Honoring the people who should be getting all the recognition.
Living in Nashville it seems like there’s another awards show going on here every other day. From the CMA Awards to the People’s Choice Country Awards to the CMT Awards to the BMI Awards…you get the picture.
But there’s a new awards show coming to Music City this year – and this one’s not about honoring the celebrities that we see on TV or hear on the radio, but the everyday heroes who serve their country.
Fox Nation will be hosting their Fifth Annual Patriot Awards at the Grand Ole Opry tonight, and the ceremony will be hosted by Middle Tennessee resident and Fox & Friends host Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who has served in Iraq and been recognized with two Bronze Stars, says that the awards are important because they recognize everyday heroes and not just people who play heroes on TV:
“The Patriot Awards was born out of the idea that we should celebrate real heroes. There’s lots of awards shows out there that give awards to people who play heroes on TV or actors, and they become these sort of America-bashing political nights, which is why their ratings have crashed.
We said, let’s shine the spotlight on people who have never looked for it. First responders, young patriots, vets, cops, people who do really important work that no one really sees and are rarely celebrated…let’s tell their stories, and motivate and remind people in the process of what a special American experiment we have.”
And he says that while most people who receive the awards aren’t the household names that you find at other awards shows, they’re people who have incredible stories that need to be told.
The awards have previously been held in Florida, but Hegseth said that aside from being close to home (he’s careful to say that he moved to “Middle Tennessee” and not Nashville), the connection with the patriotic country music community makes Music City the perfect spot for the show.
“Openly talking about faith and country and freedom and men and women – it’s down the middle in that sense.”
And Craig Morgan, a Grand Ole Opry member who recently re-enlisted into the military, will be performing at the awards, something that Hegseth says perfectly highlights the connection between country music and those the Patriot Awards hope to recognize:
“What a perfect guy: An Opry member, country star, did 17 years in the Army…got out and became a star, and ultimately he’s like, ‘You know what? I want to finish my 20 years…so I’m gonna re-enlist.’
The guy loves the country, and he serves the country, and he sings about that, and he supports that. And those types of stories are a perfect layer on top of of the whole event.”
The Patriot Awards kick off tonight at 7 PM on Fox Nation, and will air on Fox News at a later date. A portion of the proceeds from the awards will go to benefit Answer the Call, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance and support to the families of New York City police and firefighters killed in the line of duty.
Awards that will be handed out include Salute to Service, Back the Blue, Fox Weather Award for Courage, Young Patriot and Most Valuable Patriot.
And let’s be honest, it’s better than seeing yet another awards show recognizing some out-of-touch celebrity. It’s nice to see the real heroes getting the attention they deserve.
