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Hello Dolly: Country music legend Dolly Parton set to take CMA Awards stage

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Kyla Brewer / TV Media
Carrie Underwood hosts the 53rd Annual CMA Awards

Carrie Underwood hosts the 53rd Annual CMA Awards

Trends come and go, but country music never goes out of style for its fans. Luckily for country buffs, it's time to celebrate the genre's biggest stars at one of the year's most highly anticipated award ceremonies.

Carrie Underwood welcomes superstars to Nashville's Bridgestone Arena as she returns to host the 53rd Annual Country Music Association Awards, airing Wednesday, Nov. 13, on ABC. The CMA Awards have honored the outstanding work of country music recording artists, producers and other industry professionals since they were established in 1967, and the tradition continues with awards like Album of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.

However, the CMA Awards will look a bit different this time around. Underwood has co-hosted the ceremony alongside Brad Paisley since 2008, but he won't be taking the stage with Underwood this year. In August, it was announced that country music legends Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton would co-host with Underwood this year. While many of Paisley's fans were no doubt disappointed, he was a true gentleman about the new arrangement, even tweeting his support after the news broke.

"As a fan of all 3 of these amazing women, I can't wait to watch," Paisley wrote on Twitter on Aug. 19.

He isn't the only one who's excited. CMA executive Sarah Trahern expressed her appreciation for the trio in the official release about their hosting gig.

"It's an incredible honor to welcome Carrie, Reba and Dolly to the CMA Awards stage this year," Trahern said. "In addition to awarding the year's best and brightest in the genre, the 53rd Annual CMA Awards will celebrate the legacy of women within country music and we couldn't think of a more dynamic group of women to host the show."

McEntire and Parton are no strangers to the CMA Awards. Country music's most honored female performer of all time, Parton has won 11 CMAs, including the 2016 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. To her credit, McEntire has snagged six CMA Awards, among many other awards over the course of her career. Both women have hosted the CMA Awards before. Parton took the helm in 1988, and McEntire was the show's emcee from 1990 to 1992. Underwood has been outspoken about her desire to see more women in country music, and teaming up with two of the genre's biggest female icons seems like the perfect opportunity to shine a light on the industry's talented women.

It seems fitting that this year's top nominee is also a woman. Maren Morris has earned six CMA Award nominations, including Female Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year for "Girl" and Album of the Year for "Girl." She's also up for Song of the Year ("Girl"), Music Video of the Year ("Girl") and Musical Event of the Year ("All My Favorite People"). This isn't her first CMA rodeo -- the young singer/songwriter had 10 previous CMA nominations and one win for New Artist of the Year in 2016.

Dolly Parton will co-host the 53rd Annual CMA Awards

Dolly Parton will co-host the 53rd Annual CMA Awards

Country music duo Brothers Osborne have garnered four nominations this time around. T.J. Osborne and John Osborne are the reigning CMA Vocal Duo of the Year and they hope to hang on to the honor this year with another nomination in the category, which they've won three years running. They're also up for Music Video of the Year and Single of the Year for their collaboration with Dierks Bentley on "Burning Man." Interestingly, they share Morris' nomination for Musical Event of the Year because they're featured performers in "All My Favorite People."

Eleven acts clocked in with three CMA Award nominations each, including host Underwood with Entertainer of the Year (the only woman in the running for that one), Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year ("Cry Pretty"). The only other woman on the list of triple nominees is critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Kacey Musgraves, who will go head to head against Underwood in the Female Vocalist of the Year category. She's also been nominated for Song of the Year ("Rainbow") and Music Video of the Year ("Rainbow").

Dan Shay were the only group to earn three CMA Award nods this year: Single of the Year ("Speechless"), Album of the Year ("Dan Shay") and Vocal Duo of the Year.

Fan favorite Blake Shelton will be vying for Single of the Year ("God's Country"), Musical Event of the Year ("Dive Bar") and Music Video of the Year ("God's Country"). Scott Hendricks has double the chances of winning Single of the Year with nominations for both "God's Country" and "Speechless," along with a nomination for Album of the Year for "Dan Shay." In addition to his nomination for Album of the Year ("Center Point Road"), Dann Huff has two nominations for Musical Event of the Year ("Brand New Man," "What Happens in a Small Town").

With the biggest stars in the country music biz, including three fabulous female hosts, this year's ceremony should be a lot of fun to watch. Tune in as Underwood, McEntire and Parton celebrate country music in the 53rd annual Country Music Association Awards, airing Wednesday, Nov. 13, on ABC.