The ACM Awards brought country music’s biggest stars to Las Vegas, but the festivities extended far beyond Sunday night’s main event.
The organization hosted a weekend packed with activities, from ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green hosted by Riley Green to ACM Next Wave: Country's Beach Bash. But one of the most powerful moments happened on Friday morning when the Academy of Country Music teamed up with Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Music to host “I’m Just Me: A Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion.”
The third annual event, named for the iconic singer, honored artists, executives, allies, and culture shapers in country music. Previous years have shined a light on Brittney Spencer, Mickey Guyton, Shaboozey, BRELAND, The War and Treaty, and Tiera Kennedy.
2026 Honorees:
- Compton Cowboys (equestrian collective)
- MŌRIAH (Latin-Country artist)
- Joseph Hudak (deputy editor and head of country, Rolling Stone)
- Beverly Keel (music journalist and dean of the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University)
- James Marsh (national account director, Warner Music Nashville)
- Stephanie Davenport (vice president of A&R, Warner Music Nashville)
Members of the industry gathered at Luchini Italian Restaurant at MGM Grand to recognize this year’s honorees. Rising star and 2026 honoree MŌRIAH took the stage to sing “Sombrero” and an unreleased track from her upcoming album, due out in 2027. The Latin-Country artist explained the significance of the event.
“Any time you want to communicate a message that is culturally really big and you can find an individual who sums all of that up, it helps make sense of it,” she said. “And Charley Pride was that. He sums up the work of artists in Nashville, particularly when we don’t necessarily fit the prototype. My artist friends and I kind of throw around his stories as a way to inspire and encourage ourselves.”
“He came to town and went to every record label. He went door-to-door himself. No big team, no big representation, no viral video, no huge social media platform. It was just his work ethic, his stories, and his songs,” MŌRIAH continued. “So sometimes things get really complicated, as artists try to break through in an industry, and when you can distill it down to something that’s simple and a sole individual, I think it makes more sense.”
Charley passed away in 2020 at age 86, but his trailblazing legacy lives on. He was the first Black artist to have a number one country record and won consecutive ACM Male Vocalist of the Year awards, along with three Grammys and a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The singer was also renowned for his skills on the baseball diamond—he played in the Negro League and later in life was part-owner of the Texas Rangers. Five years after his death, he continues to shape the future of country music.
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.
