Country music in 2020 is what . Stronger than a garlic milkshake. I mean, its true. That was good. Good evening, everyone, im Robin Roberts. Tonight, like so many americans, the Country MusicCommunity Feels the weight and the promise of a year like no other, so, on the eve of the cma awards, nashville superstars in their own words tell the story of Country Music in 2020. A story of reckoning, reflection and resilience. Bringing you a live front row seat from nashvilles new years eve celebration. 3, 2, 1, happy new year covid19 can be characterized as a pandemic. New cases being reported as it turns deadly in the u. S. For the first time. The number of coronavirus cases at home and abroad continue to climb. Take a step for a minute i played the houston rodeo back in march and i was nine months pregnant. Our only fear was like, can i make it through this show without going into labor . I was the last show at the houston rodeo before they closed that down. For the first time in more than 80 years, the houston livestock show and rodeo has been cancelled. The first show that we got canceled was the houston rodeo. That was like, oh, okay. This things real. I remember, it was, what, march 13th . There was no traffic. And that was just, like, what is happening . It felt like an apocalypse or the world was ending. Thats how it kind of felt to me at that time. And and then i realized, man, music is done. Were done. The latest news coming from the grand ole opry saying they will not have a Live Audience for at least the next three weeks. The ryman also saying they are also evaluating what to do surrounding upcoming performances and tours. And outside of music city, places like dollywood are closed indefinitely. With the virus still present, theres no true date when attractions across the state can reopen. Nashville wasnt the nashville that ive grown accustomed to. You know, this place is always bubbling with music. Ive never seen nashville look like that before. Its music city. And to not have live music, which is such a heartbeat of this town, it saddens me. All of a sudden, everything is getting canceled. And you realize, wow, this is going to be something really big, really long and hurtful and big for the country, for the world. Hey yall, its me, reba. You know were going to postpone our concert tour until next summer. I think the hardest part of everything is the unknown and nobodys got an answer. Nobodys got an answer of, when are we going to start back up . It was extremely challenging for an industry that is supposed to be in front of and with people to exist when they couldnt do what they were meant to do. I think seeing the adaptation of a lot of these country artists was pretty cool. They chose to breathe it in but i dont want to choke i think artists wanted to still feel like they were connected to their fans. Baby you can come crying to me any time oh yeah hey now hes one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith turn the lights down we can watch the stars grow you and i bring me a higher love performing on zoom or anything virtual is a little bit like standing outside the window of a really happening club. Everybodys on the other side of the glass. You can hear the but youre outside, waving to everybody. Thats what it feels like. But at the same time, i just got to play, imagining everybody is having a good time and that were all in this and here we are. Gosh, its definitely been something to get used to, though. Whispered your name thats when everything chan d changed definitely found some people at home to make a crowd and a roadie. Best roadie in the word right here. So it was good. Good to have the family there, for sure. Tonights show will be far different than what we were planning to present just a few hours ago. We were expecting 4,000 fans to be with us tonight to play their special part in the show, however, with circumstances being what they are, tonights show will be performed without a Live Audience. The opry went on the air in 1925 and has not missed a saturday night broadcast in that entire time. So, you can think back to our our parents and grandparents, what the world was going through, economic depressions, world war, president ial assassinations. But every saturday night, the opry played on. So, i think that there was no question that we would find a way to continue. How crazy is it to be in here with like, you can hear a pin drop. I know, its crazy to be here without people. But once again, bringing you the opry to you on saturday night. I got a roof over my head the woman i love laying in my bed and its all right there is life out there so much she hasnt done is there life beyond her family and her home jesus take the wheel take it from my hands cause i cant do this on my own thats what the start of a great saturday night sounds like. Carrie underwood, brad paisley, kicking us off the opry way. What i remember most about those performances was how weird it sounded when an artist would come up, you know, garth walks up and strums his guitar and theres nobody in the crowd. So, it was weird, but you would also seal how special it was to these artists, because they were doing something that really no one else had done. I cant judge what makes you country the opry sent a message that the worlds a little different right now, what were doing is a little different, but were going to keep going. And what i hope is people saw that and maybe they were inspired or motivated. Country music is so important, because lyrically, it just speaks to people during hard times, better than any other genre of music. You had a lot of artists at home with a lot of time to think. You had so many artists that were writing songs about what was happening to them right then. I miss my momma miss my dad i miss the road i miss my band giving hugs shaking hands stay home stay home no reason in the world for you to roam well make it through this long night everythings gonna be all right when life is good again everyone has been affected this year. Its not just the musicians but all the road crews and all the vendors and all the people behind the scenes, the people at the venues and live pubs and clubs all over the city and everywhere, where people have been affected by it. Not a ticket being sold. That affects like everyone from the crew, to my band and their families, their health insurance. Its been devastating to our business. There are people that are are trying to pay their mortgage. There are people that are driving trucks and delivering groceries. Theyve sold their instruments. I mean, its very, very it yes, it doesnt compare to when someone gets sick. Its a lot of worry for people. And everybodys doing the best they can, but it has hit our town really, really hard because were a music town. I mean we only make the money if we sing the songs. If we aint singing the songs, were not eating. So it gets hard. Yeah. That was the toughest part for me was when finally you just have to say, you know, you cant just pay everybody. You know, i paid everybody as long as i could. And you know, you see all this money going out and none coming in. But theyre your band. Its heartbreaking. For 14 years. You know, ive been playing with these guys for 14 years, you know. Thats the toughest part about all this i think is just watching, knowing people are struggling so bad, not just people, people that you love, people that you know, that youve gone and shed blood with, been out there, you know, you against the world playing to eight people, you know, and that you live with in a bus. Yeah. You know, and theyre struggling and theres nothing you can do about it. And thats thats tough. Its heartbreaking. I couldnt sleep. I probably did something i definitely something that, you know, a lot of Financial Advisers wouldnt support. But man, my my guys that tour with me, man, my band, man, and my crew, man, these guys, you know, they sacrifice for me. And i was, like, stressed out. I was like, id be good, financially, but these guys have wives. They have families. So i said, screw it. I went to the bank. I took out this crazy loan, like crazy loan, but i was like, i got 45 years to pay it back. Yeah. And thats just what i decided to do. I said, screw it. I had like eight boys i had to cook for, for two months. Im an official grill master. Yeah. Ive been looking but i just need someone to tell me what a good price is. Just use autotrader, its the only one with kelley blue book. Tells you if the price is good. Hey, how is she doing that with the door . What is she some sort of goddess . Athena . Persephone . Hera . Dionysus . No, im claire is that one . No clue. Agh until i found out what itust . It actually was. D me. Dust mite droppings . Ewww. Dead skin cells . Gross so now, i grab my swiffer heavy duty sweeper and dusters. Dusters extends to 6 feet to reach way up high. To grab, trap and lock away gross dust. Nice for dust on my floors, i switch to sweeper. The heavy duty cloths reach deep in grooves to grab, trap and lock dust bunnies. No matter where they hide. No more heebie jeebies. Phhhhew. Glad i stopped cleaning and started swiffering. Sure. Cake or pie . Pie. Apple or cherry . Cherry. Oil or cream . Oil, or cream . Cream. Some use hydrogenated oil. Reddiwip uses real cream. Always choose real cream. My first zoom glam party on portal girlfriends hey now, i need a super cute Virtual Holiday outfit. So. flicks switch wow someone just flicked the switch humming humming pringles wavy. With a big crunch and totally different flavors, theyre not really pringles. Just like thats not really daddy. Yes, it is. Ok. Pringles wavy. Big crunch. Big flavor. Hi jen hi. So youre the scientist here. Does my aveeno® daily moisturizer really make my dry skin healthier in one day . Its true jen. Really . this prebiotic oat formula moisturizes to help prevent dry skin. Impressive aveeno® healthy. Its our nature. And along the way, we noticed wevsomething was missing. Asts. A warm cinnamon roll for breakfast, or with breakfast. A fluffy blueberry muffin, from the drive thru youre already driving through. A glazed apple fritter, which might find its way into your coffee. These are options every breakfasthaver should have, and now. They do. Meet the new bakery sweets at mcdonalds ba da ba ba ba getwith contactlessour list, shopping at target. From same day delivery to free drive up. Quick and easy contactless shopping all season at target. The one thing about donkeys, is no matter how much you wash them, theyre always dusty. Right . Day 473. At least im at bretts barn and its not raining, and i get to have all this. Im not a homeschooler. We actually quarantined with some of our best friends. Wow dang it. I had, like, eight boys i had to cook for for two months. So im an official grill master. Is it like a james beard chef, maybe . You know. Got my michelin stars. We were able to put in a garden, grow an enormously large corn patch. Never get bored during a pandemic and plant four acres of sweet corn. But even going to bed at night, sleeping in my bed every night with my wife, i mean, there was a time there where i was lite l literally getting into bed at 8 15 every night, watching a couple shows together and id never had that, really, ever in our marriage. It was trying at times. Still havent killed each other. Close. Close a couple times. But it was fun. I think shes probably excited for me to get back on the road a little bit. There has been a massive Silver Lining through this pandemic. I discovered my family. There are moments in time when you say, i missed this, this and this because i was trying to be famous and i was trying to be lionel richie. So, i missed that soccer game or i missed that thanksgiving. And all of a sudden, here i am at home with my kids, theyre sitting right across the table from me. We definitely knew that. Thank you. And were going to have a bagel. We were homeschooling and Virtual Learning and that was an allday event. Shock. We should stick to music. Even though i have an Early Childhood education degree, i was a horrible homeschooling mother. Its not easy. It was extremely challenging for an industry that is supposed to be in front of and with people, to exist when they couldnt do what they were meant to do. Its been somewhat frustrating for musicians to watch sporting events somehow figure it out, but us not being able to figure it out, you know . But hopefully were moving in the right direction. Entertainment, live music the things that we do, well be the last ones back to work, when . When . We dont know. When i have the opportunity to get back on stage, hard not to get emotional saying it right now. There will be tremendous amounts of emotion. A sigh of relief. It will be another piece of the puzzle put back in to get back to the american way of life that we love and know. Welcome to American Idol. And with stay at home orders all across the nation, weve had to shift the way we make our show. How do you do American Idol from home . Thats you know, lionel and katy and ryan, they live in major metropolitan areas. Well, i live 25 minutes south of nashville. So, the challenges with me is, my wifi was pretty tricky. Now, i have good enough wifi to, you know, download music and movies and handle my emails, but when youre trying to put on a Major NetworkTelevision Show from your barn, it got a little tricky. We had people coming out, rewiring and hard wiring wifi. We did, like, kelly and ryan at one time and my turkeys trying to break into my barn. Look at that. Are you kidding me . You cant make this up literally in the house. Hey, luke . Thats what makes you country. And the boys are running through. Hey, guys, its luke here, coming at you from my barn. Idol sent me all this gear. We got like iphones, got wires ran everywhere. Theres my wardrobe spot where my stylist sent me some clothes. And you know, trying to do my own hair best i can. You know, the show must go on and im sure everybody doing stuff remotely from home is dealing with challenges. I mean, what a crazy ride and, hey, its something for the resume. While most concerts have been canceled, country star keith urban found a creative way to thank the Health Care Workers at the stardust drivein at wilson county. I knew there was a way for us to be able to play and help other people at the same time. And thats when the drivein idea came. Who knew there was still driveins . But the idea was such a nobrainer because youve got this prebuilt screen, and all you got to do is roll a truck in front of it, and youve got your stage and your audience is in the cars and off we go. I didnt know what to expect, but it ended up being so much fun. I mean, a much more lively Tailgate Party vibe then what i expected. Thank you so much and god bless the driveins. Come on we were like, all right, what are we going to do for the summer . Its summer, weve been hearing bad news and so, we were like, lets put one margarita out. One margarita let people at least drink some margaritas and have some fun. People needed that fun release, and one margarita hit right at that time. One margarita two margarita three margarita well be gone the video was a trip and we had shot the video back in late january, so were out there filming the video, hugging, dancing with each other, high fiving and you know, little did we know, in just, you know, about a month and a half, the world would change. I think, darius, youre laid back, but i dont think i dont think you understand what you mean to me. Advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer can take away so much. But today theres a combination of two immunotherapies you can take first. One that could mean. A chance to live longer. 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I want to dedicate this song tonight to the families of breonna taylor, armond armory and george floyd and rayshard brooks, and everybody out there who is fighting the good fight for justice. He was unapologetic about it, but he was also extremely passionate. Black bird singing in the dead of night i watched him and i cried. Take these broken wings and learn to fly you know in the midst of everything thats gone on this year, im curious to know, how do you talk to your kids about it . You hear about