Standing up for authenticity in country music.
Over the past week, there’s been a big discussion about the use of AI in country music after an AI-generated song topped the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart.
The song called “Walk My Walk,” by an AI artist named Breaking Rust, sparked a larger conversation about what is acceptable when it comes to authenticity in country music, a discussion that over the past year or so has also included artists using autotune during live performances (after comments from Oliver Anthony calling out some of his fellow artists).
But even back in 2017, Eric Church made it perfectly clear where he stood on the use of machines in country music.
The comments from Chief came after the CMA Awards, a show that saw Garth Brooks win Entertainer of the Year for the sixth time (he’s since won it once more before deciding to take his name out of consideration) while also delivering a performance of his then-current single “Ask Me How I Know.”
Well, sort of.
Viewers quickly noticed that something seemed off about the performance, and after the show Garth admitted that he had been lip-syncing, blaming it on being sick and in the middle of a 12-show run in 10 days:
“We did a game-time call on whether we did sing the track or lip-sync it, and decided to lip-sync because the voice is just not there and you want to represent country music the best you can.”
Fans quickly took to Twitter to blast Garth for lip-syncing, especially on a night when he was crowned “Entertainer of the Year.” But it wasn’t just fans who were upset that he didn’t perform live.
During an interview with Rolling Stone, Church had some harsh words for Garth:
“We don’t use machines. We use instruments.
So the winner of the biggest category of the night lip-synced in the biggest moment on the show? F*ck that! And I didn’t like his excuse at all.”
He also called lip-syncing a “red line” that he’ll never cross with his own performances:
“It is and always will be a red line. It’s fabricated. I don’t want young artists thinking it’s OK, because it’s not.”
Authenticity in country music, what a foreign concept these days…
It wasn’t the last time Church called out Garth either. After being was robbed of Entertainer of the Year during the 2019 CMA Awards, he took another not-so-subtle shot at Garth during a show the following week during a performance of Waylon Jennings’ “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way,” changing the lyrics to “I know Garth didn’t do it this way.”
It’s funny looking back at the controversy now, not even a decade later, and seeing that lip-syncing was so controversial when we now have AI-generated country music on Billboard charts. I’m not going to say that one led to the other, but it’s like the boiling frog in the pot: When audiences accept lip-syncing, then they accept autotune, then they accept AI lyrics and computer-generated beats, eventually they’re going to accept fully AI-generated songs.
The decision is going to be up to the country music industry as a whole, from artists and labels to radio and fans, to determine what they’re willing to accept as far as AI-generated artists.
But even back in 2017, Eric Church made it clear where he drew the line. And for the record, he still had my vote this year for Entertainer of the Year.
The 2025 CMA Awards will be held November 19 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Lainey Wilson will be hosting the show solo this year, with performances from artists like Luke Combs, Ella Langley, Zach Top, Stephen Wilson Jr., Megan Moroney, Shaboozey, and BigXthaPlug.
2025 CMA Awards Nominees
Entertainer of the Year
- Morgan Wallen
- Luke Combs
- Lainey Wilson
- Cody Johnson
- Chris Stapleton
Album of the Year
- Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
- Producer: Kristian Bush
- Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
- Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top
- Producer: Carson Chamberlain
- Mix Engineer: Matt Rovey
- F-1 Trillon – Post Malone
- Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
- Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore
- I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen
- Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi
- Mix Engineers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi
- Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson
- Producer: Jay Joyce
- Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
Male Vocalist of the Year
- Chris Stapleton
- Morgan Wallen
- Luke Combs
- Cody Johnson
- Zach Top
Female Vocalist of the Year
- Lainey Wilson
- Ella Langley
- Megan Moroney
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Miranda Lambert
Vocal Group of the Year
- Old Dominion
- The Red Clay Strays
- Little Big Town
- Lady A
- Rascal Flatts
Vocal Duo of the Year
- Brooks & Dunn
- Dan + Shay
- Brothers Osborne
- The War and Treaty
- Maddie & Tae
Single of the Year
- “4X4XU” – Lainey Wilson
- Producer: Jay Joyce
- Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
- “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” – Luke Combs
- Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
- Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
- “Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney
- Producer: Kristian Bush
- Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
- “I Never Lie” – Zach Top
- Producer: Carson Chamberlain
- Mix Engineer: Mat Rovey
- “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley ft. Riley Green
- Producer: Will Bundy
- Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
Song of the Year
- “4X4XU” – Lainey Wilson
- Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
- “Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
- Songwriters: Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird, Megan Moroney
- “I Never Lie” – Zach Top
- Songwriters: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top
- “Texas” – Blake Shelton
- Songwriters: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock
- “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley ft. Riley Green
- Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere
New Artist of the Year
- Zach Top
- Ella Langley
- Stephen Wilson Jr.
- Tucker Wetmore
- Shaboozey
Musician of the Year
- Jenee Fleenor (Fiddle)
- Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
- Brett Mason (Guitar)
- Rob McNelley (Guitar)
- Derek Wells (Guitar)
Music Video of the Year
- “Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney
- Directors: Alexander Gavillet, Megan Moroney
- “I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood
- Director: Dustin Haney
- “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson
- Director: TK McKamy
- “Think I’m In Love With You” – Chris Stapleton
- Director: Running Bear
- “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green
- Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney
Musical Event of the Year
- “Don’t Mind If I Do” – Riley Green ft. Ella Langley
- Producers: Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen, Dann Huff
- “Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake w/ Jelly Roll
- Producer: Micha Nichols
- “I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson w/ Carrie Underwood
- Producer: Trent Willmon
- “Pour Me A Drink” – Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton
- Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome
- “You Had to Be There” – Megan Moroney ft. Kenny Chesney
- Producer: Kristian Bush
