Wynonna Judd will receive the first Country Champion Award at the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, which will broadcast on NBC and Peacock from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday (September 28).
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“Wynonna is one of the most recognized and lauded performers in country music,” said Cassandra Tryon, senior vice president for live events at NBCUniversal Entertainment, in a statement. “Not only is she incredibly talented, her selflessness and passion for putting the needs of others in the spotlight is unmatched. We can’t think of a better person to honor as our inaugural ‘Country Champion’ and to celebrate the holidays with across these two major country music events.”
Wynonna is being honored for her activism and philanthropy throughout the decades, supporting disaster relief, and as an advocate for children, military veterans, and their families, and more through her work with organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Wounded Warrior Project.
Hosted by Little Big Town, who became Opry members in 2014, the People’s Choice Country Awards will air on NBC and Peacock at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Ingrid Andress, Jelly Roll, and Zach Bryan, are among the New Artist nominees, while Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 hit “Fast Car,” Wallen’s “Last Night,” and Jelly Roll’s “Need a Favor,” and others have been nominated for Song of 2023.
Both Combs and Wallen have been nominated twice in the Song of 2023 category with their respective tracks “Love You Anyway” and “Thinkin’ Bout Me” also recognized.
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The 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards, an extension of the People’s Choice Awards, will also honor Toby Keith with the Country Music Icon Award, presented by Blake Shelton. Additional award recipients, performers, and presenters will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Judd recently revealed her upcoming 2023 Back to Wy Tour, a 15-night run of shows where she will perform her first two albums, her 1992 self-titled debut and 1993 follow-up Tell Me Why. The tour, which includes theater and casino stops across the U.S., will kick off on October 26 at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre in Indianapolis, Indiana, and wrap up on December 1 at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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