The Academy of Country Music Awards looked both forward and backward during a 60th anniversary show that celebrated six decades of the music of Nashville.
Eighteen-time host Reba McEntire set the show in motion with a monster 12-minute medley of ACM songs of the year, doing Merle Haggard’s “Okie from Muskogee.” Clint Black channeled Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy,” before Wynonna arrived to do the Judds‘ “Why Not Me.” LeAnn Rimes quite literally stopped the show in its tracks with a slowed-down, string-laden version of her breakthrough, “Blue.” Little Big Town and Dan + Shay continued the journey with “Girl Crush” and “Tequila,” respectively.
Sugarland was notably missing since Jennifer Nettles had fallen ill, as a solo Kristian Bush revealed when he presented the duo trophy to Brooks & Dunn.
Plenty of country’s new hits took center stage as well: Blake Shelton‘s current #1, “Texas,” Eric Church‘s “Hands of Time,” Chris Stapleton‘s “It Takes a Woman” and Lainey Wilson‘s “Whirlwind.”
Kelsea Ballerini stood atop a stage filled with “Baggage” to do her new single. Miranda Lambert started with “Run” before inviting Ella Langley out for a 20th anniversary version of “Kerosene.”
The new female artist of the year later did her current top ten, “weren’t for the wind,” while new male artist Zach Top offered his album cut, “Use Me.”
Collaborations continued, as Jelly Roll started with “Heart of Stone,” before joining Shaboozey on “Amen.” Cody Johnson debuted “The Fall” and then traveled down that “Red Dirt Road” with Brooks & Dunn.
When Reba walked out singing “Me and Bobby McGee,” it wasn’t immediately apparent she was starting the in memoriam segment, paying tribute to its writer, Kris Kristofferson, who passed away last year. She went on to remember Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys, Dolly Parton‘s husband Carl Dean and others.
An emotional Alan Jackson accepted the newly-named Alan Jackson lifetime achievement award, performing his classic, “Remember When.”
Megan Moroney led the Keith Urban tribute with “Stupid Boy,” as the ACM gave him their triple crown honor. Chris Stapleton returned for “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” while Brothers Osborne amped things up with their take on “Where the Blacktop Ends,” with Keith joining to shred on guitar.
The night was filled with plenty of girl power, as Martina McBride, Gretchen Wilson, Sara Evans, Crystal Gayle and Wynonna all came together to ultimately give Lainey the female artist trophy.
“The girls are kicking down some barn doors and I like it … Here’s to the girls!” she said in her acceptance. She, Miranda and Reba continued the theme with the first performance of their new song, “Trailblazer.”
In the end, it was a big night for both Lainey and Ella. Ella took home new female, single, music event and visual media of the year, while Lainey won album, artist-songwriter, female artist and the big one, entertainer.
Old Dominion also managed to come out on top, breaking the tie with Rascal Flatts to become the winningest group of all time with their eighth trophy in a row.
Rascal Flatts, however, had the last word, closing the show with Backstreet Boys doing a mashup that included “What Hurts the Most,” “Larger Than Life” and “Life Is a Highway.”
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