Nov. 19 (UPI) — Everything came up Lainey Wilson on Wednesday night at the Country Music Association Awards. The host of the show, held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, picked up the most awards of the night, including Entertainer of the Year.
She also won picked up her fourth Female Vocalist of the Year award and her second Album of the Year for Whirlwind.
Wilson closed out the night with her acceptance speech for the Entertainer of the Year award, thanking her family, her soon-to-be husband and her behind-the-scenes team. She began to leave the stage but came back to wrap up the show.
“I forgot I was hosting this thing!” she joked.
This was the second year in a row Wilson hosted the CMA Awards but her first solo. She opened the show with a medley of recent country hits, including “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town and “White Horse” by Chris Stapleton. She also performed her own hit “Ring Finger.”
Ella Langley and Riley Green accept the award for Song of the Year for “you look like you love me.” Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
(L-R) Andrew Nix, Andrew Bishop, John Hall, Brandon Coleman and Sevans Henderson of The Red Clay Strays accept the award for Vocal Group of the Year. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Wilson tied Ella Langley and Megan Moroney with six overall nominations, which also included Single of the Year and Song of the Year for “4x4xU”; and Music Video of the Year for “Somewhere Over Laredo.”
Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert perform onstage during the 59th CMA Awards. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Langley and Riley Green won Single of the Year and Song of the Year for “You Look Like You Love Me.”
“I feel like this is a song that just keeps on giving because fans keep on listening to it,” Langley said in her acceptance speech.
“Thanks for letting me be a part of this song,” Green, who is featured on the track, said to Langley. “Thanks for making it a hit,” he added to the fans.
Langley was also nominated for Music Video of the Year for “You Look Like You Love Me;” Musical Event of the Year as a featured singer on Green’s “Don’t Mind If I Do;” and Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year.
After picking up their two awards of the night, Green performed his song “Worst Way” and Langley sang “Choosin’ Texas.”
Later in the night, Stapleton sang “Bad As I Used To Be.” He was nominated for Music Video of the Year for “Think I’m in Love with You,” Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. He also sang “A Song to Sing” with Miranda Lambert.
Stapleton lost the male vocalist category to Cody Johnson, who gave a nod to the “White Horse” singer. He said that as a child, he used a fake microphone and pretended to sing everything from Boyz II Men to Merle Haggard.
“To be in a vocalist category with Chris Stapleton, who is one of the greatest vocalists of all time … thank you for paving the way, brother,” Johnson said.
Moroney put on a pink and sparkly heart-filled performance of “6 Months Later.” She was the third singer with six nominations — Album of the Year for Am I Okay?; Female Vocalist of the Year; Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “Am I Okay?”; and Musical Event of the Year for “You Had To Be There” with Kenny Chesney.
Chesney also took the stage, performing his songs “American Kids” and “When the Sun Goes Down,” while Tucker Wetmore sang “Wind Up Missin’ You.”
The second award of the night went to another pair of singers — Brooks & Dunn. The two picked up their 16th CMA award for Vocal Duo of the Year.
“I heard earlier tonight, ‘Do y’all ever get sick of this?’ Hell no, this is all good,” Kix Brooks said while accepting the award.
Three-time nominee Luke Combs opened the awards ceremony with a performance of “Back in the Saddle.” He is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year for “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma.” He later performed with BigXthaPlug on “Pray Hard.”
Zach Top won his first CMA award — New Artist of the Year — after performing his hit “Guitar.” He was also nominated for Album of the Year for Cold Beer & Country Music, Male Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year for “I Never Lie.”
Fellow New Artist of the Year nominee Stephen Wilson Jr. sang his cover of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.” He also joined Shaboozey to sing “Took a Walk,” a song created for the film The Long Walk.
Kelsea Ballerini, nominee for Female Vocalist of the Year, took to the playground, swinging in the rain as she sang “I Sit in Parks.”
The Red Clay Strays, who performed their hit “People Hatin,'” won their first Vocal Group of the Year award. Fellow nominees Old Dominion sang “Break Up with Him,” “Memory Lane” and “One Man Band.”
Country legend Vince Gill was the recipient of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Ahead of the presentation of the award, Brandi Carlile sang his hit, “When I Call Your Name,” later joined by Gill’s longtime collaborator, Patty Loveless.
Fellow legend George Strait lauded Gill’s accomplishments over the decades.
“His guitar playing is amazing. His songwriting is amazing. His singing is amazing. … He can sing higher than anybody I know. He’s in the Country Music Hall of Fame. He’s just an immense talent. Oh yeah, and he plays with the Eagles.”
Strait said there’s “no one more deserving to receive this honor” than Gill.
Gill praised Nelson’s talent and his treatment of his bandmates as family, as well as the other artists who’ve earned the award.
“So Willie, if you’re out there listening … you’re still inspiring us.”
