Maren Morris Receives CMT’s Next Women of Country 2018 Impact Award
On Tuesday morning (Nov. 13), CMT hosted its annual showcase to announce the newest class of CMT's Next Women of Country. Hosted by 2013 NWoC alum Cassadee Pope and CMT Senior Vice President of Music Strategy and Talent Leslie Fram, the event featured in-the-round style performances from program inductees and other talented female artists, including many who had been honored by NWoC in the past, including Clare Dunn, the Sisterhood and Carly Pearce.
Additionally, Pope and Fram brought songwriting stalwart Natalie Hemby to the stage to help present the program's annual Impact Award to Maren Morris, who is the third recipient of the honor. Brandy Clark received the inaugural award in 2016, followed by Kelsea Ballerini in 2017. Morris received the 2018 Impact Award for her "contributions to songwriting, recording, radio airplay, record sales, streams, media impressions, awards and touring in country music," according to CMT. She was a part of CMT's Next Women of Country Class of 2015.
While accepting her award, Morris highlighted several of the 2019 inductees to the program. "These women are so effing good, and deserve this platform," she said at the conclusion of her acceptance speech. "Because eventually, country radio is gonna get its s--t together and start playing everyone."
The 2019 CMT Next Women of Country class includes Anna Vaus, Emily Hackett, Ingrid Andress, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Duski, Leah Turner, Rachel Wammack, Stephanie Quayle and Tenille Townes. The newest inductees to the program were presented by Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild, who recently used the podium while making her CMT Artists of the Year acceptance speech to list 35 female artists deserving of airplay, including many of the artists among the 2019 NWoC class. Additionally, during the event, CMT also announced that Pope will headline the 2019 CMT Next Women of Country Tour, joined by Dunn as well as Hannah Ellis.