Initially, CMA's Board of Directors included nine directors and five officers.
Wesley Rose, president of
Acuff-Rose Publishing, Inc., served as CMA's first chairman of the board. Broadcasting entrepreneur and executive
Connie B. Gay was the founding president.
Mac Wiseman served as its first secretary and was also the CMA's last surviving inaugural member. The CMA was founded, in part, because of widespread dismay on
Music Row about the rise of
rock and roll and its influence on
country music. In 2017, days before the
51st Annual Country Music Association Awards, the association announced that reporters that covered “the Las Vegas tragedy, gun rights, political affiliations or topics of the like” at the awards show would have their credentials revoked. Following criticism from Brad Paisley, journalists, and others, the association apologized and rescinded the restrictions on the press. In June 2021, the CMA announced that they would extend its broadcast contract with
ABC through 2026. == List of CMA Award winners ==