Luke Combs Takes the Reins for Fiery Opening Performance at the 2025 CMA Awards

When it came time to kick off the 2025 CMA Awards on Wednesday night (Nov. 19), Luke Combs didn’t waste any time — he just hopped “Back in the Saddle.”

Taking to the stage at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Combs — dressed in his usual short-sleeved button-up shirt and baseball cap — fired up the stage (literally) with a performance of his country hit, complete with a hefty payload of pyrotechnics to give the show just a little more oomph.

To set the tone, Combs reshaped the stage to look like the stables at a rodeo, with his band taking up their position in the stalls around him. As flames flared behind him and the crowd cheered him on, Combs wailed his way through the country-rock track to set the tone for the evening. “‘Cause I’m back in the saddle like some old cowboy, who dug his way out of his grave,” Combs belted. “Pulled up his boots, put his pistol on his hip, climbed up and took hold of the reins.”

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Combs was nominated for three awards at the CMA Awards on Wednesday, earning nods for entertainer of the year, male vocalist of the year and single of the year for his hit song “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma,” which earned the singer his 18th No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart back in September 2024.

Lainey Wilson, along with serving as the evening’s host, was one of the three most nominated artists at the ceremony, alongside fellow singers Ella Langley and Megan Moroney. Meanwhile, stars such as Shaboozey, Brandi Carlile, Kelsea Ballerini and more were set to perform during the three-hour ceremony.