Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton Win Top ACM Awards, Post Malone Gets a Big Look

Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton won the top honors at the 59th annual ACM Awards held in Frisco, Texas and hosted by Reba McEntire. Wilson won Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and Event of the Year, the latter for “Save Me,” her duet with Jelly Roll; Stapleton took home Album of the Year, Male Entertainer of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.

Both artists delivered powerful performances during the show; other big winners include Megan Maroney and Nate Smith (female/male best new artists), Jessie Jo Dillon (best songwriter), Old Dominion (best group); and Luke Combs won Single of the Year for his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” while Jordan Davis took Song of the Year for “Next Thing You Know.”

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What was striking about this year’s awards was the number of non-traditional country artists who performed: Dua Lipa joined Stapleton and his wife Morgane on “Think I’m in Love With You,” Avril Lavigne showed off her powerful pipes singing with Nate Smith (while wearing a System of a Down hoodie, no less), Noah Kahan sang with Kelsea Ballerini, and Gwen Stefani channeled a literal purple iris with the dress she wore to sing “Purple Irises” with husband Blake Shelton.

But the biggest look for any performer except McEntire went to Post Malone, who is dropping his first country album later this year. He premiered a new song from it apparently titled “Long Lost Highway” — which was one of the most pure country songs performed all night — as well as “I Had Some Help,” the Morgan Wallen-featuring lead single from the album (although Wallen did not appear).

But he was shouted out several times during the show by McEntire, who spoke of their friendship and said how much Nashville loves him, and the two of them performed an a capella verse of the Allman Brothers’ hit “Ramblin’ Man” in tribute to the song’s singer and writer Dickey Betts, who passed away earlier this year. Toby Keith was honored by Jason Aldean, and other performers included Jelly Roll, Kane Brown (singing Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind”), Thomas Rhett, Parker McCollum and more.

The complete winners list appears below:

Entertainer of the Year

Kane Brown

Luke Combs

Jelly Roll

Cody Johnson

Chris Stapleton

Morgan Wallen

Lainey Wilson — WINNER

Female Artist of the Year

Kelsea Ballerini

Ashley McBryde

Megan Moroney

Kacey Musgraves

Lainey Wilson — WINNER

Male Artist of the Year

Luke Combs

Jelly Roll

Cody Johnson

Chris Stapleton — WINNER

Morgan Wallen

Duo of the Year

Brooks & Dunn

Brothers Osbourne

Dan + Shay — WINNER

Maddie & Tae

The War and Treaty

Group of the Year

Flatland Cavalry

Lady A

Little Big Town

Old Dominion — WINNER

Zac Brown Band

New Female Artist of the Year

Kassi Ashton

Ashley Cooke

Hannah Ellis

Kylie Morgan

Megan Moroney — WINNER

New Male Artist of the Year

ERNEST

Kameron Marlowe

Dylan Scott

Conner Smith

Nate Smith – WINNER

New Duo or Group of the Year

Neon Union

Restless Road

Tigirlily Gold – WINNER

Album of the Year

Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs

Higher – Chris Stapleton— WINNER

Leather – Cody Johnson

One Thing at a Time – Morgan Wallen

Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) – Kelsea Ballerini

Single of the Year

“Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum

“Fast Car” – Luke Combs — WINNER

“Last Night” – Morgan Wallen

“Need a Favor” – Jelly Roll

“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis

Song of the Year

“Fast Car” – Luke Combs

“Heart Like a Truck” – Lainey Wilson

“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis— WINNER

“The Painter” – Cody Johnson

“Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney

Music Event of the Year

“Can’t Break Up Now” – Old Dominion with Megan Moroney

“Different ‘Round Here” -Riley Green with Luke Combs

“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan with Kacey Musgraves

“Man Made a Bar” – Morgan Wallen with Eric Church

“Save Me” – Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson — WINNER

Visual Media of the Year

“Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum — WINNER

“Human” – Cody Johnson

“In Your Love” – Tyler Childers

“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis

“Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney

Songwriter of the Year

Jessie Jo Dillon – WINNER

Ashley Gorley

Hillary Lindsey

Chase McGill

Josh Thompson

Artist-Songwriter of the Year

Zach Bryan

Ernest

Hardy

Chris Stapleton — WINNER

Morgan Wallen

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