text: The 51st annual Country Music Association Awards kicked off with a tribute to the victims of last month’s Las Vegas tragedy. Darius Rucker led an all-star group of country superstars in a rendition of his Hootie and the Blowfish hit “Hold My Hand.” On stage with him was a who’s-who of the country world including Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire and more. 
   
   CMA Awards hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley only paid tribute to victims of the horrific shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Vegas but also the most recent mass shootings that have made headlines. In addition, they recognized the victims of the hurricanes that devastated Texas, Florida, the Caribbean and Puerto Rico. 
   
   The performance comes after last week’s backlash the Country Music Association faced when organizers set guidelines telling journalists not to ask about the Las Vegas shooting when interviewing talent during the awards. The backpedal came after Paisley and others spoke out against the ban. 
   
   “Our music lifts people up, and that’s what we’re here to do tonight,” Paisley said during tonight’s ceremony, which aired on ABC. “So this year’s show’s dedicated to all those we lost and to all those who are still healing. We love you, and we will never forget you.” 
   
   The duo lightened things up by joking to the audience how the ceremony was a politics-free zone, poking fun at the aforementioned ban. Paisley and Underwood went on to sing a song set to the tune of Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” which immediately skewered Donald Trump. 
   
   “In the middle of the night from the privacy of a gold-plated White House toilet seat he writes NFL and covfefe,” they sang. “Til little rocket man starts a nuclear war, maybe next time he’ll think before he tweets.” ||||| Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley mock CMAs ban with Trump parody song 'Before He Tweets' 
   
   CLOSE From Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley's Trump spoof 'Before He Tweets' to Taylor Swift's surprise win, the CMA Awards show was full of memorable moments. USA TODAY 
   
   Did you really think Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley would open the CMA Awards without getting political? 
   
   The hosting duo of 10 years didn't waste time getting to Donald Trump as they opened Wednesday's awards show, which came under fire last week for barring journalists from asking artists questions about gun rights, political affiliations and the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas. 
   
   The Country Music Association apologized and rescinded the restrictions last Friday, but that didn't stop Underwood and Paisley from laying into the ban. 
   
   "We can't be doing any of our silly little songs because this year's show is a 'politics-free zone,' " Underwood joked. 
   
   "Are you kidding me? That's not fair," Paisley rebuffed, offering sample lyrics of political spoofs such as, "Way down wander on the Scaramucci" and "Hold me closer, Bernie Sanders." 
   
   The pair eventually landed on a comical rendition of Underwood's hit Before He Cheats, changing the lyrics to lampoon President Trump's Twitter habits. 
   
   "Right now, he's probably in his PJs, reaching for his cellphone," Paisley sang. "Right now, he's probably asking Siri, 'How in the hell do you spell Pocahontas?' 
   
   "In the middle of the night from the private seat of a gold-plated White House toilet seat, he writes, 'Liddle Bob Corker,' 'NFL' and 'covfefe,' " Paisley continued, before his co-host joined in to finish the chorus. 
   
   "It's fun to watch it, that's for sure, until little Rocket Man starts a war. Then maybe next time he'll think before he tweets." 
   
   Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2AlNtgX ||||| Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period. ||||| Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley didn't shy away from poking fun at the political climate in their opening monologue as hosts of the 51st CMA Awards. 
   
   Related CMA Awards 2017: The Complete Winners List From Entertainer of the Year to New Artist, here are the winners of the 51st CMAs 
   
   As expected, they helped further heal a rift between the Country Music Association and members of the media, after the CMA released (and later rescinded under pressure) a strict set of guidelines barring journalists from asking questions about politics. Paisley lamented the fact that he's now unable to sing political songs like "Harper Valley DNC," "Hold Me Closer, Bernie Sanders" and "Stand By Your Manafort," the third a jab at the ongoing Russia probe plaguing the Trump administration. 
   
   But the highlight of their parodies was "Before He Tweets." Performed to the tune of Underwood's "Before He Cheats," the lyrics took down the President's habitual, early-morning tweeting. 
   
   "Right now, he's probably in his PJs / watching cable news / reaching for his cell phone," sang Paisley. "In the middle of the night from the privacy of a gold-plated white toilet seat / he writing Liddle' Bob Corker, NFL and covfefe." 
   
   The payoff line, however, was a chorus as cutting as it was humorous, referencing the high-stakes game some believe Trump is playing with North Korea. 
   
   "It's fun to watch it that's for sure / until little rocket man starts a nuclear war / and maybe next time he'll think before he tweets." 
   
   This marks Paisley and Underwood's 10th consecutive time hosting the CMA Awards.
target: – The 51st annual Country Music Awards was a "politics-free zone," hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley said Wednesday night—before they launched into a song poking fun at President Trump's Twitter habit. "In the middle of the night, from the privacy of a gold-plated White House toilet seat he writes Liddle Bob Corker, NFL, and covfefe," they sang in "Before He Tweets," sung to the tune of Underwood's "Before He Cheats." The hosts joked about Democrats and Republicans alike, making up song titles including "Harper Valley DNC," "Hold Me Closer, Bernie Sanders," and "Stand By Your Manafort," Rolling Stone reports. The hosts were joking about politics because of the Country Music Association's decision last week to ban journalists from asking about the Las Vegas massacre, political affiliations, and other issues, which it later rescinded, USA Today reports. "Our music lifts people up, and that’s what we’re here to do tonight," Paisley said, per Deadline. "So this year's show is dedicated to all those we lost and to all those who are still healing. We love you, and we will never forget you." The night's big winners included Garth Brooks, who was voted Entertainer of the Year, Miranda Lambert, who was Best Female Vocalist, Chris Stapleton, chosen as Best Male Vocalist, and Taylor Swift, who won Song of the Year for "Better Man." A full list of winners can be seen here.