(Nashville) Lainey Wilson won five trophies, including entertainer of the year, Wednesday night at the Country Music Association Awards.
The 31-year-old Louisiana singer was the undisputed star of the evening at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, where she also was named female vocalist of the year, won album of the year for Bell Bottom Country and performed a fiery rendition of the song Wildflowers and Wild Horses that sounded like it came from a classic Hollywood western.
“It’s all I ever wanted to do, it’s the only thing I know how to do,” the winner testified, in tears, as she accepted Artist of the Year. “I finally feel like country music is starting to love me back. »
Ms. Wilson came in as favorite on the night with nine nominations and had won an award before the ABC telecast even began, as she and HARDY were named winners in the Musical Event of the Year category, for Wait in the Truck.
It was also another major night in Nashville for rapper-turned-singer Jelly Roll, who earlier this year won the CMT Music Awards.
He opened the show with a rendition of his hit Need a Favor, featuring surprise guest Wynonna Judd, then closed the show with a duet with K. Michelle on Love Can Build A Bridge, Judd’s classic song with his late mother Naomi.
Between the two, Jelly Roll won Best New Artist.
“There’s something poetic about a 39-year-old winning New Artist of the Year,” he said from the stage. What is in front of you is much more important than what is behind you. »
Luke Combs won Single of the Year Wednesday night at the Country Music Awards for his cover of Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car, which became the unlikely winner of Song of the Year for a song she wrote in 1988.
“I want to thank Tracy Chapman for writing one of the greatest songs of all time,” said the 33-year-old singer from North Carolina, accepting the first trophy presented on the ABC broadcast. “It was the first favorite song I ever had. »
Ms. Chapman, who won two Grammys for Fast Car in 1989, was not at the ceremony at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena but said in a statement that it was “truly an honor for my song to be recognized 35 years after its debut”.
Mr. Combs then took the stage to perform Where the Wild Things Are.
Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning hosted the ceremony, which included a musical tribute to the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, with performances by Kenny Chesney, The Zac Brown Band, Alan Jackson and longtime bandmate Mac McAnally. Buffett.
The group threw a beach party with a medley of Buffett hits, starting with A Pirate Looks at Forty and ending with Margaritaville, as Chesney shouted “Thanks Jimmy! » to Buffett, who has always been popular with country artists.
In what is becoming a series of CMA traditions, Chris Stapleton won Male Vocalist of the Year for the seventh time, Old Dominion won Vocal Group of the Year for the sixth time and Brothers Osborne won the duo of the year award for the sixth time.
“Honestly, we’re shocked every year this happens,” T.J. said Osborne.
