Surprises, solemnity, solidarity, shared stages, and so many songs.
The 53rd CMA awards offered a rainbow of emotion and spectacle.
Several deserving artists walked away with hardware.
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Eric Church offered the gentle, hard-won wisdom of the acoustic charmer Some of It.
The show had been billed as a Celebration of the legendary women in country music.
Thenumbers tell a tale inwhich it is clear that programmers favor men over women by a wide margin.
Maren Morris at the 53rd Annual CMA Awards in 2019.Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
Only 7 women have done it in 53 years.)
Underwooddid something very similaron her just-wrapped tour and the effect was similarly moving.
Whatever the case, it is not Garth Brooks fault that he won.
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It is no ones fault.
Narratives are not neat when it comes to what is, ultimately, unscripted programming.
The morning after, it comes back to the systemic issue of womens voices not being valued.
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Underwood did all that and then some.
They have asked for parity and a playing field that is level.
She wasnt requesting that radio programmers play womenmorethan men.
Just give them a fair shake.
But to those who have historically held the power in any situation, equity can look like a revolution.
