Lainey Wilson was crowned the female artist of the year and claimed the prestigious title of entertainer of the year at the highly anticipated 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards.
“I’ve been living in Nashville for 13 years, pursuing my career in this field,” Wilson began her speech. She expressed her gratitude to everyone in her category, acknowledging their support and belief in her. “I truly appreciate each and every one of you for the love and support you have shown me,” she expressed sincerely.
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In 2022, Miranda Lambert achieved a significant milestone by becoming the recipient of the highly esteemed entertainer of the year award. Joining an elite group of women, Lambert’s achievement is noteworthy. The previous year, in 2020, an unprecedented occurrence took place when Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett were both awarded the title, marking the first-ever tie in the history of the award. Notably, this was also the first time since 2012 that a woman had claimed the top honor, with Taylor Swift being the last female winner prior to that.
Wilson kicked off the 59th annual ACMs by captivating the audience with her rendition of Little Texas’ “God Blessed Texas,” seamlessly transitioning into her latest single, “Hang Tight Honey.” The electrifying performance set the stage for a night filled with incredible music. Later, country music legends Clay Walker and Randy Travis took the stage to present Jordan Davis with the prestigious song of the year award for his chart-topping country radio hit, “Next Thing You Know.” It was a well-deserved recognition for Davis and a testament to his talent.
In his acceptance speech, he expressed his gratitude to the fans for their love of the song. He acknowledged the power of songwriting and the impact of previous songs that have won the song of the year award. Holding the award in his hands was an overwhelming and surreal experience for him.
The highly anticipated music event of the year was undoubtedly dominated by Wilson – and Jelly Roll, who stole the show with their chart-topping hit “Save Me.”
“No pun intended, but this song truly saved me,” expressed Jelly Roll in a heartfelt speech. Overwhelmed with emotion, he shared, “I genuinely believed that my life was headed towards ruin and imprisonment. However, today I stand here as a proud ACM award winner.”
Reba McEntire hosted the ACMs, which took place at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas.
Toby Keith honored
In a performance that had everyone eagerly waiting, Jason Aldean delivered a captivating tribute to the legendary Toby Keith. The stage came alive as Aldean poured his heart and soul into honoring the late country icon.
As the audience sang along, he delivered a heartfelt and intimate rendition of Keith’s timeless hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” The crowd was captivated by his acoustic performance, and Keith’s family watched on with great admiration.
Keith was a highly successful artist who received numerous accolades throughout his career. He was the proud recipient of 14 ACM Awards, including the prestigious entertainer of the year award, which he won twice. Tragically, Keith’s life was cut short in February at the age of 62 due to his battle with stomach cancer.
Chris Stapleton was awarded Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year. In his acceptance speech, he expressed his gratitude for being included in such a talented group of individuals.
During his performance of the new track “Think I’m in Love with You,” he had the pleasure of being joined on stage by the incredibly talented Dua Lipa.
Post Malone had a few surprises up his sleeve during his recent performance. Among them was the debut of a fresh track called “Never Love You Again.” The crowd was thrilled as the song seamlessly transitioned into his massive hit with Morgan Wallen, titled “I Had Some Help.” Unfortunately, Wallen himself did not take the stage.
Afterwards, McEntire teamed up with Post Malone for a heartfelt duet of the Allman Brothers Band’s “Ramblin’ Man” in honor of the late Dickey Betts, who passed away at the age of 80 just last month.
Luke Combs, who received the most nominations of the night, took home the award for single of the year for his rendition of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” It’s worth noting that Chapman’s 1988 song won song of the year at the Country Music Awards last year when Combs covered it, making her the first Black songwriter to win in this category.
Dan and Shay were awarded the title of duo of the year, while Old Dominion emerged victorious as the group of the year.
The performances came in quick succession, starting with Jelly Roll who delivered an electrifying rendition of his latest track, “Liar.” Following closely behind was Kelsea Ballerini, joined by Noah Kahan, as they flawlessly performed “Mountain with a View” before seamlessly transitioning into Kahan’s viral hit, “Stick Season.”
Tigirlily Gold performed her hit song “I Tried A Ring On,” while Cody Johnson, a native of Texas, rocked the stage with his popular track “Dirt Cheap.” The crowd was also treated to a special performance by country superstar Miranda Lambert, who unveiled her latest single “Wranglers.”
Kane Brown delivered a heartfelt rendition of “Georgia On My Mind,” showcasing his talent and emotional depth. Thomas Rhett captivated the audience with his soulful performance of “Beautiful As You,” leaving a lasting impression. The beloved couple, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, graced the ACM stage with their enchanting rendition of “Purple Irises,” captivating the hearts of the audience.
During the show, Park McCollum delivered a captivating performance of his popular track “Burn It Down.” The audience was also treated to a memorable performance by the talented Nate Smith, who was crowned the new male artist of the year. Pop-punk sensation Avril Lavigne took the stage and wowed the crowd with her latest single, “Bulletproof.” Closing out the show in style, the host Reba McEntire ended the night with a powerful rendition of her new hit, “I Can’t.”
The ACM Awards were live-streamed on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch Live.
