Why Is Little Big Towns Jimi Westbrook Walking On Crutches At The 2025 CMA Awards

Jimi Westbrook has arrived on the 2025 CMA Awards using crutches.

When the Little Big Town vocalist arrived on the red carpet on Wednesday, Nov. 19, he told photographers at the event that he underwent surgery on his left ACL and meniscus three weeks ago and was still recovering. Then, after finding a stable standing position, he passed the crutches to another person before posing for photos.

“It’s a process,” he said with a smile.

For the occasion, Westbrook, 54, wore an all-black suit with a floral embroidered motif throughout. Posing alongside him was Kimberly Schlapman, his fellow Little Big Town member and wife of nearly 20 years, in a deep red, leopard-printed gown.

The rest of Little Big Town — Karen Fairchild and Phillip Sweet — then joined the couple for a few snaps altogether. Sweet sported a burgundy suit with a black button-up shirt underneath, while Fairchild wore a floor-length gown with a black lace bodice and shimmery gold skirt. Following their group photos, Westbrook grabbed his crutches again.

Check out all of PEOPLE’s full CMA Awards coverage here.

Little Big Town is up for Vocal Group of the Year, alongside Lady A, Old Dominion, Rascal Flatts and The Red Clay Strays. The group, which was initially founded in 1999, is also giving a performance at this year’s CMA Awards.

The country vocal group experienced a unique shift nearly two decades ago when Westbrook and Schlapman came to realize they were than bandmates.

“You think about those things. You’re like, ‘How’s this going to change?’ ” Westbrook told PEOPLE in 2024 of that pivotal time, adding, “we’re still trying to figure it out.”

Sweet, 51, told PEOPLE at the time that Westbrook and Schlapman, 56, getting together ultimately was great for the band, because the pair often “butted heads” before their romance bloomed.

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The 59th Annual CMA Awards broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on ABC. The show streams the following day on Hulu.