When the sun goes down on the 2022 CMT Music Awards on Monday, Kenny Chesney will be singing the show into the sunset with his hit “Beer in Mexico.”
CMT revealed today that Chesney will close the 2022 CMT Music Awards, a performance that marks his first time on the show in seven years.
Hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and actor Anthony Mackie, the 2022 CMT Music Awards will air live from Nashville 8 p.m. (ET) Monday on CBS.
For Chesney, the performance is an opportunity to give viewers a preview of his upcoming stadium tour that will launch later this month in Florida, with support from Dan + Shay, Old Dominion and Carly Pearce. It’s also the chance to show off his new band members – drummer Nick Buda and guitarist Danny Rader, who might look familiar to people. Radar spent years touring with Keith Urban.
“When you do video right, it’s a lot like hitting the stage with everything you’ve got,” Chesney said in a statement. “You can give people so much more than a song or a record; you can show them the power and the emotion that’s driving what’s inside the songs. So, for us to come be part of this Monday, it’s bringing who we are during concerts to a place where people have seen so many of these videos. And it’s always great to be able to close down the night!”
Other performers throughout the night include Jason Aldean + Bryan Adams, Jimmie Allen + Monica + Little Big Town, Ballerini, Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton + Black Pumas, Walker Hayes, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Maren Morris + Ryan Hurd, Old Dominion, Carly Pearce, Thomas Rhett + Riley Green, Cole Swindell + Lainey Wilson, Carrie Underwood and Urban, and the first televised performance in over two decades from The Judds. Emerging artists Priscilla Block, BRELAND, Jessie James Decker, Parker McCollum, Elvie Shane and Caitlyn Smith, will also perform from the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
Additionally, CMT will air CMT MUSIC AWARDS EXTENDED CUT with an added 30 minutes of new performances and bonus content on Friday, April 15th (8:00–11:30 p.m. ET) exclusively on CMT.