Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, Dan + Shay Win at ACM Awards
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
April 8, 2019

Share

Grammy-winning duo Dan + Shay solidified themselves as the hottest group in country music with multiple wins at the Academy of Country Music Awards, where Keith Urban was named entertainer of the year and Kacey Musgraves won three honors.

“Baby girl, I love you so much. To the fans out there, you are amazing. You have no idea what you mean to me.” — Keith Urban
Urban won the top prize Sunday with his ninth nomination for the award, besting Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean, who held the title the last three years.
“Baby girl, I love you so much,” Urban said, looking to his actress-wife, Nicole Kidman. “To the fans out there, you are amazing. You have no idea what you mean to me.”
Urban also won entertainer of the year at the Country Music Association Awards in November — his first time winning the prize since 2005.
No women were nominated for the top ACM honor. Musgraves was the sole women up for album of the year.
She won twice when “Golden Hour” picked up top album — as an artist and co-producer of the project. She was also named female artist of the year.
Musgraves said the award “goes out to anyone woman, girl, or anybody really” who has been told “her perspective or style is too different.”

Only One Woman in Song of the Year Category

“Just stay at it. It’ll work out,” said Musgraves, who won four Grammys earlier this year, including album of the year and best country album.
Other categories didn’t feature many female nominees: Bebe Rexha was the only woman competing for song of the year with “Meant to Be,” while Maddie & Tae was the sole female act up for duo of the year.
But both honors, along with single of the year, went to Dan + Shay.
“I think somebody got the cards mixed up tonight,” Dan Smyers said onstage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “This is all incredible. We are all winners tonight.”
Smyers technically won five honors — picking up double wins in song of the year as artist and co-writer (shared with Jordan Reynolds and Nicolle Galyon) and single of the year as artist and co-producer (shared with Scott Hendricks). Shay Mooney, who won three awards for his role in the duo, didn’t write or produce the song.
Even Thomas Rhett jokingly dedicated his male artist of the year trophy to Dan + Shay.
“I am going to give this to Dan + Shay so they can go home with four,” Rhett said.
Rhett also gave a shout-out to his wife who sat in the audience: “You are smoking hot tonight.”

Photo of George Straight and Jason Aldean
George Strait, left, presents Jason Aldean with the Dick Clark artist of the decade award at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 7, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Actress Chrissy Metz Makes Live Singing Debut

Rhett performed Sunday, while Dan + Shay hit the stage to sing “Keeping Score” alongside Kelly Clarkson, hitting impressive high notes. Chris Stapleton’s performance was also a highlight. The singer-songwriter, who often performs with his wife, Morgane Stapleton, sang onstage as she held her hand over her stomach (she is pregnant).

“More than anything — thank you to the country music fans (and) country radio, you guys have changed my life forever. This is one of the proudest nights of my life.” — Jason Aldean
Emmy-nominated “This Is Us” actress Chrissy Metz made her live singing debut and gave an emotional performance onstage, teary-eyed at the song’s end. Metz sang “I’m Standing with You” from the upcoming film “Breakthrough,” which she stars in. She was joined onstage by Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina, Mickey Guyton and Maddie & Tae — the performers all wore blue dresses and sang in unison.
Ashley McBryde, who won new female artist of the year, also was memorable: Nearly in tears, she strummed her guitar and beautifully sang “Girl Goin’ Nowhere.” The 35-year-old was nominated for best country album at the Grammys and recently earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for her performance on “CBS This Morning Saturday.” McBryde shined again onstage when she joined Eric Church to sing “The Snake.”
Jason Aldean kicked off the awards show with a fun performance featuring the hit-making duo Florida Georgia Line. Aldean earned the Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award.
“More than anything — thank you to the country music fans (and) country radio, you guys have changed my life forever,” he said. “This is one of the proudest nights of my life.”
Reba McEntire, who hosted the show for the 16th time, told several jokes. When she mentioned the collaborative performances of the night — Khalid and Kane Brown and Brandi Carlile and Dierks Bentley, among others — she said she would perform with rap star Cardi B.
She said they could sing her song “No U in Oklahoma,” then said: “And that’s okurrr with me,” earning laughs from the audience.

DON'T MISS

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Ejected From Car Dies Off McKinley Avenue

DON'T MISS

‘Leave It the Way It Is’: Off-Roaders, Hikers React to Proposal to Change 1.4M Acres of Sierra Forest

DON'T MISS

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

DON'T MISS

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

DON'T MISS

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

DON'T MISS

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

DON'T MISS

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

DON'T MISS

Some Republican-Led States Refuse to Let Justice Department Monitors Into Polling Places

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal NW Apartment Shooting

UP NEXT

At 91, Willie Nelson Has a New Album Out and a Cannabis Cookbook Coming

UP NEXT

Rapper Young Thug Is a Free Man. Here Are Things to Know About His Plea.

UP NEXT

MrBeast Probe Ends With Some Employees Fired but Finds No Proof of Sexual Misconduct Allegations

UP NEXT

Beyoncé, Shaboozey and Post Malone Topped Country in 2024. How Will Grammys Respond?

UP NEXT

Weekend Lineup: Football Showdown, Rock Tributes, and Halloween Festivities

UP NEXT

Reynolds and McElhenney Expand Wrexham Empire, Acquire Historic Brewery

UP NEXT

Teri Garr, the Offbeat Comic Actor of ‘Young Frankenstein’ and ‘Tootsie,’ Has Died

UP NEXT

Hallmark Faces Age Discrimination Lawsuit Over Alleged Casting Bias

UP NEXT

Who is Tony Hinchcliffe, Who Insulted Puerto Rico at Trump’s MSG Rally?

UP NEXT

6 Takeaways From Donald Trump’s 3-Hour Podcast With Joe Rogan

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

6 hours ago

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

6 hours ago

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

6 hours ago

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

6 hours ago

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

7 hours ago

Some Republican-Led States Refuse to Let Justice Department Monitors Into Polling Places

7 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal NW Apartment Shooting

7 hours ago

Fresno Murder Suspect Stopped in Las Vegas, Others Wanted

7 hours ago

Trump’s Crowds Are Dwindling as His Campaign Winds Down

8 hours ago

Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on Mexico to Curb Immigration

8 hours ago

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

A driver suspected of being under the influence crashed into a California Highway Patrol car early Sunday, officials said. Officers were inv...

3 hours ago

A driver suspected of DUI crashed into a parked California Highway Patrol car at a fatal crash scene in Fresno County, sustaining minor injuries and later being cited. (Fresno County SO)
3 hours ago

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

fresno
3 hours ago

Fresno Man Ejected From Car Dies Off McKinley Avenue

4 hours ago

‘Leave It the Way It Is’: Off-Roaders, Hikers React to Proposal to Change 1.4M Acres of Sierra Forest

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP/Ashley Landis)
6 hours ago

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

Voters cast their ballots at Desert Breeze Community Center in Las Vegas during the last day of in-person early voting in Nevada on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Nearly 75 million people have cast early ballots, making their voices heard amid worry about the process, the outcome and democracy itself. (Bridget Bennett/The New York Times)
6 hours ago

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

6 hours ago

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

6 hours ago

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

7 hours ago

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

Search

Send this to a friend