We recap the 60th ACM Awards: Who gave us the most impactful moments, from Lainey Wilson to Alan Jackson to Brooks & Dunn, and what didn't we love about country's prom night in Texas?
Just about everyone who’s anyone in country music right now graced the Texas stage and the Amazon streams during the 60th ACM Awards earlier this evening. And while the stars of the present and future certainly made their impact (see Zach Top and more below), it was the living legends who brought supreme emotional heft to the proceedings.
The first glimpses at past glory came right up top, as host Reba, Clint Black, Wynonna, and LeAnn Rimes all grabbed their musical moments in a tribute to previous Songs of the Year. Rimes turned the most heads – going full-on orchestral Patsy in a rearrangement of “Blue.”
Another blaze of glory came courtesy Brooks & Dunn, when they joined an already on-fire Cody Johnson for a rousing “Red Dirt Road.” Awards shows are always a mixed bag for sound and quality of performance – this moment was crystal clear and powerful.
The Hits Kept Coming
Didja tear up like we did when Alan Jackson accepted his namesake lifetime achievement award by singing and crying through “Remember When”? And when he cut away to the steel solo, he said into the mic, “Play that steel guitar — that’s some real country music.”
Jackson once performed the same song to Carnegie Hall and had the audience rapt. Same effect here, only with the added weight of a career celebration. And those family photos behind him... What a guy.
Another legend, another big moment: Keith Urban celebrated his Triple Crown award by slow-dancing with low-key country queen Nicole Kidman in the crowd as Megan Moroney, Brothers Osborne, and Chris Stapleton covered his tunes.
But, y’all, I can’t go one more second without giving the current ruler of all, two-time-Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson, her much deserved kudos. She was a star of the evening, both in top-notch, best-she’s-ever-been style, and plenty of musical substance. A solo “Whirlwind,” and then a quite memorable collaboration performance with Reba and Miranda Lambert. They might just have a new cowgirl classic on their hands with “Trailblazer.”
Wilson picked up several more awards and gave thoughtful speeches for each – see the full awards list here – yet we look to these nights not for the trophies but for the drama. Ella Langley certainly has presence, doesn’t she? Whether it was a deliciously deadpan, classic-referencing acceptance speech for her song with Riley Green, or a defiant, tambourine-sporting performance of “Weren’t For the Wind,” the woman showed up to prove to everyone why she was the most nominated artist this year.
Other highlights:
- Maybe have Jelly Roll be the guy-about-the-crowd next year. He proved all night that he can entertain. He also teamed with Shaboozey to give one of the evening’s strongest performances in “Amen.”
- Zach Top dealt with jokes on the red carpet about him being the illegitimate son of Alan Jackson. He took it as an honor and admitted to being bowled over when he met Jackson, as the two are compared for the simply-delivered brilliance of their vocals. When Top took the stage as the New Male Artist of the Year, he brought only a guitar and sang “Use Me.” I truly believe that guitar is all he'll ever need. Tremendous.
- Others looked and sounded fantastic on stage, from Kelsea Ballerini perched atop luggage for “Baggage” to Chris and Morgane Stapleton casting a spell with some slowed-down country soul.
- I will not comment on the joint Rascal Flatts/Backstreet Boys finale performance other than to say this: It was damn near a men's choir.
I found myself – as I always do with newfangled country awards shows – longing to see this same bill, but with one focused stage and a house band that never leaves. Too lofty an expectation with all the talent and egos involved, maybe, but think of the Opry. How the band stayed, some players stepped on and stepped off, and a parade of the best and brightest stepped up to give what they had. I dunno – don’t you want to see this new class of country stars work together in that kind of a setting? Not to get all deep. Maybe we ought to just visit the Opry. It is turning 100 this year.
