Country Music returned to Las Vegas for the first time since the tragic events of the 1st October last year. Aldean opened the 53rd Academy of Country Music awards along with Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett and Luke Bryan.
Aldean who was on stage in October when the gunfire started up killing 58 people and wounded hundreds more last night joined with country music saying “For those of us who have experienced tragedy and unexpected loss, music helps us remember what really matters in life.”
After this Reba got us under way with jokes that poked fun at past host duos Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley and Bryan and Blake Shelton: “I guess they finally figured out it only takes one woman to do the job of two men.”
Entertainer of the Year
Jason Aldean – WINNER
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert – WINNER
Reba McEntire
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood
Male Vocalist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton – WINNER
Keith Urban
Chris Young
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brothers Osborne – WINNER
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
LoCash
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Lanco
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion – WINNER
New Male Vocalist of the Year
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Devin Dawson
Russell Dickerson
Brett Young – WINNER
New Female Vocalist of the Year
Lauren Alaina – WINNER
Danielle Bradbery
Carly Pearce
RaeLynn
New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year
High Valley
Lanco
LoCash
Midland – WINNER
Runaway June
Songwriter of the Year
Rhett Akins – WINNER
Ashley Gorley
Hillary Lindsey
Shane McAnally
Josh Osborne
Album of the Year
The Breaker – Little Big Town
California Sunrise – Jon Pardi
From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton – WINNER
Happy Endings – Old Dominion
Life Changes – Thomas Rhett
Single Record of the Year
“Better Man” – Little Big Town
“Body Like a Back Road” – Sam Hunt – WINNER
“Broken Halos” – Chris Stapleton
“Drinkin’ Problem” – Midland
“I’ll Name the Dogs” – Blake Shelton
Song of the Year
“Body Like a Back Road” – Sam Hunt (songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne)
“Female” – Keith Urban (songwriters: Ross Copperman, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally)
“Tin Man” – Miranda Lambert (songwriters: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall) – WINNER
“Whiskey and You” – Chris Stapleton (songwriters: Lee Thomas Miller, Chris Stapleton)
Video of the Year
“Black” – Dierks Bentley
“It Ain’t My Fault” – Brothers Osborne – WINNER
“Legends” – Kelsea Ballerini
“Marry Me” – Thomas Rhett
“We Should Be Friends” – Miranda Lambert
Vocal Event of the Year
“Craving You” – Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris
“Dear Hate” – Maren Morris featuring Vince Gill
“Funny (How Time Slips Away) – Glen Campbell and Willie Nelson
“The Fighter” – Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood – WINNER
“What Ifs” – Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina
