• Country singer Kelsea Ballerini opened the CMT Music Awards with a tribute to victims of a school shooting while sharing in that community’s grief, then danced alongside drag artists as states across the country consider banning children under 18 from attending drag shows.
• About two hours into the fan-voted awards show, the Tennessee native sang “If You Go Down (I’m Going Down Too)” and danced with Kennedy Davenport, Jan Sport, Manila Luzon and Olivia Lux, all stars of the show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
• Later, Shania Twain was given the “Equal Play Award.” “I believe in an all-inclusive country music,” she said.

Tagged: Celebrities