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| (L-R): Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood Photo: Donn Jones/CMA |
“The 51st Annual CMA Awards” were held last night in Nashville and were broadcast on ABC. Garth Brooks won Entertainer of the Year for a record-extending sixth time while Chris Stapleton and Brothers Osborne took home two Awards apiece. Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley returned to host the event for a 10th time.
Performance highlights included an all-star group consisting of Kelsea Ballerini, Brooks, Kix Brooks, Eric Church, Ronnie Dunn, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker, and Keith Urban coming together to sing “Amazing Grace” and “Hold My Hand” from Rucker’s time as the lead singer of Hootie & The Blowfish.
Co-host Carrie Underwood then summed up the evening’s mission statement in the opening of her 10th-year monologue with Brad Paisley: “Las Vegas. Charlottesville. New York. Sutherland Springs. Historic storms in Texas, Puerto Rico and Florida. The list goes on and on. This has been a year marked by tragedy, impacting countless lives, including so many in our Country Music family. So tonight we’re going to do what families do – come together, pray together, cry together and sing together.”
Garth Brooks thanked his crew and band after winning the top CMA Awards honor for the sixth time. It marked the third time he’s won Entertainer of the Year back-to-back years – 1991-92, 1997-98 and 2016-17.
“It’s been 30 years,” Brooks said. “Never have I felt more like a part of this industry. It’s weird. We don’t belong to a label or anything, but every label guy in the industry is hugging me out there. It feels like family.”
Jon Pardi took home New Artist of the Year, one of three nominations he scored in 2017. His breakthrough “Dirt on My Boots” from his second album, California Sunrise, also scored Song of the Year and Single of the Year nominations.
Little Big Town won its sixth straight Vocal Group of the Year Award on a night that included a moving tribute to Campbell with their touching version of his “Wichita Lineman” that featured an appearance by its writer, the incomparable Jimmy Webb.
Lead nominee Miranda Lambert, who sang a moving version of her song “To Learn Her” during the telecast, took her record-extending seventh Female Vocalist of the Year award. She won the award six straight years before yielding to Underwood in 2016. Chris Stapleton took Male Vocalist of the year for the third straight year.
Glen Campbell and Willie Nelson took Musical Event of the Year for their duet of “Funny How Time Slips Away” during the morning announcement, a win and a song made even more poignant by Campbell’s death earlier this year.
“Thank you, God, for just blessing our family in so many ways and sustaining us through our journey through Alzheimer’s disease,” said Kim Campbell, Glen Campbell’s widow, who accepted the award during the pre-telecast ceremony with children Ashley and Shannon. “Glen would just be so pleased and proud to be a part of this. … Glen, this is for you, and for everyone who’s dealing with dementia.”
Complete Winners List
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Garth Brooks – WINNER
Eric Church
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist, Producer(s), and Mix Engineer(s))
“Better Man” – Little Big Town
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban -WINNER
Producers: Dann Huff, Keith Urban
Mix Engineer: Chris Lord-Alge
“Body Like A Back Road” – Sam Hunt
Producer: Zach Crowell
Mix Engineer: Zach Crowell
“Dirt On My Boots” – Jon Pardi
Producers: Bart Butler, Jon Pardi
Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore
“Tin Man” – Miranda Lambert
Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse, Glenn Worf
Mix Engineer: Eric Masse
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
The Breaker – Little Big Town
Producer: Jay Joyce
From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton – WINNER
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Heart Break – Lady Antebellum
Producer: busbee
The Nashville Sound – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Producer: Dave Cobb
The Weight of These Wings – Miranda Lambert
Producers: Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf, Eric Masse
SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))
“Better Man” – WINNER
Songwriter: Taylor Swift
“Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Songwriters: Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey, Steven Lee Olsen
“Body Like A Back Road”
Songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
“Dirt On My Boots”
Songwriters: Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley
“Tin Man”
Songwriters: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert -WINNER
Reba McEntire
Maren Morris
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton – WINNER
Keith Urban
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town – WINNER
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne -WINNER
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
LOCASH
Maddie & Tae
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to each Artist)
“Craving You” – Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris
“Funny How Time Slips Away” – Glen Campbell with Willie Nelson – WINNER
“Kill A Word” – Eric Church featuring Rhiannon Giddens
“Setting the World on Fire” – Kenny Chesney with P!nk
“Speak to a Girl” – Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Mac McAnally (Guitar) – WINNER
Derek Wells (Guitar)
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Director(s))
“Better Man” – Little Big Town
Directors: Becky Fluke and Reid Long
“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban
Director: Carter Smith
“Craving You” – Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris
Director: TK McKamy
“It Ain’t My Fault” – Brothers Osborne – WINNER
Directors: Wes Edwards and Ryan Silver
“Vice” – Miranda Lambert
Director: Trey Fanjoy
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lauren Alaina
Luke Combs
Old Dominion
Jon Pardi – WINNER
Brett Young
For more information, visit CMAawards.com.
