Welcome to The Working Songwriter, the show where today’s best songwriters come to talk shop. Each episode we host a distinguished guest and we ask them to go deep on their inspiration, their process, and the general ups and downs of making a life in music. Whether you’re a grizzled veteran picking out custom chrome trim for your tour bus or a scrappy upstart, trying to determine whether your Toyota Tercel can make it through a three thousand mile tour, this is your show. Because, ultimately, it is what every writer seeks most. An ironclad excuse to put off actually writing.
Our guest this week hails from Harlem, Georgia. Ray Fulcher is one of Nashville’s most sought-after modern country songwriters. He first broke through co-writing a string of chart-topping hits for Luke Combs – including the multi-platinum “When It Rains It Pours” – before stepping into the spotlight with his own recordings on his 2022 debut album, Spray Painted Line.
Fulcher has toured extensively, sharing stages with Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, and Matt Stell, and his songs have been streamed hundreds of millions of times across platforms. He has written for artists like Riley Green and Cody Johnson, including Johnson’s recent hit “The Fall.” Billboard highlights his “unmistakable narrative grit,” while Holler celebrates his “clean-cut melodies and lived-in honesty.” Taste of Country notes his “ability to turn small-town details into widescreen emotion.” I caught up with him recently on The Working Songwriter to hear about his musical journey so far.
On November 19, 2025 the 59th Annual CMA Awards were broadcast live on ABC from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Hosted by Lainey Wilson for the second year in a row, the primetime awards show is now streaming on Hulu for any viewers who were unable to tune in live. Wilson not only hosted, she also dominated the awards, taking home trophies for Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and the evening’s top honor, Entertainer of the Year. The Louisianan country sensation has now won 12 CMA Awards out of 25 nominations in just four years of eligibility – including two Entertainer of the Year wins.
The other standout award recipient of the night was “you look like you love me,” a viral hit for mainstream country stars Ella Langley & Riley Green. The track garnered trophies for Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Music Video of the Year. Meanwhile Post Malone, who has now been nominated for CMA Awards five times over the past two years, landed his very first CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year for his song, “Pour Me A Drink,” featuring Blake Shelton. Bluegrass-steeped country phenomenon Zach Top also received his first CMA Award – for New Artist of the Year – after two huge, breakout years for everyone’s new favorite neo-traditionalist.
The broadcast included live performances and exciting collaborations from artists like Wilson, Top, Kenny Chesney, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Shaboozey and Stephen Wilson Jr., the Red Clay Strays, Tucker Wetmore, and many more. Legendary country, bluegrass, and Americana multi-hyphenate Vince Gill was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award – the presentation featuring a surprise appearance by last year’s awardee, George Strait. Gill’s longtime pal and collaborator, pedal steel guitarist extraordinaire Paul Franklin, took home the award for Musician of the Year.
Chesney, who recently released a best-selling book, Heart Life Music, performed a medley of “American Kids” and “When the Sun Goes Down.” to mark his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fme, and to celebrate his fellow newly minted Hall of Fame members June Carter Cash and Tony Brown, too. Brandi Carlile and Patty Loveless joined together to honor Gill with a rousing performance of “When I Call Your Name,” a No. 2 Billboard hit for Gill that shone and sparkled on the CMA stage with rich, reedy harmonies by Carlile and Loveless.
Fans can stream the CMA Awards Show now on Hulu. Find the full list of nominees and winners (in bold) for the 59th Annual CMA Awards below:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen Lainey Wilson
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: Matt Rovey
“you look like you love me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green Producer: Will Bundy Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
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 Trillion – 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
SONG OF THE YEAR
“4x4xU” Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
“Am I Okay?” Songwriters: Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird, Megan Moroney
“I Never Lie” Songwriters: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top
“Texas” Songwriters: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock
“you look like you love me” Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Ella Langley Megan Moroney Lainey Wilson
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Zach Top Morgan Wallen
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady A Little Big Town Old Dominion Rascal Flatts The Red Clay Strays
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Maddie & Tae The War And Treaty
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Don’t Mind If I Do” – Riley Green (featuring Ella Langley) Producers: Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen, Dann Huff
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake with Jelly Roll Producer: Micah Nichols
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson (with Carrie Underwood) Producer: Trent Willmon
“Pour Me A Drink” – Post Malone (feat. Blake Shelton) Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome
“You Had To Be There” – Megan Moroney (feat. Kenny Chesney) Producer: Kristian Bush
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar Brent Mason – Guitar Rob McNelley – Guitar Derek Wells – Guitar
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney Directors: Alexandra Gavillet, Megan Moroney
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson (with 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
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ella Langley Shaboozey Zach Top Tucker Wetmore Stephen Wilson Jr.
On Monday, September 8, 2025 the Country Music Association announced the nominees for the 59th Annual CMA Awards. With six nods a piece, country stars Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, and Ella Langley tied each other for the lead in total nominations at the longest-running country music awards show. The CMA Awards will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 19 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC and will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
Following Wilson, Moroney, and Langley in nominations is a quickly rising star at the very top of most listeners’ minds these days, Zach Top, who will vie for awards in the Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and New Artist of the Year categories. Fiddler Jenee Fleenor, a five-time winner of Musician of the Year, is nominated again in the category this year, alongside guitarists Brent Mason, Rob McNelley, and Derek Wells and pedal steel genius Paul Franklin.
In addition to Top and Fleenor other notable nominees from the bluegrass and Americana worlds include the War and Treaty (Vocal Duo of the Year), Chris Stapleton (Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year), and the Red Clay Strays (Vocal Group of the Year).
Shaboozey is nominated for the second year in a row for New Artist of the Year, and relative newcomer to the genre Post Malone gained two nominations this year (remarkably, one less nomination than in 2024), for F-1 Trillion (Album of the Year) and “Pour Me A Drink” featuring Blake Shelton (Musical Event of the Year).
It’s clear that whatever your preferred subspecies of country music, this year’s batch of nominees for the CMA Awards holds more than enough variety to satisfy your tastes. From the most polished radio-ready pop country to gristly full-bore rock and roll, from high femme glamor bops to ’90s vocals (and of course the hairstyles, too), there’s plenty of Good Country to be found among this year’s nominations.
Find the full list of nominees for the 59th Annual CMA Awards below:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen Lainey Wilson
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: Matt Rovey
“you look like you love me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green Producer: Will Bundy Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
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 Trillion – 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
SONG OF THE YEAR
“4x4xU” Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
“Am I Okay?” Songwriters: Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird, Megan Moroney
“I Never Lie” Songwriters: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top
“Texas” Songwriters: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock
“you look like you love me” Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Ella Langley Megan Moroney Lainey Wilson
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Zach Top Morgan Wallen
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady A Little Big Town Old Dominion Rascal Flatts The Red Clay Strays
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Maddie & Tae The War And Treaty
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Don’t Mind If I Do” – Riley Green (featuring Ella Langley) Producers: Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen, Dann Huff
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake with Jelly Roll Producer: Micah Nichols
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson (with Carrie Underwood) Producer: Trent Willmon
“Pour Me A Drink” – Post Malone (feat. Blake Shelton) Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome
“You Had To Be There” – Megan Moroney (feat. Kenny Chesney) Producer: Kristian Bush
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar Brent Mason – Guitar Rob McNelley – Guitar Derek Wells – Guitar
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney Directors: Alexandra Gavillet, Megan Moroney
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson (with 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
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ella Langley Shaboozey Zach Top Tucker Wetmore Stephen Wilson Jr.
Photo Credit: Lainey Wilson by Cece Dawson.
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