Chris Stapleton took home four Country Music Association Awards and barely left the stage on Wednesday night, while Morgan Wallen’s absence closed the evening until he took home the biggest prize of the night, 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 broadcast, including a show-opening duet with Post Malone. .
“I’m really honored for this, thank you very much,” the country traditionalist Stapleton is always subdued when receiving the male vocalist of the year award for a record eighth time.
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For many that night it seemed that the leading nominee, Wallen, who rose to seven, would die, until the presenter Jeff Bridges gave a botched name as “Morgan Waylon” when he announced the entertainer of the year.
Wallen’s four nominations came for his hit collaboration with Malone, “I Had Some Help,” although that song, and Malone’s first nomination, did not win.
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 “California Sober” in full cowboy regalia, including a bolo tie as big as a belt. He then took the stage solo to sing an emotional “Yours,” which he dedicated to his daughter.
Stapleton then performed his own “What I’ll Do” with his wife Morgane, and appeared again as part of an all-star tribute to George Strait, who received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Last year’s entertainer, 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 seemed that Stapleton would get the Sweepstakes, but he lost in the album of the year to the surprise of Cody Johnson, who took the trophy for “Skin.”
“I thought Chris Stapleton or Jelly Roll was going to win,” Johnson said.
Old Dominion won vocal group of the year for a record seventh straight time, surpassing the six wins by Little Big Town.
Stapleton-Malone’s opening and many nights are a celebration of cross-over time and collaboration in the country.
The telecast, available on Hulu for streaming Thursday, features performances from a mix of artists including Brooks & Dunn, representing the 1990s and 2000s, with Jelly Roll, representing the country moment. They gave an emotional gospel-style performance of Brooks & Dunn’s 2005 song “Believe.”
Brooks & Dunn followed by winning vocal duo of the year for the 15th time and first time since 2006.
Shaboozey brought the crowd to its feet with a solo performance that began with the more sober single “Highway” before launching into one of his year-defining hits, “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
But she lost out on best new artist to Megan Moroney, who won minutes after her own performance.
“Thank you Jesus for putting this dream in my heart,” Moroney, a 27-year-old from Georgia, said with tears in his eyes as he accepted the award.
Wilson opened his tribute to Strait by singing part of his most memorable hit, “Amarillo by Morning.”
He was followed by Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Stapleton and Straits Contemporary Clint Black, who performed pieces of Straits’ hits including “Troubadour” and “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame”
Stapleton handed the 72-year-old Strait an award previously won by Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride and Nelson himself, calling Strait “true country music royalty, the king of country.”
A smiling Strait thanked everyone for their powerful singing.
“I’m glad I got it first,” he said.
The CMA Awards are nominated and voted on by members of the Country Music Association, which includes music executives, artists, publicists, songwriters and other industry professionals.
