Post Malone’s long, slow march toward a country music career continues. The tattooed rapper will make his 2023 CMA Awards performance debut when the Country Music Association hosts its centerpiece awards show in Nashville next week. Malone is slated to perform a medley of classic country songs alongside Morgan Wallen and Hardy.
Malone is no stranger to the twang. In recent years, he’s covered contemporary country songs like Brad Paisley’s “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song)” and Sturgill Simpson’s “You Can Have the Crown,” and stone-cold classics like Hank Williams’ “There’s a Tear in My Beer” and Johnny Cash’s “Cocaine Blues” (onstage with Billy Strings in 2022). He does them all admirably too, delivering the songs with grit and a hefty dose of cigarette-fueled rasp. He’ll take his country tribute act to the live stage next year as one of the key performers at 2024’s Stagecoach festival in Indio, California.
Along with Post Malone’s CMAs cameo, the country org announced a tribute to Jimmy Buffett at the Nov. 8 awards by frequent collaborators and disciples of the beach-country vibe that Buffett, who died in September at 76, helped create. Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band, and longtime Buffett sideman Mac McAnally will pay tribute to the “Margaritaville” singer.
Other newly announced performers include Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, and the War and Treaty. In addition to his medley with Post Malone, Wallen will perform a track off his Album of the Year nominee, One Thing at a Time, with a special guest yet to be named.
The latest slate of performers comes after last week’s announcement that Jelly Roll will open the CMAs with a rendition of his song “Need a Favor.” Other scheduled performers include Lainey Wilson, Tanya Tucker, Luke Bryan, and perennial favorite Chris Stapleton.
The 57th annual CMA Awards air Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning host from Nashville.