NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Country star Blake Shelton interrupted the lovefest on the CMT Artists of the Year show with a slightly profane mini-roast of his good friend Luke Bryan.
Both Shelton and Bryan picked up honors at the awards show aired live on CMT on Wednesday night in Nashville, Tennessee. But when it was Bryan’s turn to pick up his award, Shelton started in on Bryan about a scented candle named after the Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year.
“Man, I gotta get me some of these candles,” Shelton said, with the Luke Bryan candle in his hand. “They smell exactly like Luke. It’s like vanilla with a hint of deer urine.”
But Shelton got a jab back from country singer Trace Adkins, who joked about Shelton’s new relationship with his fellow “Voice” judge Gwen Stefani.
“There’s not a lot that he can’t do other than keep his love life private,” Adkins said.
“This has been a crazy year from the way it started and how it’s ending, so awesome for me,” Shelton said. “So thank y’all. This a great way to end it.”
The show featured performances of the year’s biggest country hits, including Shelton’s “Neon Lights,” Bryan’s “Kick the Dust Up,” and a steamy duet between pop singers Adam Lambert and Leona Lewis on a cover of “Girl Crush,” by honorees Little Big Town.
“Girl Crush” had a little bit of controversy early on when the lyrics were misconstrued as describing a relationship between two women, but many in the country music world showed their support for the ballad, which went platinum.
“You changed the force of that song, because of you, and we are just so thankful,” said band member Phillip Sweet.
The stage turned somber for a moment, with band members Jimi Westbrook and Karen Fairchild absent from the awards show, because Westbrook’s sister, Joyce, had died on Sunday.
“Tonight, Joyce, this is for you,” band member Kimberly Schlapman said, holding the award up in the air to a standing ovation from the crowd.
Source: www.washingtonpost.com
