CMT Honoring Mickey Guyton as 2021 Breakout Artist of the Year
CMT will honor Mickey Guyton as their Breakout Artist of the Year during the upcoming 2021 CMT Artists of the Year celebration in October.
CMT announced the honor in a press release on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 23). Guyton will receive special recognition at the 2021 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony that takes place at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville on Oct. 13 and airs live on CMT. Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton will all be honored as CMT's Artists of the Year.
“We are thrilled to honor the immensely talented Mickey Guyton as this year’s Breakout Artist of the Year," CMT Senior Vice President, Music & Talent Leslie Fram states in announcing the news.
"After relentlessly chasing her dreams in country music for years, her perseverance, tenacity and spirit have culminated in this spectacular moment of recognition where she’s finally receiving the credit she deserves," Fram adds. “Congratulations Mickey! We look forward to celebrating with you, and all of our honorees on October 13th.”
The occasion will mark only the fourth time CMT has given the special honor. Guyton joins previous Breakout Artist of the Year honorees Chris Stapleton (2015), Kelsea Ballerini (2016) and Ashley McBryde (2019).
Mickey Guyton made Grammy Awards history as the first Black female solo artist to earn a Grammy nomination in a country category when her song "Black Like Me" earned a nod for Best Country Solo Performance. She later performed the song on the live Grammys broadcast. Guyton also co-hosted the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS along with Keith Urban in April of 2021. She was nominated for CMA New Artist of the Year in early September, and her debut album, Remember Her Name, is slated to drop on Friday (Sept. 24)
Guyton has a long history with CMT, having debuted as one of CMT's Next Women of Country in 2014. The singer performed twice on the 2021 CMT Music Awards, singing “Cross Country” with Breland and “Friendship Train” with Gladys Knight. Guyton also presented Linda Martell with the 2021 CMT Equal Play Award, and she paid musical tribute to the life and legacy of Charley Pride as part of the all-star CMT Giants: Charley Pride in August.
Guyton will also perform at the 2021 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony in October alongside the other honorees, with more details of the evening to be announced.