Lady A moves up from performer to host for the 17th annual CMA Country Christmas on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Last year's co-host Jordan Davis is back too, this time just to sing.
Lady A sang at last year's CMA Country Christmas. This year, the trio runs the whole show.
The 17th annual special airs Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 9 p.m. ET/PT (8 p.m. Central) on ABC, with Lady A hosting, it was announced Wednesday. It streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
Lady A takes over from Lauren Daigle and Jordan Davis, who co-hosted in 2025. Davis is back as a performer, so at least one of last year's hosts gets a lighter workload.
The lineup is 10 acts deep, led by Dan + Shay and Trisha Yearwood, a former host herself. ABC promises "festive classics" but hasn't released a song list yet.
We rounded up ABC's full holiday schedule on Nov. 2, but the host and the final lineup weren't public until now.
Who is performing on CMA Country Christmas 2026?
Here's the full lineup:
Lady A (also hosting)
Dan + Shay
Trisha Yearwood
Jordan Davis
Zach Top
Russell Dickerson
Lindsey Stirling
Grace Bowers
BeBe Winans
Debbie Winans
Lindsey Stirling has ABC history, too. The violinist finished second on Dancing with the Stars Season 25 in 2017, partnered with Mark Ballas.
BeBe Winans is a repeat guest. He performed last year, too, along with Riley Green, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum and Megan Moroney.
What time is CMA Country Christmas on ABC?
9 to 10:01 p.m. ET/PT on Tuesday, Dec. 1. It follows Dancing with the Holidays at 8 p.m., so ABC's whole Tuesday night is basically one big holiday party.
Miss it live? It's on Disney+ and Hulu on Wednesday, Dec. 2.
The show was filmed in front of a live audience in Nashville. Entertainment Now reported the taping happened Oct. 14 at Belmont University's Fisher Center.
The Country Music Association produces it. Robert Deaton is executive producer, Alan Carter directs and Jon Macks writes.
Who has hosted CMA Country Christmas before?
The special started in 2010. Jennifer Nettles hosted the first seven years, then Reba McEntire took two, The Belmont Vision reported in 2019.
Trisha Yearwood hosted the 10th edition in 2019. She later co-hosted with Amy Grant in 2023 and 2024.
Daigle and Davis were first-time co-hosts last year, according to ABC's 2025 announcement.
So this year, Lady A is hosting with a former host on the guest list and last year's co-host in the lineup. No pressure.
What else is Lady A doing for the holidays?
Plenty. Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood have built a whole holiday side business.
Their 2012 holiday album, On This Winter's Night, hit No. 1 on Billboard's Top Holiday Albums chart and No. 8 on the Billboard 200, American Songwriter noted. A second volume followed in 2025.
Their This Winter's Night Tour 2026 runs eight shows in December, MusicRow reported:
Dec. 10: Northfield Park Racino, Northfield, Ohio
Dec. 11: Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, Gary, Ind.
Dec. 12: Blue Gate Performing Arts Center, Shipshewana, Ind.
Dec. 17: Beacon Theatre, New York
Dec. 18: Parx Casino, Bensalem, Pa.
Dec. 19: Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, Greensboro, N.C.
Dec. 21: Two shows at the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville
No Florida or California stops, sadly. Disney World and Disneyland fans will have to settle for Disney+.
When are the CMA Awards on ABC?
Before the Christmas special, ABC has the 60th CMA Awards live on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 8 p.m. ET from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. They're also streaming live on Disney+.
That's two big country nights on ABC in two weeks. The holiday one just has more sweaters.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
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Hat Tips:
Laughing Place (Nov. 4, 2026), the host, full lineup, air time, next-day streaming and production team
MusicRow (Nov. 4, 2026), the lineup and Central time slot
ABC7 Los Angeles (Nov. 5, 2026), the 17th annual edition and "festive classics"
Country Now (Nov. 4, 2026), Lady A's new hosting role and holiday albums
American Songwriter (Nov. 4, 2026), On This Winter's Night chart history and the CMA Awards date
Entertainment Now (Oct. 28, 2026), the taping date and venue and the Dancing with the Holidays lead-in
Laughing Place (Oct. 27, 2026), the 9 to 10:01 p.m. slot from ABC's holiday lineup
ABC via Detpress (Nov. 4, 2025), last year's hosts and performers
The Belmont Vision (Sept. 24, 2019), Nettles' and McEntire's hosting runs
CMA (Sept. 4, 2019), Yearwood hosting the 10th edition
Good Morning America (2024), Grant and Yearwood co-hosting in 2023 and 2024
MusicRow (June 2026), This Winter's Night Tour dates
Wikipedia (retrieved Nov. 4, 2026), Lindsey Stirling's Dancing with the Stars finish
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