At the inaugural “Energy of Ladies: Nashville” event hosted by Selection on Thursday, Maren Morris enthusiastically introduced her friend Sheryl Crow, expressing, “She is a rare example of: Do meet your heroes.” This statement resonated throughout the event, celebrating not just the honorees but also the behind-the-scenes creatives and business leaders in the Nashville music industry who embody heroism in their contributions.

The atmosphere at the Music City event was charged with inspiration, bringing together hundreds of individuals recognized for their empathy and philanthropic efforts. The spotlight was on four remarkable artists: Kelsea Ballerini, Sheryl Crow, Mickey Guyton, and Reba McEntire, each accompanied by celebrity presenters. This gathering was not just a celebration of talent but also a showcase of genuine support among the industry’s most admirable figures, making it a memorable occasion.

Throughout the luncheon ceremony, honorees openly celebrated each other’s artistry, courage, leadership, and charitable endeavors. The emotional resonance was palpable, leading to shared moments of tears and laughter; for instance, when McEntire became visibly emotional during her acceptance speech, Guyton promptly came to her aid with a tissue, demonstrating the close-knit community among these powerful women.

Much of the heartfelt emotion stemmed from the ongoing challenges faced by women in the country music industry, often regarded as underdogs. Ballerini highlighted a notable incident dubbed “Tomato-gate,” which originated in the 2010s when a country radio consultant controversially suggested that female artists should only be played sparingly on the airwaves, likening them to the tomato in a salad, while the male artists represented the lettuce.

Reflecting on this disparaging comment, Ballerini, who has recently embarked on her first headlining tour, recounted the moment when her debut single was climbing the radio charts. It was just around that time that the “Tomato-hate” controversy erupted. She humorously remarked, “It’s a good thing I’m Italian because the salads I prefer are a burrata or pasta salad, neither of which contain lettuce,” emphasizing the need for diversity and representation in the industry.

Not all individuals recognized at the Lifetime-sponsored “Energy of Ladies: Nashville” event hail from the country music scene; the extensive list of honorees also included individuals from film, television, and other entertainment sectors. Notably, it also recognized rock legends like Crow, indicating the event’s diverse representation of talent.

Crow herself humorously clarified, “I’m actually not a country singer,” as she distinguished herself from the other honorees. Reflecting on her evolving identity in the music industry, she stated, “I’m at a point in my career where I’m not even sure what I am anymore. But I love it,” expressing her sense of freedom from genre constraints and her passion for artistry that transcends labels. “It’s liberating, by God!” she exclaimed, radiating positivity.

The lineup of presenters was as impressive as the honorees themselves. Alongside Morris, who presented for Crow, Ballerini was introduced by her recent duet partner Noah Kahan; McEntire was introduced by Hillary Scott of Lady A, who made an appearance on stage alongside her unborn child; and Guyton received her introduction from Breland, an artist she mentored during the early stages of his career.

The first collaboration showcased was between Ballerini and Kahan, who performed their song “Cowboys Cry Too” together. Kahan also shared a delightful experience they had recently: visiting Dollywood after a busy day of roller coasters and indulging in foot-long corn dogs, a nostalgic nod to Ballerini’s childhood in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Kahan shared, “Last week, Kelsea and I were asked to leave Guy Fieri’s Flavor Town in downtown Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. After an exciting day spent on rides and enjoying delicious food at Dollywood, I found myself preoccupied with how to write my speech and truly capture Kelsea’s essence as a friend and collaborator.”

As they left the restaurant, Kahan reflected, “While laughing and stumbling out, I realized that what I love most about Kelsea is her zest for life. Witnessing her kindness up close with everyone she encounters made me appreciate how truly special she is. It’s rare to meet someone who can beautifully articulate their life experiences, relationships, and memories, while also treating everyone as if they’ve known each other for years.” This quality, Kahan continued, extends to her partner—Chase Stokes, who joined Ballerini at the event—“her friends, random strangers, and even corn dog vendors.”

Kahan also praised Ballerini’s significant contributions to mental health advocacy through her Feel Your Way Through Foundation, where she has successfully raised over $700,000 for various nonprofits. He expressed, “As someone who has faced my own mental health challenges, it’s truly encouraging to see an artist of her caliber dedicate so much time and effort to this crucial cause.”

“Thank you, Noah,” responded Ballerini as she approached the microphone. “Honestly, I believe that singing ‘Cowboys Cry Too’ is the primary reason that straight men dragged to my concerts by their girlfriends and wives were able to endure my glittery, emotional 90-minute shows every night. So, I owe you forever! One reason I feel fortunate to call Noah a friend is our shared love for Guy Fieri and our commitment to destigmatizing mental health issues and fostering conversations, resources, and community around it. That’s at the heart of our music,” she emphasized, highlighting the alignment of their mutual foundations.

Ballerini revealed her fan-girl admiration for Crow, saying, “I am a huge fan of Sheryl Crow, and in her words, I also enjoy a good beer buzz early in the morning, so I’m going to try that now.” (For fairness, it was early afternoon by that point in the event’s wine-tasting.)

Crow took the opportunity to discuss her environmental initiatives rather than mental health charities, but her respect for the causes championed by others, including Guyton advocating for mental health, prompted her to go off-script during her speech.

“You all are doing tremendous work in mental health,” Crow acknowledged, addressing Ballerini and Guyton. “You know, I once had a boyfriend who said I was crazier than a three-legged lizard on an icy pond,” she joked, lightening the mood.

On a serious note, Crow shared, “I’ve been in and out of therapy for what feels like most of my creative life, and it has been a lifesaver. Watching the person connected to the car I donated toss off the hotline where children can call if they’re feeling suicidal reminds me how vital the work of artists willing to bring their voices into the fray for the sake of others is.” This reference pointed to Elon Musk, whose recent actions jeopardized longstanding social services and prompted Crow to donate her Tesla for charitable causes, stirring discussions among his supporters.

“For me, the blessing lies in the giving and doing, not in the outcome,” Crow concluded. “Where we find ourselves now in humanity is challenging and somewhat frightening. It’s calling upon those of us connected to spirit and nature, which for me is where I find God. This moment asks us to harness our spirits and embody the drive we had as children when we saw someone fall and rushed to help them up. It’s a call for us to show up for people we may never meet in our lives, whose situations are vastly different from ours, but who we recognize are facing injustice—and there is so much of that happening right now.”

McEntire utilized her platform during the event to advocate for the less fortunate, emphasizing the need for compassion and action towards those in need.

“When I learned I would be honored today, I was asked to select a charity that is meaningful to me,” McEntire shared. “If I had a superpower…” She paused, then added, “Okay, first, I’d want to know what animals are thinking.” After a round of laughter, she continued, “If God granted me a second chance, I would create homes for everyone on the planet. Growing up, my parents worked tirelessly, and we always had a roof over our heads and enough to eat; we never went hungry, even if my mother wasn’t the best cook.”

“The organization I passionately support is Safe Haven Family Shelter, right here in Nashville,” she asserted. “What I admire about them is that they are the only housing program in Middle Tennessee that keeps entire families experiencing homelessness together. Nobody should have to face that struggle alone, especially families with children. It can be overwhelming to look at a large issue like homelessness and feel helpless. What do you do? Provide them with tiny homes? Tents? Safe Haven shows us that change happens family by family, one safe night and one fresh start at a time, and that’s the kind of change that endures.”

Building on the event’s core theme, McEntire stated, “I have been incredibly fortunate to know and work alongside some of the strongest women in the history of this industry—some acquaintances and some truly close friends. I’m referring to women who broke down barriers, lifted each other up, and paved the way for all of us in this room to pursue our passions. I wouldn’t be standing here today without the strong, fearless trailblazers who came before me. I hope I’ve passed along some of what those women taught me, and I am so proud to witness this next generation of women shaping the industry and our world for the better every single day.”

The presenters and honorees forged connections in vastly different circumstances. For McEntire and Scott, Reba first met Hillary when her mother, Nashville native Linda Davis, would bring her by the house as a child. In contrast, the initial connection between Crow and Morris occurred when Maren placed her song “My Church” on streaming platforms as an independent artist, prompting her lifelong idol, Crow, to track down her number and leave a heartfelt message on her voicemail expressing her admiration for the music.

Crow shared, “I love Maren deeply, and yes, I did— I called someone who knew how to get her phone number so I could say, ‘I don’t know you at all, but I already love you.’” This gesture was not merely about recognizing her own success but acknowledging the genuine inspiration emerging from the next generation. “As a songwriter,” Crow continued, “no matter how long you’ve been doing it, sometimes you meet people who inspire you to be better and to keep writing songs that resonate with others because they’re experiencing the same things you are. Maren has always evoked that feeling in me from the very beginning. When I hear her music, I don’t just hear it; I feel her in her music, and it motivates me to retreat to my safe space and write songs I know could mean something to someone else.”

In her introduction, Morris highlighted that Crow “has supported the Natural Resources Defense Council for over a decade. She has tirelessly championed their work in addressing the climate crisis, protecting public health, and safeguarding nature. She has consistently used her platform to effect change.”

Discussing her commitment to environmental awareness, Crow acknowledged that her advocacy has sometimes rendered her a target among certain voices on the right, but she is willing to endure this backlash and even leverage it for greater causes.

“About twenty years ago,” Crow recounted, “there was a film released, ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ produced by Laurie David, which laid bare the scientific realities of what was to come. What I did, as I always have, was follow my mother’s example: If you see something you can help with, show up to meetings or bring a dish to the church. For me, that meant going on tour with Laurie, discussing climate change at universities. She would educate them on actionable steps, and I, of course, performed my music alongside some comedic elements. We’d joke about things like, ‘You can take the grease from your cafeteria and use it in your gas tanks,’ or ‘get on a stationary bike to power the lights in your lecture hall.’ I had another humorous idea about saving trees by only using one square of toilet paper—unless it’s a big job, and then you can use two. Well, I think it was just two days or even one day after I went to Capitol Hill to meet with senators who were dismissing the science, that Fox TV ran an entire segment making me look ridiculous, claiming I was trying to legislate toilet paper.”

“Here’s the moral of the story,” Crow concluded. “That incident still gets talked about and has provided me with ongoing opportunities to discuss what’s happening right now.”

While all speakers passionately conveyed their messages, no speech resonated more than the one delivered by Guyton, who bravely acknowledged the elephant in the room—the biases she faces not only as a woman but as a woman of color in the industry. A decade after rising to prominence in Nashville, she remains a leading figure of color within the country genre.

Breland, who shares similar challenges as a Black man, remarked during his introduction, “Mickey has broken down barriers that, if we’re being honest, should have never existed. Yet she has dismantled them with grace, grit, and strength. She has created space for artists like me and so many others to stand a bit taller, sing a bit louder, and recognize that we belong. It’s not just your resilience and defiance that make you dynamic and powerful; it’s also your softness and compassion.”

During her speech, Guyton invited every Black woman in the audience to stand, including the servers at the luncheon. “This honor is not just for me,” she declared. “It’s for every Black woman who wakes up each day choosing strength over silence, purpose over fear, community over competition. It’s for our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, for those who came before us and those yet to come. Black women are the blueprint. We are visionaries, culture shapers, and barrier breakers. We are not just resilient; we are radiant. Despite the weight of generational burdens and systemic challenges, we continue to rise, lead, nurture, and transform.”

“However, empowerment is more than just a word. It’s an action,” she asserted, transitioning into her charity of choice. “The Loveland Foundation embodies every meaning of that word.” She invited the foundation’s CEO, Sharlene Kemler, to the stage, who provided crucial statistics demonstrating the impact of their work, including that Loveland has provided 210,000 hours of therapy sessions to over 25,000 recipients.

“I’ve been in this town for over ten years,” Guyton stated, “and the injustices I’ve witnessed… I’ve told some of my friends who are white women, the way this country music industry operates, you are experiencing a small-scale version of what it feels like to be discriminated against. Let that sink in. It’s unacceptable, and we deserve so much more. You deserve so much more. Let us continue to empower one another by lifting as we climb. Let us be unafraid to take up space, speak our truth, walk boldly in our magic, and fight against—not for—the systems that oppress us.”

“I am truly honored to be here among so many extraordinary women and individuals supporting women creators.” She noted that the city “remains built on artistry. As someone who has dedicated my career to connecting artists, fans, and communities, I can say with absolute certainty, there’s truly nowhere quite like Nashville. Even if we need a bit of work,” she added, qualifying herself, “it’s a wonderful city.”

The inaugural “Energy of Ladies: Nashville” event served as a sister occasion to the awards presented semiannually by Selection in Los Angeles and New York since 2009. Previous honorees at these coast events have included notable figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, Shonda Rhimes, Carol Burnett, Christiane Amanpour, Zoe Saldaña, Helen Mirren, Ava DuVernay, Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman, Anitta, Brie Larson, and Miley Cyrus, among many others.

A unique feature that distinguished this Nashville event was the presence of a house band. A talented group of top Nashville musicians was assembled on either side of the stage, coordinated by Go West Creative Group’s entertainment producer, Jeremy Vaughn, and led by music director Tyler Cain. This ensemble of skilled musicians, many of whom have recorded with or toured alongside the four star honorees, also provided musical backing for two singers who took turns in the spotlight throughout the event.

Meghan Linsey captivated the audience with a medley of songs from the four honorees, showcasing McEntire’s “Fancy,” Guyton’s “Better Than You Left Me,” before performing her own new single, “Humble Again.” The poignant ballad reflects the highs and lows of Linsey’s own journey in Nashville, which included a top 10 hit as part of Steel Magnolia, followed by her time as a contestant on “The Voice,” where she navigated moments of uncertainty about her true friendships amidst career challenges.

Her performance deeply moved many attendees. “It’s difficult to eat with a lump in your throat,” remarked writer-director Callie Khouri, who was among those in the audience, visibly touched by Linsey’s heartfelt candor.

On a lighter note, the house band also supported a celebratory song when Dasha took the stage to perform a cover of Gretchen Wilson’s “Here for the Party,” which she premiered at Stagecoach just the previous weekend. Dasha has released a studio version of the song exclusively for Amazon Music, which is set to announce a special initiative with the rising artist in the coming days.

Also present at the event was Alexandra Dean, a filmmaker who directed a documentary about the Judds, which Lifetime is premiering over Mother’s Day weekend. Ashley Judd had been scheduled to attend and discuss the new documentary but was unable to due to illness, prompting Dean to step in and share insights that aligned with the day’s recurring mental health theme.

The director promised that her documentary on the Judds would neither whitewash nor sentimentalize Naomi Judd, but rather celebrate her authentic story. “Naomi, despite her flaws, was a true fighter,” she noted, emphasizing that the late star achieved remarkable accomplishments, having emerged from a background of abuse and hardship. “When you think about that, it’s hard not to feel inspired, right? Wynonna and Ashley would likely tell you they didn’t have everything they needed for much of their lives, but Naomi did everything she could, and what she achieved was truly extraordinary.”

“The Judds family, we don’t love them for their perfection,” Dean added. “We love them because they survived. They know how to endure with grace. And that is a form of strength.”

The program was hosted by Melissa Joan Hart, who told the audience she had been a Nashville resident for five years. “This city has welcomed me and my family with open arms, lots of biscuits, and hot chicken. So, I consider myself a little bit Yankee and a little bit y’all.”

Attendees at the Hyatt Grand event included artists like Amanda Shires, Brittney Spencer, Lola Kirke, Lauren Alaina, Amy Grant, Cam, Grace Bowers, Sara Evans, and Jessie James Decker. Actors present included Patricia Heaton, Chrissy Metz, Rex Linn, and Laura Prepon. In attendance were also songwriters like Natalie Hemby, Jessi Alexander, and Ink.

Notable guests or other VIPs present included Sarah Trahern, Cris Lacy, Taylor Lindsey, Leslie Fram, Tracy Gershon, Ali Harnell, Anna Weisband, Ebie McFarland, Jessi Vaughn Stevenson, Sally Williams, Stephanie Hudacek, Stacy Blythe, JoJamie Hahr, Julie Boos, Jackie Augustus, Tiffany Dunn, Rakiyah Marshall, Jackie Teague, Deana Ivey, Emily Fletcher Wright, Beverly Keel, Holly G., Lisa Chader, Georgia Juvelis, Heather Vassar, Ania Hammar, Brittany Schaffer, Bryan Moore, Jason Owen, Mindy Barry, Jake Basden, and many more.