Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires Exit Country Music Association After 2020 CMA Didn't Honor John Prine

[G_j]

https://pitchfork.com/news/jason-isbell-and-amanda-shires-exit-country-music-association-after-2020-cmas-didnt-honor-john-prine/?fbclid=IwAR21Wp6J5iIe5oiQRVy7vZOJdQVHQdna8jW0YpyJC1VNV7VgcTXc0obz7LY

They've returned their membership cards after Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Billy Joe Shaver were snubbed. Sturgill Simpson and Margo Price offered scathing criticisms, as well.

By Evan Minsker
November 13, 2020

Some country icons who died this year were honored during the 2020 CMAs last night (including Kenny Rogers, Charlie Daniels, and Mac Davis), but three icons went unmentioned during the broadcast: John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Billy Joe Shaver. For this reason, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires have announced that they’re returning their lifetime membership cards to the Country Music Association. “I doubt anybody will care, but we cared a lot about our heroes,” Isbell wrote.

This year’s CMAs has been at the receiving end of criticism by multiple artists. In the video below, Sturgill Simpson joined Isbell in calling out the show for not mentioning Prine. “Don’t get it twisted…wouldn’t be caught dead at this tacky ass glitter and botox cake & cock pony show even if my chair had a morphine drip,” Simpson wrote. “I just wanted to see if they would say his name but nope.” The video includes his reaction to one of the night’s performances. Simpson, who has called out the CMAs before, discussed his friendship with Prine on Colbert on the night of the CMAs.

“We’re disappointed John won’t be a part of the CMA award show tonight,” Prine’s label Oh Boy Records wrote in a tweet. “Country music was both the inspiration and foundation for his songwriting and performing. While there may be a number of artists who have had more commercial success than John, there are very few who achieved more artistically.”

Margo Price called out the apparent censorship inherent to the show’s “no drama” billing. “Anyone still participating is a socially unconscious pawn,” she wrote. “Artists pander woke authenticity when it benefits them and then sit in silence as they collect their plastic trophies. Also the music sucks.” Price also criticized the show’s lack of diversity. Maren Morris took a moment in her speech last night to acknowledge and thank Black women in country music.

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[dhill926]

1. Good for them...

the show was a disgrace.

[mr_lebowski]

2. Good for you Jason and Amanda ... But Sturgill definitely wins the diss contest ...

“Don’t get it twisted…wouldn’t be caught dead at this tacky ass glitter and botox cake & cock pony show even if my chair had a morphine drip,” Simpson wrote.

Love that guy ...

[OAITW r.2.0]

3. That's some creative writing, right there!

John Prine and Jerry Jeff would both have approved.

[yonder]

4. I read up on Mr. Simpson after that Colbert show.

He's somewhat a rebel in the biz and I've got to admire the both of them for giving that biz a pointy-toed boot in the butt. I hope it will do some good.

[stopdiggin]

7. but how do ya' really feel, Mr. Simpson? (nt)

[True Blue American]

8. I keep thinking of this song

When I think of the current so called Country music. I agree with Sturgill. The last time I enjoyed Country music was sitting at the Ryman Auditorium this young man walked out,sang this song. I did not know who he was but this came out.

[G_j]

13. yep

can’t top that. lol

[Roland99]

14. Love it!! And remember when O Brother Where Art Thou was released?

No country stations would play the music

It was too country (more bluegrass)

[BusyBeingBest]

18. That was a high point--really good music and musicianship almost became mainstream

without the help of radio.

[Cha]

5. Why wouldn't the cma even

mention John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, & Billy Joe Shaver?

I remember here when John Prine passed from COVID there were so many RIP and stories..

[True Blue American]

9. The current Country music stinks, Cha.

[stopdiggin]

6. I'm going to have to read up on this

I don't want to prejudge, but ....
I'm finding it hard to believe that the three artists mentioned here completely escaped the attention ....
Hard to know what was going through people's minds.

And for those not familiar -- Jason Isbell is hands down one of the best writers in the industry today. If you don't know his work, particularly his lyrics -- you owe it to yourself.

[Captain Zero]

10. "Well there is big hat country music, and then there is real country music"

That's a quote from me. I think it really falls along those lines so often. If the guy walks out in a big hat, there is a good chance there is nothing under it.

[TeamPooka]

12. "We got both kinds of music, country and western."

As they say in The Blues Brothers

[Sugarcoated]

11. Pop country sucks

and so does the Industry

[robbob]

15. They call it the "New Country" and I can't stand it...

Rednecks rapping about pickup trucks over looped drum samples that are more suited to a rock or rap track, and they call it “country” because the singer has a twang in their accent and they throw some fiddle or a banjo in the mix.

I’ve heard this music referred to as “lowest common denominator” entertainment. It’s aural wallpaper, but speaking as a musician it grates on my every nerve when I (used to) hear it on the sound system at the local bar.

My friends got quite tired of hearing me rant about it! 😬

[Totally Tunsie]

16. Rant on..

When you're right, you're right!

As far as the CMAs? If you're going to honor some, you must honor all. Not recognizing John Prine in particular is a damn shame.

[BusyBeingBest]

17. I stopped listening to mainstream country once the Dixie Chicks

got muscled out. Even before then, it's always been a hard road for more alternative country acts to get featured on CMT or radio. The whole genre became formulaic Kenny-Chesneyed and Taylor-Swifted. Do people even remember that she started out as a "country" act? They're not going to waste time on non-pop/non-mainstream musicians and songwriters anymore.

[JaneQPublic]

19. Stick with Americana and Roots music. (nt)