Rodney Atkins Denied CMA Awards Red Carpet Access, Cites Similar Situation to Sammy Kershaw
Country music artist Rodney Atkins announced on social media that he and his wife were denied red carpet access to the upcoming 2026 CMA Awards, a situation he likened to that of fellow artist Sammy Kershaw. Atkins, a long-time CMA…
Lima, OH, November 9, 2026 —
Country music artist Rodney Atkins has announced via social media that he and his wife were denied access to the red carpet for the upcoming 2026 CMA Awards.
Atkins, who is described as a long-time member of the Country Music Association (CMA), stated that as a result of this denial, they will not be attending the event.
In his announcement, Atkins likened the situation to that of fellow artist Sammy Kershaw. Specific details regarding the reason for the denial of red carpet access were not provided in the announcement. The nature of Sammy Kershaw’s past situation, to which Atkins referred, was also not detailed.
The artist shared this information on social media. Further details about the platform used for the announcement or direct quotes from Atkins were not immediately available beyond the summary of his statement.
As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement or response from the CMA regarding Atkins’ announcement or the reported denial of red carpet access.
Story summarized from the original created by KALB Digital Team, Gray News staff on www.hometownstations.com, see more information here.
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