wouldn’t trade for the world.

“Being able to stand up in front of your peers and goof around with them and make fun of them a little bit, but at the same time try to honor them on an important night, we both relish that opportunity and love doing it,” he adds.

Brothers Osborne, Lauren Alaina and Dustin Lynch will reveal nominees for the 2017 event September 4 on Good Morning America.

Watch Brad and Carrie host the 51st Annual CMA Awards November 8 on ABC.

Photo: Getty Images