Some of the biggest acts in country music joined together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Country Music Association Awards by filming a memorable video called Forever Country.
The song features 30 artists from across generations of the musical genre, and is, essentially, a medley/mashup that salutes country music through the years. Songs like John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads, Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You and the Willie Nelson classic On the Road Again feature prominently.
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Shane McAnally, a CMA winner and board member, produced the video and revealed that mashing together a bunch of country classics was “a very scary process.”
“The first conversation I remember having about the CMA project was at a CMA board meeting when everyone was just sort of brainstorming about an interesting, unique way that might bring light to the 50th anniversary,” he explained.
“I didn’t think it would work in our genre. I said, ‘Maybe in pop music you can just take a piece of a song, but we tell stories. And we can’t just cut into them and take a piece.'”
But, somehow, it all came together, as is evidenced by the video.
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Legends like Ronnie Milsap, Alan Jackson and Reba McEntire appear in the spot, as do contemporary stars including Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan; Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum and Alabama represent groups. Randy Travis even gets in on the action by making a special non-singing appearance, as he’s still recovering from the stroke he suffered in 2013.
Filming of the video took place over three days in Nashville, Tenn. during the CMA Music Festival in June.
The musicians — all former CMA Awards winner — were shot on a green screen and the video comes to life with images of fields, farms, back roads, railroad tracks, Nashville’s Lower Broadway and other iconic locations throughout the world. Brooks & Dunn reunite to sing together in the middle of a field, while Nelson is under the Eiffel Tower.
All profits from the sale and streaming of Forever Country will go toward music education causes supported by the CMA Foundation.
The 50th annual CMA Awards will air on Nov. 2 on CMT.
Watch the full Forever Country video here.
With files from ET Canada
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