Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton won the top honors at the 59th annual ACM Awards held in Frisco, Texas and hosted by Reba McEntire. Wilson won Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and Event of the Year, the latter for “Save Me,” her duet with Jelly Roll; Stapleton took home Album of the Year, Male Entertainer of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.
Both artists delivered powerful performances during the show; other big winners include Megan Maroney and Nate Smith (female/male best new artists), Jessie Jo Dillon (best songwriter), Old Dominion (best group); and Luke Combs won Single of the Year for his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” while Jordan Davis took Song of the Year for “Next Thing You Know.”
What was striking about this year’s awards was the number of non-traditional country artists who performed: Dua Lipa joined Stapleton and his wife Morgane on “Think I’m in Love With You,” Avril Lavigne showed off her powerful pipes singing with Nate Smith (while wearing a System of a Down hoodie, no less), Noah Kahan sang with Kelsea Ballerini, and Gwen Stefani channeled a literal purple iris with the dress she wore to sing “Purple Irises” with husband Blake Shelton.
But the biggest look for any performer except McEntire went to Post Malone, who is dropping his first country album later this year. He premiered a new song from it apparently titled “Long Lost Highway” — which was one of the most pure country songs performed all night — as well as “I Had Some Help,” the Morgan Wallen-featuring lead single from the album (although Wallen did not appear).
But he was shouted out several times during the show by McEntire, who spoke of their friendship and said how much Nashville loves him, and the two of them performed an a capella verse of the Allman Brothers’ hit “Ramblin’ Man” in tribute to the song’s singer and writer Dickey Betts, who passed away earlier this year. Toby Keith was honored by Jason Aldean, and other performers included Jelly Roll, Kane Brown (singing Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind”), Thomas Rhett, Parker McCollum and more.
The complete winners list appears below:
Entertainer of the Year
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson — WINNER
Female Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Ashley McBryde
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson — WINNER
Male Artist of the Year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton — WINNER
Morgan Wallen
Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osbourne
Dan + Shay — WINNER
Maddie & Tae
The War and Treaty
Group of the Year
Flatland Cavalry
Lady A
Little Big Town
Old Dominion — WINNER
Zac Brown Band
New Female Artist of the Year
Kassi Ashton
Ashley Cooke
Hannah Ellis
Kylie Morgan
Megan Moroney — WINNER
New Male Artist of the Year
ERNEST
Kameron Marlowe
Dylan Scott
Conner Smith
Nate Smith – WINNER
New Duo or Group of the Year
Neon Union
Restless Road
Tigirlily Gold – WINNER
Album of the Year
Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs
Higher – Chris Stapleton— WINNER
Leather – Cody Johnson
One Thing at a Time – Morgan Wallen
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) – Kelsea Ballerini
Single of the Year
“Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs — WINNER
“Last Night” – Morgan Wallen
“Need a Favor” – Jelly Roll
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Song of the Year
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs
“Heart Like a Truck” – Lainey Wilson
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis— WINNER
“The Painter” – Cody Johnson
“Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney
Music Event of the Year
“Can’t Break Up Now” – Old Dominion with Megan Moroney
“Different ‘Round Here” -Riley Green with Luke Combs
“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan with Kacey Musgraves
“Man Made a Bar” – Morgan Wallen with Eric Church
“Save Me” – Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson — WINNER
Visual Media of the Year
“Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum — WINNER
“Human” – Cody Johnson
“In Your Love” – Tyler Childers
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
“Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney
Songwriter of the Year
Jessie Jo Dillon – WINNER
Ashley Gorley
Hillary Lindsey
Chase McGill
Josh Thompson
Artist-Songwriter of the Year
Zach Bryan
Ernest
Hardy
Chris Stapleton — WINNER
Morgan Wallen
Source Agencies
