Luke Bryan Shines Light On Cole Swindell & More During CMAs Opening Number

By Hayden Brooks

November 15, 2018

Luke Bryan has a long and lengthy history with the annual Country Music Association Awards, so it wasn't surprising to see the veteran superstar shine some light on budding new country stars during his performance of recent single, "What Makes You Country."

For the opening ceremony number, which was preceded by a moment of silence for the 12 victims of the Thousand Oaks shooting, the 42-year-old superstar kicked off the toe-tapping country anthem at the center of the stage. "Let's be proud of what makes this country tonight," he said at the top of his performance. Towards the middle of the number, Bryan took the sidelines by welcoming folks like Jon Pardi, Luke Combs, Cole Swindell, Lindsay Ell, Ashley McBryde and Chris Janson to take over the song on both vocals and instrumentation fronts.

"I got my dirt road cred when I was twelve/ On a no cab tractor hauling them bales/ Backing in boats, fishing limb lines/ Running bird dogs through the Georgia pines/ Step side cover down in peanut dust/ Friday night spotlight, and that was us/ It might not've been you, but I can't judge/ Just be proud of what makes you country," Bryan chanted during the hook.

Earlier this week, Bryan unveiled the concept to collaborate with up-and-comers on the CMA stage, admitting that the track specifically lends itself to some new flavor. "When we began talking about this performance, I thought this would be a perfect time to share the stage with a few deserving artists who may not otherwise have an opportunity to be a part of the show," Bryan previously said in a press release. "This genre is full of talented performers doing what makes them country, and this is the perfect song to let them step in the spotlight to be seen and heard by the millions tuning in."

Stay tuned for even more coverage from the 2018 CMA Awards, including an up-to-date list of winners, as well as memorable highlights from show hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley.

Photo: Getty Images

Luke Bryan
Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2024 iHeartMedia, Inc.