A country star paired with a preeminent football player. It seems to be working out alright for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. On Wednesday, November 8, another such coupling will be centerstage when singer/songwriter Luke Bryan and future NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning co-host the CMAs in Nashville.
The two are reprising their roles from last year to headline the 57th edition of the annual Country Music Association Awards, which airs at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday (November 8) on ABC.
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It’s a perfect combo, and below are some of the reasons why.
[RELATED: 5 Powerhouse Vocal Performances from Chris Stapleton]
Luke Bryan is a Country Star
Not only is Luke Bryan on one of the biggest music shows on television as one of the three high-profile judges on American Idol, but he is also one of country music’s biggest stars. With billions of song streams, the twangy-voiced Bryan is both a critically acclaimed songwriter and performer and one for the people.
Why? Because he knows how to keep a foot both in the traditional aspects of the genre, with poignant lyrics that sink into the Earth-like roots, and he knows how to keep a party going, thanks to rousing songs like, “Drunk On You,” “Country Girl (Shake It For Me),” and “One Margarita.”
Peyton Manning is as Charming as it Gets
Manning has experience performing before packed houses, he’s already hosted the event once and has deep Southern, country ties.
In college, he played for the University of Tennessee, and today he can be seen on television every few minutes hawking everything from sandwiches to insurance. Manning just seems like the kind of guy who can read a room and his co-star and ratchet up the camaraderie and levity. He’s even hosted Saturday Night Live. What can’t he do on TV?
The Two Have Chemistry
Even more than their individual talents, it just seems like Bryan and Manning enjoy each other’s company and get along. They can joke about “Just run the route, Luke,” or they can poke fun at each other’s hosting abilities—all the while, the audience grins and laughs, entertained.
In the end, though, the two are just the big-named conduits for the show—the window through which the audience will view the entire night. A hit-maker and a touchdown-thrower. What could be better?
Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage
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