Brooks & Dunn to be Honored with 2026 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award

Brooks & Dunn will receive the 2026 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award during the 60th Annual CMA Awards. The show is set to air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 18, on ABC, Disney+ and next day on Hulu.

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According to the CMA, “The award recognizes those who have achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, streaming numbers, record sales and public representation at the highest level. The artist receiving this award has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre over the course of many years and has proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on fans and industry alike.”

Previous recipients of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award include Nelson (2012), Kenny Rogers (2013), Johnny Cash (2015), Dolly Parton (2016), Kris Kristofferson (2019), Charley Pride (2020), Loretta Lynn (2021), Alan Jackson (2022), George Strait (2024) and Vince Gill (2025).

“Few artists have left a mark on Country Music quite like Brooks & Dunn,” Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO, said in a statement. “As the most awarded duo in our genre’s history, Kix and Ronnie have spent more than three decades shaping the sound of country music. Their music has set a standard that still resonates with new generations of artists, while continuing to win over new generations of fans. We are proud to celebrate everything they’ve given to this genre and the mark they continue to leave on its future.”

Brooks & Dunn have landed 20 No. 1 hits on Billboard ’s Hot Country Songs chart and seven No. 1 albums on Top Country Albums. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019. Ronnie Dunn was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.

Brooks & Dunn hosted the CMA Awards three years in a row, from 2004 to 2006, which were pivotal years in the show’s evolution — its final year at the Grand Ole Opry (2004); its first time at an arena and its only time outside of Nashville (Madison Square Garden in New York City, 2005) and its first year at what has become its long-time home, Bridgestone Arena (2006).

Brooks & Dunn have received 20 CMA Awards, more than any other artist in history. (Dunn won an additional award in the song of the year category in 2006 as the songwriter of “Believe.”) Brooks & Dunn could receive their 21st award this year. They are nominated for vocal duo of the year, an award they have won 16 times, including the last two years running. But Chris Stapleton is just behind them on the all-time winners leaderboard. He has won 19 awards and has four nominations this year.

_Originally reported by [Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/brooks-and-dunn-cma-willie-nelson-lifetime-achievement-award-1236339663/)._