Cole Swindell; Brothers Osborne; Lainey Wilson.Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty (3)
The2023 ACM Awardswere in full swing!
The annual country music show — which aired Thursday night on Prime Video from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas and featuredDolly PartonandGarth Brooksas hosts — got things started on Wednesday with a series of early wins.
Zach Bryan and Hailey Whitters were the first to take home a trophy, as Bryan won new male artist of the year and Whitters won new female artist of the year on Wednesday.Ashley Gorley, meanwhile, who’s co-written hits like “Sand in My Boots” forMorgan Wallenand “You Should Probably Leave” forChris Stapleton, won songwriter of the year.
Whitters expressed her shock and excitement on Instagram, tagging the show and writing “WHAT 😭” as the caption on a post shortly after she was given her award. Bryan, meanwhile, thanked the Academy of Country Music in an Instagram Story.
HARDYentered the night as the most-nominated artist, with seven nods, including song of the year and artist-songwriter of the year. He shared three of his nominations withLainey Wilson, who was nominated for six awards.
Trailing them areKane Brown,Luke Combs,Miranda LambertandCole Swindell, who will each vie for five trophies.
HARDY; Lainey Wilson, Kane Brown.Getty (3)
Lambert, who won the coveted Triple Crown Award last year, is up for female artist of the year for a record-breaking 17th time; this year’s nomination pushes her pastReba McEntire’s 16 nods in the category.
If either Combs or Stapleton take home entertainer of the year, they too will be Triple Crown winners, which means an artist has won entertainer of the year, new artist and artist of the year.
The show is set to be a star-studded affair, with performances fromKeith Urban,Jason Aldean, HARDY, Brown, Combs,Cody Johnson, Lambert,Jelly Roll,Morgan Wallen, The War and Treaty, Wilson,Bailey Zimmermanand Parton, who will debut the first single from her upcoming rock album.
Carly PearceandTrisha Yearwoodwill also duet on a medley of hits, whileCole SwindellandJo Dee Messinawill team up on “She Had Me at Heads Carolina (Remix).“Ashley McBryde,Brandy Clark,Caylee Hammack, Pillbox Patti andBrothers Osborne’sJohn Osbornewill also sing “Bonfire at Tina’s,” whileEd Sheeranwill appear for a special performance.
See below for the complete list of ACM Award winners.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
DUO OF THE YEAR
GROUP OF THE YEAR
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
ALBUM OF THE YEAR[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Producer: John Osborne
Record Company-Label: Warner Music Nashville
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Company-Label: Broken Bow Records
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Record Company-Label: Columbia Records
Producers: Jon Pardi, Bart Butler, Ryan Gore
Record Company-Label: Capitol Records Nashville
Producers: Jon Randall, Luke Dick,Miranda Lambert, Mikey Reaves
Record Company-Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Producers: Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally
Record Company-Label: Big Machine Records/Warner Music Nashville
Producer: Zach Crowell
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Company-Label: RCA Nashville
Producer: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: Warner Music Nashville/CoJo Music
SONG OF THE YEAR[Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Josh Osborne, Michael Hardy
Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jesse Frasure, Mark D. Sanders, Thomas Rhett, Tim Nichols
Publishers: Ashley Gorley Publishing Designee; Be A Light Publishing; Colden Rainey Music; EMI Blackwood Music Inc; Songs Of Roc Nation Music; Sony Tree Publishing; Telemitry Rhythm House Music; Universal Music Corp; WC Music Corp; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
Songwriters: Ben Stennis, Matt Rogers
Publishers: Anthem Canalco Publishing; Dead Aim Music; The Stennis Mightier Music
Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Renee Blair
Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Chris DuBois, Chris Stapleton
Publishers: One77 Songs; Sea Gayle Music; Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing; Spirit Two Nashville; WC Music Corp
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR[Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: P Tracy
Producer: Troy Jackson
Director: Spidey Smith
Producer: Luke Arreguin
Director: Alex Alvga
Producer: Maddy Hayes
Director: Dustin Haney
Producer: Inkwell Productions
Director: Justin Clough
Producer: Ryan Byrd
Director: Alexa Campbell
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Producers: Chris DeStefano, Chris Young
Producers: Derek Wells, HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records
source: people.com
