Garth has already won the CMA Entertainer of The Year award seven times, and after last year’s win was shrouded in controversy, because a lot of people thought Carrie Underwood deserved the honor. So he announce that he is bowing out of future awards.
“It’s time for somebody else to hold that award and know what that feels like. That feeling is so great, so wonderful that I want everyone to feel that. It’s the coolest nod from the industry that somebody can get. We’ve been lucky enough to carry it home a number of times. It’s somebody else’s turn.”
Garth said he talked to the CMA about creating an “Entertainer of the Year Emeritus” honor, but while they were open to the idea, it never happened, so he decided to do what he could to give someone else a shot.
Speaking of the controversy around last year's win he noted, “We all witnessed what happened last year, and it made ‘Entertainer of the Year’ not so fun,” adding, “I just want it to be fun for everybody, because that’s what award shows should be.” He added, “with all the love in the world and all the gratefulness because the last thing I want to do is seem ungrateful to the CMAs and everyone who’s voted for us, we’re officially pulling ourselves out of entertainer of the year."
Interestingly, the CMA says, Garth really can’t take himself out of the running for the award. They say they can’t pull names off the ballot, and if the eligible members vote for Garth he will be on the ballot. The second round of ballots go out tomorrow, and if Garth has made the cut his name will be on it, and it’s up to the voters to choose or not choose Garth, which may have played a part in the timing of his announcement.