Rodney Atkins boycotts CMA Awards over red carpet snub
The veteran singer joins Sammy Kershaw in declining red carpet access after a 20-year tenure as a member.
By Rafael Bailey ·
Rodney Atkins announced Saturday that he and his wife, country artist Rose Falcon, will not attend the 2026 CMA Awards. The decision came after the Country Music Association denied the couple red carpet clearance for the event.
Atkins, best known for songs like “Honestly (Write Me a List)” and “Watching You,” shared his frustration on social media. He noted that he has held CMA membership for more than 20 years and has performed at CMA Fest without pay multiple times.
“After more than 20 years as a CMA member and countless CMA Fests I’ve played for free, Rose and I were denied red-carpet clearance just like Sammy Kershaw. So we’ve decided not to attend this year’s CMA Awards,” Atkins wrote.
In a video message to fans, Atkins explained that he initially felt sympathy for Kershaw when the earlier news broke. He later discovered that he and Falcon had received the same denial for the upcoming ceremony.
Kershaw, a hitmaker from the 1990s, first revealed his exclusion on social media Thursday. That post generated strong support from fans and other musicians. The Country Music Association has not publicly responded to the comments from either artist.
Atkins’ announcement adds a second prominent voice to the recent debate over red carpet policies at the industry’s major awards show.
