Blake Shelton invites Kenny Loggins to go "Footloose" with him to open CMA Awards
Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton has invited legendary singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins to join him during a performance of the classic hit “Footloose” as the opening song for the 45th Annual CMA Awards.
The 45th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Checotah native Carrie Underwood, will air live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 on the ABC Television Network. P
reviously announced performers for the Country Music Association’s award show include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Thompson Square, Keith Urban, Chris Young, and Zac Brown Band, plus Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter singing their hit collaboration “You and Tequila;” Vince Gill, Paisley, and Urban performing a tribute to Glen Campbell; Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield singing their current hit duet “Easy;” Lionel Richie performing select duets with Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, and Darius Rucker; and co-hosts Paisley and Underwood in their first live televised-performance of their No. 1 song “Remind Me.”
Written by Loggins and Dean Pitchford as the title song for the motion picture of the same name, “Footloose” was a No. 1 smash hit for Loggins for three weeks in 1984. With the remake of the movie currently in theaters, Shelton is dancing up the charts with his version of the song.
Loggins has built a successful, decades-spanning career on the foundation of his songs. He first received national attention as part of the duo Loggins & Messina with Jim Messina, achieving hits such as “Your Mama Don’t Dance” and selling more than 16 million albums. As a songwriter, he wrote or co-wrote such classics as “Danny’s Song” (a Top 10 hit on both the Billboard Country and Hot 100 charts for Anne Murray in 1972), “A Love Song” (also a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Country Singles chart for Murray in 1974), and “What A Fool Believes” (which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1979 for co-writer Michael McDonald’s band The Doobie Brothers). As a solo artist, Loggins wrote and/or recorded such favorites as “Whenever I Call You ‘Friend’” (a duet with Stevie Nicks), “This is It,” “I’m Alright,” “Heart to Heart,” “Meet Me Halfway,” “Danger Zone,” “Conviction of the Heart,” “For the First Time,” “House at Pooh Corner,” and more.
