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Trisha Yearwood was honored with a special recognition named for another country music legend at the 2024 CMT Awards in Austin, Texas on Sunday (April 7).
Introduced by actress Jane Seymour, Yearwood received the inaugural June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award, beginning her humble speech by thanking CMT for naming the award after Carter Cash, she said "embodied the very essence of what this award's about," calling her a "force." She also drew notable comparisons between herself and the icon, declaring that they both know what it's like to be married to one of their biggest supporters.
"I only hope with this to be as big a part of my community and as good of a friend to artists as she was," she said. "It can be really hard to stand up for what is right and for what you believe in. June just did it, she walked the walk. She didn't just say what she believed, she lived it and she was strong in a very human way."
She continued, "My hope is that we can all learn a little bit from June Carter Cash's legacy and be a little bit more real, a little bit more vulnerable, be a little bit less about 'me' and more about 'us.'"
Yearwood added that she she didn't look at her award as an accomplishment but rather as a challenge to be better. She also issued her own challenge to all in attendance to "not just say it, but let's actually go out there and do it."
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The June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award recognizes an artist or group who demonstrates an exceptional dedication to their community and other artists. CMT Music Awards executive producers said they were "thrilled" to honor Yearwood with the inaugural award, saying she "has a unique ability to rally a community, whether that may be families in need with Habitat for Humanity, or uplifting her fellow artists and entertainers trying to carve a path in the industry."