CMT Honors Heroes On The Frontlines Of The Coronavirus Pandemic In Star-Studded TV Special

The two-hour special set to air Wednesday night brings a host of country artists and other celebrities together to honor those who’ve sacrificed to help others in the wake of COVID-19. 

“It could be anything from a simple act of kindness, a small business flipping the switch and doing something to help their community,” says Leslie Fram, Senior Vice President, Music & Talent, CMT. “There are educators, healthcare workers, the U.S. military, everyday workers, and many others.

The show will share inspirational stories of doctors, nurses, and EMTs, as well as businesses that made ventilators, masks, and hand sanitizer. It will highlight farmers, truckers, food distributors, delivery drivers, sanitation workers, and more.

“CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artist of the Year Special” will air June 3^rd at 8pm ET/7pm CT and be simulcast on Paramount Network, Pop TV, and TV Land.

Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, and a number of other country artists will make special appearances.

They’ll be joined by Gary Sinise, Scarlett Johansson, Kristin Bell, Oliva Munn, and Sean Penn. While these celebrities might not normally be associated with country music, they all wanted to show their support for people across America who have given so much during the pandemic.

“I think it’s the weight of the importance and these are people who are already outspoken and doing things for their community. We’ve been lucky enough to get Gary Sinise to introduce one of our stories honoring the military and as you know, he’s been supporting the military and veterans for years,” says Fram. “And, Sean Penn is the founder of CORE (a network of doctors, emergency workers, and government officials who help in times of crisis or disaster), and they’ve been doing pre-testing for COVID-19. So, when he saw what we were doing and that we were really highlighting the people out there doing the daily work, he wanted to be a part of it.”

Along with the stories honoring heroes, there will be 13 musical performances throughout the show. Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, Brandi Carlile, Florida Georgia Line, and Lady Antebellum are among those who will perform, all from the safety of their own homes.

“We let the artists pick the song they wanted to sing,” says Fram. “It could have been something from their back catalog, a cover song, a new song, or something else relevant to the tone of the show, which is celebratory.”

Fram says producers have worked hard to maintain both the celebratory and honest nature of the show, even to the point of not scripting what most of the artists or celebrities will say. This is about bringing a community together, allowing people to speak from the heart, and paying tribute to those who have made a difference during difficult times. 

“When there are times of crisis, music brings people together. And I think this is a way for the country community to go into people’s homes and say it’s okay to be hurting, but let’s honor those people putting their lives on the line and making these sacrifices every day.”