At the recent CMA Awards on Wednesday, a unique trio comprising Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, and Hardy graced the stage to honor the late country icon Joe Diffie. Commencing with Wallen and Hardy’s rendition of Diffie’s 1993 classic, “John Deere Green,” the performance seamlessly transitioned to include Malone, who joined in for the 1994 hit “Pickup Man.”
Despite Post Malone’s predominant association with hip-hop and pop, his affection for the country genre has been evident through various covers, such as Brad Paisley’s “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” Sturgill Simpson’s “You Can Have the Crown,” and Hank Williams’ “There’s a Tear in My Beer.” In a noteworthy collaboration, Malone shared the stage with Billy Strings in 2022 for a live performance of Johnny Cash’s “Cocaine Blues.”
Hardy, on the other hand, celebrated the release of his country album “The Mockingbird and the Crow” in 2023, featuring Wallen. Prior to the event, it was revealed that his song “Wait in the Truck” with Lainey Wilson clinched early CMAs for musical event of the year and music video of the year. Wilson, the year’s most nominated artist, later secured the entertainer of the year award.
The 37th edition of the CMAs saw the return of Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning as hosts, orchestrating a night filled with remarkable collaborations. Notable pairings included Jelly Roll and K. Michelle, Old Dominion and Megan Moroney, Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton, and Tanya Tucker with Little Big Town.
Among the star-studded performances, Kelsea Ballerini delivered “Leave Me Again,” Dan + Shay presented “Save Me the Trouble,” and Luke Bryan took the stage for a medley of No. 1 hits, contributing to the evening’s musical extravaganza.
Catch the CMAs on Hulu the day after they air on ABC.
Check out the tribute performance honoring Diffie down below.
