Chris Stapleton took home four Country Music Association Awards and barely left the stage Wednesday night, while an absent Morgan Wallen was left out all evening until he collected the night’s biggest award, entertainer of the year.
Stapleton’s wins included Song of the Year and Single of the Year for “White Horse,” and he took the stage at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, three times to perform during the ABC telecast, including a opening duet with Post Malone. .
“I’m really honored for this, thank you so much,” said the ever-understated country traditionalist Stapleton as he accepted the male singer of the year award for the eighth time.
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For much of the evening, it looked like the leading nominee, Wallen, who had seven more nominees, would be left out, until host Jeff Bridges unsuccessfully mentioned his name as “Morgan Waylon” when announcing Entertainer of the Year.
Four of Wallen’s nominations came for his hit collaboration with Malone, “I Had Some Help,” although the song, and first nominee Malone, remained winless.
But rapper-singer Malone was all smiles all night at the CMAs after releasing his first country album earlier this year. With Stapleton, he sang his song “California Sober” in full cowboy regalia, including a bolo tie the size of a belt buckle. He later took the stage solo to sing the emotional “Yours,” which he dedicated to his young daughter.
Stapleton later sang his own “What Am I Gonna Do” with his wife Morgane, performing again as part of an all-star tribute to George Strait, who received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Last year’s Entertainer of the Year, Lainey Wilson, co-hosted the show with Luke Bryan and NFL great Peyton Manning and won two CMAs: Female Vocalist of the Year and Best Music Video for “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.”
For a while, it looked like Stapleton would get a win, but he lost the album of the year title to a surprised Cody Johnson, who took home the trophy for “Leather.”
“I thought Chris Stapleton or Jelly Roll would win,” Johnson said.
Old Dominion won vocal group of the year for the seventh consecutive year, surpassing Little Big Town’s six.
Stapleton-Malone’s opening and much of the evening were a celebration of a time of crossover and collaboration in the country.
The broadcast, which was available for streaming on Hulu on Thursday, featured performances from artist combos including Brooks & Dunn, who represented the 1990s and 2000s, while Jelly Roll represented the country’s current moment. They gave an emotional, gospel-style performance of Brooks & Dunn’s 2005 song “Believe.”
Brooks & Dunn followed it up by winning Vocal Duo of the Year for the 15th time and first time since 2006.
Shaboozey brought the crowd to their feet with a solo performance that began with a snippet of his more pared-back single “Highway” before segueing into one of the year’s defining hits, “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
But he lost the best new artist award to Megan Moroney, who won minutes after her own performance.
“Thank you Jesus for putting this dream on my heart,” Moroney, a 27-year-old from Georgia, said through misty eyes as she accepted the award.
Wilson opened the tribute to Strait by singing part of his best-remembered hit “Amarillo by Morning.”
She was followed by Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Stapleton and Strait contemporary Clint Black, who performed cuts from Strait hits including “Troubadour” and “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame.”
Stapleton presented Strait, 72, with the award previously won by Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride and Nelson himself, calling Strait “true country music king, the king of the country.”
A smiling Strait thanked everyone for the strong renditions of his songs.
“I’m glad I got them first,” he said.
The CMA Awards are nominated and voted on by members of the Country Music Association, including music executives, recording artists, publicists, songwriters and other industry professionals.
