From Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning hosted Wednesday night’s 57th annual CMA Awards, honoring some of the biggest stars in country music.
Lainey Wilson was a big winner of the night taking home the highly coveted Entertainer of the Year. The win marks the first time a woman has won the award since Taylor Swift in 2011.
“I’ve been in this town for 12-and-a-half years and it finally feels like country music, it’s starting to love me back. I love it with my whole heart,” Wilson said during her acceptance speech.
Wilson also snagged Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for Bell Bottom Country, and her collab with HARDY, “wait in the truck,” won Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year.
Luke Combs also made out well thanks to his hit “Fast Car,” written by Tracy Chapman, which took home Single of the Year and Song of the Year, while Chris Stapleton claimed Male Vocalist of the Year.
Kicking off the night’s star-studded performances was Jelly Roll, joined by country great Wynonna Judd, with his hit “Need a Favor.” Bryan also hit the stage with a medley of his hits including “One Margarita,” “That’s My Kind of Night,” and “Play It Again.”
Morgan Wallen and Eric Church appeared for the television premiere of their collaboration “Man Made a Bar” and, later in the show, Wallen teamed up with Post Malone and HARDY to perform a medley of country classics.
Other country stars like Ashley McBryde, Cody Johnson, Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Jordan Davis, Alan Jackson, Megan Moroney and Carly Pearce also took a turn on the CMA stage.
Coming full circle, Jelly Roll closed out the show with The Judds‘ “Love Can Build a Bridge” with some help from R&B artist K. Michelle.
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