The ACM Awards always bring plenty of entertainment and heartfelt moments, but the country event got leveled up this year with its return to Las Vegas. I was fortunate to attend the show in person, and it was a night I won’t soon forget. From heartfelt speeches to incredible fashion to show-stopping performances, there was something for every country music fan. Here are my highlights from the night. If you missed the broadcast, you can stream it on Prime Video starting at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST on May 18.
Red Clay Strays Performance
The night was filled with show-stopping moments, but I still have chills from this performance of “Demons in Your Choir” by The Red Clay Strays. The Mobile, Alabama, band also took home the award for Group of the Year.
Ella Langley’s Historic Night
If you’ve been paying attention to country music, you know that Ella Langley is deserving of an armful of awards. She took home an incredible seven on Sunday night—the record for a single artist in a year.
Parker McCollum’s Surprise Win
The Album of the Year category was particularly stacked this year, with Riley Green, Carter Faith, Morgan Wallen, Parker McCollum, and Zach Top all receiving nominations. Parker joked that he was “starting to think y’all weren’t going to let me up here” before thanking his wife and paying tribute to his home state of Texas.
Miranda Lambert’s Debut of “Crisco”
This was Miranda’s 20th ACM Awards, and she looked every bit the pro as she took the stage to sing her new song, “Crisco.”
Blake Shelton Closing Out the Night
On Saturday, I headed over to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace to watch Blake Shelton’s residency, and the country singer is always a good time. But he kicked it up a notch with his performance of Kenny Rogers’s “The Gambler” to close out the awards show. The performance was a tribute to songwriter Don Schlitz, who passed away in April.
Katie Bowlby is Digital Director at Country Living, where she covers pop culture news including country music, Yellowstone, and all things HGTV, plus gift guides and product reviews. She has been with Country Living for more than 11 years. Before that, she worked for Southern Living. The Indiana University grad also stitches up the cross-stitch pattern for every issue of the magazine.
