Keith Urban joined Jelly Roll on the Bridgestone Arena stage at the 58th CMA Awards on Wednesday night (November 20) in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Together, the two award-winning artists set the stage ablaze to deliver a fiery performance of “Liar,” an anthem that appears on Jelly Roll’s latest studio album, Beautifully Broken.
Jelly Roll teamed up with Ashley Gorley and Taylor Phillips to write the electrifying anthem. “Liar” was the second track to release from Beautifully Broken this year, following the emotional ballad, “I Am Not Okay.” Jelly Roll released Beautifully Broken — and its 28-track deluxe edition — last month. The highly-anticipated record follows Whitsitt Chapel, Jelly Roll’s 2023 album titled after a church in his hometown of Antioch in Nashville, Tennessee. Urban is featured on the track “Don’t Want To,” and said collaborating with Jelly Roll fulfilled a longtime goal.
“You ain’t nothin’ but a liar/ Yeah I walked right out the fire/ Yeah you tried to keep me down/ Tried to put me underground/ But I’m only goin' higher
“I can hear you in my head/ In my bed when I’m dreamin’/ You try to be my friend but you’re blowin’ smoke/ Oh and now I ain’t scared of tellin’ you where you can g/ ‘Cause I know/ You’re nothin’ but a liar”
The star-studded lineup of performers at the CMA Awards also includes Chris Stapleton and Post Malone, Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan, Brooks & Dunn with Jelly Roll, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Ella Langley with Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves, Bailey Zimmerman, Dierks Bentley (featuring Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes), Luke Bryan, Ashley McBryde, Shaboozey, Thomas Rhett and Teddy Swims, and Lainey Wilson. Presenters include Simone Biles, Clint Black, Jeff Bridges, Mark Collie, Jordan Davis, Freddie Freeman, Don Johnson, Jackson Laux, Little Big Town, Dustin Lynch, Katharine McPhee, The Oak Ridge Boys, Taylor Frankie Paul, Carly Pearce, Caleb Pressley, Nate Smith, Daniel Sunjata, Mitchell Tenpenny and Billy Bob Thornton. The Country Music Association also revealed the all-star group of artists — Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson — paying tribute to country legend George Strait. Strait is the recipient of the 2024 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Luke Bryan returned to host the show again with Peyton Manning, and this time, they teamed up with first-time host and 2023 Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson. Check back with iHeartRadio for a live-updated list of winners throughout the evening, a gallery of the most stunning red carpet looks, coverage of can’t-miss performances and more throughout the evening. The 58th CMA Awards is airing on ABC on Wednesday evening, and will be available next day on Hulu.