The Country Music Association is responding after veteran musicians said they were denied spots on the CMA Awards' red carpet.
Sammy Kershaw first spoke out about the alleged slight in a statement posted on Instagram Nov. 5, in which the "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" singer said he and his wife were "denied" a request to walk the carpet. The musician said he and his wife had already made accommodations and shifted his schedule to be at the show before they were turned down.
"My wife, Mendy, and I don't get to attend these events very often, due to touring and schedule conflicts," he wrote at the time. "She was really looking forward to us sharing a special evening together celebrating country music. Then, to find out I was denied the red carpet
two weeks before the show, after being strung along for several months and expecting we would be attending ..."
The musician noted he is a "lifetime CMA member" since 1992 and has donated his time playing the organization's annual festival for free. He called the denial "extremely hurtful, embarrassing and very disappointing."
"I believe there should be room to recognize the artists who have spent their lives contributing to this organization's success," he said. "I love country music, but never in a million years would I think that a successful country music entertainer (and I'm not the only one) would not be able to walk the red carpet."
Days after Kershaw's call-out, singer-songwriter Rodney Atkins said the "same thing happened to me."
"When I heard about Sammy, I thought, 'What a shame. He's a great guy, sweetheart of a dude. Spent his life representing country music.' Then I found out the same thing happened to me," Rodney said in a video posted Nov. 7. "And in a way, I get it. I've always been kind of an outsider, maybe a shrub in the landscape of country music."
The former CMA top new male vocalist made the case that he has maintained relevance through his three-decade-long career. And like Kershaw, he said he has played CMA Fest multiple times for free, and that he and his wife are both CMA voting members who have "been involved with CMA for over 20 years."
In an accompanying statement, he added, "We've decided not to attend this year's CMA Awards. I also believe the artists who helped build the foundation of country music, like Sammy Kershaw, deserve a place in its celebrations. Country music should never get above its raisin'."
CMA responds to red carpet denials: 'We are deeply sorry anyone felt excluded'
CMA responded in a statement on Nov. 9, acknowledging that "several artists and their fans have spoken out about this year's CMA Awards red carpet guidelines."
The organization said its red carpet criteria are meant to help manage space and security, but that it was "deeply sorry anyone felt excluded by those decisions."
"With this 60th anniversary year, we are working extra hard to simultaneously spotlight the last six decades, while also celebrating what has been a tremendous year in 2026," it continued. "It's not easy to do all of that in just one night, but we are up for the challenge."
The organization also said it was in touch with Kershaw's team to "continue the conversation."
"We also know this is about more than a red carpet, and we are committed to keep listening and keep finding ways to make sure all artists feel welcome and at home here," CMA added.
Neither Kershaw nor Atkins were nominated for the 2026 awards, where Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert lead the list.
How to watch the CMA Awards
The 60th annual CMA Awards are set to take place Nov. 18 live on ABC and Disney+ before airing the next day on Hulu.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CMA responds after Sammy Kershaw, Rodney Atkins reveal red carpet denials
