Photo courtesy of Blake Shelton
Country music history and musical performances were center
stage of Sunday night’s 50th anniversary Academy of Country Music
Awards at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
The night was filled with mega-star performances to
celebrate 50 years of country music achievements. Seven 50th Anniversary
Milestone Awards were given out to country music greats Brooks & Dunn,
Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire and Taylor Swift
for various ACM achievements. The very awards show itself made history,
garnering the largest audience for a live TV awards show ever.
Luke Bryan scored the night’s hallmark prize, Entertainer of
the Year, for the second time in his career.
On top of the night's biggest award, Bryan also took home a
trophy for Vocal Event of the Year with Florida Georgia Line for "This Is
How We Roll" and co-hosted the supersized show with longtime pal Blake
Shelton for the third time.
But Miranda Lambert claimed the limelight for the night,
cleaning house with three honors including Song of the Year for “Automatic,” Album
of the Year for Platinum and her sixth-consecutive Female Vocalist
of the Year award.
Jason Aldean was crowned Male Vocalist of the Year.
Other winners included Florida Georgia Line for Vocal Duo
and Musical Event of the Year, and Little Big Town for Vocal Group of the Year,
who happily said they "just wanted to bring big hair back to
country."
The awards show included several emotional moments,
including heartfelt remarks from Taylor Swift’s mother, Andrea, recently diagnosed
with cancer, who voiced her appreciation for fans before her daughter accepted
a Milestone Award from the Academy.
"Someone once told me you truly see who a person is
when you tell them something they don't want to hear," Taylor Swift said.
"So to the country music community, when I told you I made a pop album and
wanted to explore other genres, you showed me who you are with the grace you
accepted that with. I'm so happy I learned to write songs in a town like
Nashville, I'm so grateful I learned what hard work is from all my heroes who are
sitting here, and I'm unbelievably proud I learned to treat people with
kindness and respect from country music."
Martina McBride’s iconic “independence Day” and Alan Jackson’s
moving post-9/11 performance of “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),”
rounded the show out with a patriotic tone.
For a complete list of the evening's winners, visit the ACM winners list.
For a complete list of the evening's winners, visit the ACM winners list.
