The 60th Annual ACM Awards took place on Thursday (May 8) at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, hosted by Reba McEntire for a record 18th time. Lainey Wilson was the night’s big winner, taking home the ceremony’s highest award, Entertainer of the Year, along with Album of the Year for Whirlwind, Artist-Songwriter of the Year, and Female Artist of the Year. Wilson also delivered the live premiere of her high-profile collaboration with Miranda Lambert and Reba McEntire, “Trailblazer.” The ceremony started with a stirring 12-minute medley of past Song of the Year Award winners, with McEntire, Clint Black, Dan + Shay, Wynonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes, and Sugarland celebrating their own hits as well as past classics.
Many of the illustrious performers during the ceremony also took home awards, with Cody Johnson scoring Song of the Year for “Dirt Cheap,” Chris Stapleton once again winning Male Artist of the Year, Brooks & Dunn nabbing Duo or Group of the Year, Zach Top earning New Male Artist of the Year, and Ella Langley receiving New Female Artist of the Year, with the Alabama native – who was the top nominee on the night with eight nods – also winning Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year, and Visual Media of the Year for “you look like you love me,” alongside her duet partner on the song, Riley Green.
One of the emotional highpoints of the night was Alan Jackson receiving the inaugural Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award, with the country legend also taking the stage to perform a poignant version of his 2003 Hot Country Songs No. 1 hit,“Remember When.” Keith Urban was honored with the coveted ACM Triple Crown Award, and a series of contemporary performers paid tribute to the distinguished musician, with Megan Moroney delivering an acoustic rendition of Urban’s 2006 hit “Stupid Boy,” before Chris Stapleton delivered a moving version of the 2016 chart-topper “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” which caused Urban and wife Nicole Kidman to share a slow dance in the crowd, then the Brothers Osborne capped off the tribute with a rousing rendition of his 2001 track, “Where The Blacktop Ends,” which caused Urban to strap on his own guitar and join in the fun on stage.
Jessie Jo Dillon received the prestigious Songwriter of the Year award, while The Red Clay Strays won New Duo or Group of the Year, and Old Dominion nabbed the Group of the Year Award. The ACM Awards paid tribute to the event’s illustrious 60 years of history, showing emotional clips of legendary past winners during ceremonies from throughout the years, with tonight’s deserving winners also going down in country music history. (People)
