ACM Awards Highlighted by Killer Ed Sheeran/Luke Combs Duet, as Lainey Wilson, Hardy, Chris Stapleton Take Top Honors | instastori.com

At nan 58th yearly Academy of Country Music Awards, nan apical prize, entertainer of nan year, was handed retired to Chris Stapleton, moreover arsenic Lainey Wilson and Hardy won successful nan the top number of categories, pinch 4 each — 2 of which they shared for nan duet “Wait successful nan Truck.”

Technically, Hardy walked distant pinch six trophies, since nan ACMs connection double awards for artists who co-write their nominated songs.

Accepting for medium of nan year, Wilson said, “I wrote 300 songs during nan pandemic.” Noting that immoderate fans person said listening to her “Bell Bottom Country” medium helped prevention their lives, Wilson said, “Writing these songs saved mine.” She quoted 1 of her ain lines: “Be who you are, ’cause everybody other is taken.”

The 2 categories wherever Wilson and Hardy shared a triumph were ocular media of nan twelvemonth and euphony arena of nan year. Separately, Wilson won female creator of nan year, and Hardy won champion artist-songwriter.

(Scroll down for a photograph assemblage of winners, nominees and performers.)

The unofficial grant for nan astir buzz-worthy collaboration of nan night, meanwhile, mightiness person gone to Ed Sheeran and Luke Combs, who traded verses connected Sheeran’s latest single, “Life Goes On,” a ballad astir nan acceptance of decease arsenic a portion of life. The popular star’s quality had been teased a fewer days successful advance, but not who he would beryllium singing with, aliases which song. Fans of either aliases some instantly began clamoring for a duet type to beryllium officially released.

The ceremonial was webcast unrecorded connected Prime Video and Amazon’s Twitch transmission from nan Ford Center successful Frisco, Texas. It will go disposable for repetition viewing starting Friday nighttime connected Amazon Freevee.

“I can’t judge I conscionable met Dolly Parton, first of all,” exulted Lainey Wilson, accepting for champion female artist. “I’m up present because of group for illustration Dolly Parton paving nan way.” She besides praised her chap nominees, who missed a batch of weddings, a batch of funerals — not that I want to spell to each of them anyway.” She encouraged “little girls” watching to judge successful their dreams, pinch a caveat: “If you wanna beryllium a dreamer, you amended beryllium a do-er.”

Hardy accepted pinch Wilson, nan featured creator connected their doubly winning opus “Wait successful nan Truck,” saying, “Thank you, Lainey, you perfectly killed it. There was nary uncertainty you were ever nan 1 to make group judge this song.” Wilson, speaking to nan number’s taxable of home abuse, said, “I deliberation it’s really important to singing astir things that are difficult to talk about. I didn’t want group to subordinate to this song, but a batch of group do, and this 1 is for y’all.”

Best antheral creator went to Morgan Wallen, who had to front retired of attending owed to having been put connected vocal rest, which he announced this week will unit him to cancel astir six weeks’ worthy of shows, arsenic good arsenic his ACMs appearance, “To triumph it and not beryllium present must beryllium sidesplitting him,” said Brooks. “Let’s each observe for him tonight.”

After an opening number by Keith Urban, “Texas Time,” hosts Brooks and Parton did an opening drama regular that sewage underway successful earnest erstwhile Brooks called his co-host “the GOAT.” She led an existent goat retired connected a wagon, past sewage a spot racier arsenic she relayed that Brooks had agreed pinch woman Trisha Yearwood that Parton could beryllium her “hall pass,” past that Yearwood had supposedly earned nan aforesaid pass. The punchline landed pinch nan “T” successful Goat opinionated for “threesome.”

On a much wholesome note, a mention of nan greats who died this past year, including Parton’s friend Loretta Lynn, led to nan vocalist apparently spontaneously breaking into an a cappella “Precious Memories.” “I conscionable felt I oughta singing that,” explained Parton. “Jiminy Christmas, we’re truthful fortunate to person you successful this format,” Brooks responded.

Performance highlights included Cody Johnson, doing “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Boys Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” pursuing a little interchange betwixt Willie Nelson and nan hosts (with a peculiarly forceful proposal of nan young prima from Brooks); Cole Swindell being joined connected “She Had Me astatine Heads Carolina” by nan original vocalist of nan interpolated “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” Jo Dee Messina; and a duet betwixt past year’s female vocalist of nan year, Carly Pearce, and Yearwood; and nan IRL duo that knocks aggregate duets retired of nan parkland each nighttime connected tour, nan War and Treaty.

Wilson besides proved a large deed doing her ain “Cookin’ With Grease.” The show was closed by Parton premiering her ain caller single, “World connected Fire,” from her forthcoming “Rockstar” album.

A afloat database of nan winners awarded Thursday night:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Chris Stapleton

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Lainey Wilson

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Morgan Wallen

DUO OF THE YEAR

Brothers Osborne

GROUP OF THE YEAR

Old Dominion

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Hailey Whitters

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Zach Bryan

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Bell Bottom Country, Lainey Wilson

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

“She Had Me astatine Heads Carolina,” Cole Swindell

SONG OF THE YEAR

“She Had Me astatine Heads Carolina,” writers: Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jesse Frasure, Mark D. Sanders, Thomas Rhett and Tim Nichols; artist: Cole Swindell

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR

“Wait successful nan Truck,” Hardy featuring Lainey Wilson

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR

“Wait successful nan Truck,” Hardy featuring Lainey Wilson

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Ashley Gorley

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Hardy