The year 1967 is an important one for country music. That year, the inaugural Country Music Association (CMA) Awards were held. Far from the massive televised event it is today, this first year was held without much fanfare at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium.
Much has changed in the decades since then, but one thing that remains the same is the importance of the Entertainer of the Year category. Considered the highest honor of the CMA Awards, in 1967, that trophy went to Eddy Arnold.
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At the time, Arnold was easily one of the most established artists in country music. By the time the CMA Awards were held in October, Arnold had already released 19 studio albums. He had also been releasing singles for more than 20 years, beginning with “Mommy Please Stay Home With Me”, out in 1945.
By the mid-60s, Arnold was a mainstay on the country charts, with hit singles like “Make The World Go Away”, “I Want To Go With You”, and others. In 1967, Arnold released “Lonely Again”, “Misty Blue”, “Turn The World Around”, and “Here Comes Heaven”, all hits on the radio for Arnold.
The History of Eddy Arnold and the CMA Awards
Interestingly, the first CMA Award Arnold won is also his only trophy at the CMA Awards. He was nominated four other times. His other nominations include Album of the Year, for Best Of Eddy Arnold, and Male Vocalist of the Year, also in 1967.
In 1968, Arnold was nominated again for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. That year, both categories went to Glen Campbell, who won a total of three CMA Awards in his own career. The only other one Campbell won came in 2017, for Musical Event of the Year.
Despite his success, Arnold didn’t fare much better at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards either. He received one trophy, for the Pioneer Award, in 1968. That year was also his only nomination.
The lack of numerous awards and trophies in no way indicates Arnold’s success as an artist. Still, most of his success came in the late 60s. In 1968, Arnold had his last No. 1 single, with “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye”.
Beginning in 1965, Arnold had a lengthy streak of chart-topping albums. In May of 1965, his The Easy Way became the first of eight albums to go straight to No. 1. In 1968, The Everlovin’ World of Eddy Arnold became his final No. 1 album. The follow-up, The Romantic World Of Eddy Arnold, peaked at No. 2.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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