Brooks and Shelton win big on CMA Awards
Oklahoma natives Garth Brooks and Blake Shelton were among the big winners on Wednesday's 53rd Annual CMA Awards, on a night when the Country Music Association made it a point to showcase the format's female stars.
Already the record holder for most wins in the top category, Brooks received the association's entertainer of the year title for the seventh time.
“Always try to call it like I see it: If they gave this award for this show tonight, I'd have to give it to Reba McEntire's performance for tonight,” Brooks said, praising another Oklahoma native. “Kelsea Ballerini, if you want to know what an entertainer is, take just a guitar and just a single voice in the middle of an arena and shrink a room. Fantastic performance tonight, just really great. Luke Combs, wherever you're at, this has got your name on it in the future, hoss.”
Despite his legendary career and dominance in the category, Brooks' win came as a shock to many fans and industry watchers who had predicted Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood would win the top prize and become the first female entertainer of the year since 2011.
Along with co- hosting the CMA Awards for the 12th straight year, Underwood embarked this year on a sold-out arena tour in support of her new album “Cry Pretty,” on which she worked as a producer for the first time.
In addition, the Country Music Association made it a special point to honor the women of country music, whose songs have been woefully overlooked on country radio in the past several years.
Instead of her usual partner Brad Paisley, Underwood co- hosted the show with McEntire and Dolly Parton, and the trio kicked off the show's much- hyped opening performance, featuring Jennifer Nettles, Tanya Tucker, Terri Clark, Crystal Gayle, Sara Evans, Gretchen Wilson, Martina McBride, Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman and the supergroup The High women ( Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires) singing several classic women's country anthems across two stages.
Female up-and-comers Kelsea Ballerini, Lindsay Ell, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, Runaway June and Oklahoma-Texas duo Maddie & Tae also were spotlighted alongside Little Big Town on the vocal group's hit “Girl Crush.”
Several female artists did emerge victorious on the show, including McBryde, who was named new artist of the year, and fiddler Jenee Fleenor, who made CMA Awards history as the first woman to be both nominated and win in musician of the year category.
One of the night's big winners was Kacey Musgraves, who earned two trophies: female vocalist of the year as well as music video of the year for “Rainbow,” alongside director Hannah Lux Davis.
“I feel that the female energy, the female spirit is really important right now. I think the Earth needs it right now,” said Musgraves, who performed “The Muppet Movie” theme “The Rainbow Connection” as a duet with icon Willie Nelson.
Morris, who went into the CMA Awards with a leading six nominations, garnered her first CMA Album of the Year win for “Girl,” along with producers Greg Kurstin and busbee. She dedicated the award to the latter, who died in September.
Fiery performances
Shelton snagged single of the year for his smash “God's Country,” alongside producer and fellow Oklahoma native Scott Hendricks and mix engineer Justin Niebank. The Tishomingo resident also literally fired up the stage with his performance of the song, featuring his winning band member Fleenor, and joined Brooks for a raucous rendition of their hit duet “Dive Bar.”
The 2018 new artist of the year, Combs received this year male vocalist of the year and song of the year for “Beautiful Crazy,” which he shared with cowriters Wyatt B. Durrette III and Robert Williford.
“I remember sitting on my parents' porch as a little kid and watching Vince Gill win this same award,” Combs said, name-dropping the Oklahoma native as he accepted the male vocalist trophy. “Country music means everything to me.”
Old Dominion was named vocal group, Dan + Shay won their first vocal duo title, and Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus earned musical event of the year for their recordbreaking hit “Old Town Road ( Remix),” along with producers YoungKio, Michael Trent Reznor and Atticus Matthew Ross, all first- time CMA Awards nominees alongside Lil Nas X.
Along with hosting the show, Underwood gave a smoldering performance of her new single “Drinking Alone,” McEntire belted her signature song “Fancy” with two costume changes, and Parton sang with Christian artists For King & Country and Zach Williams as well as Nashville's Christ Church Choir.
Other collaborations included pop stars Pink with Chris Stapleton and Halsey with Lady Antebellum, plus Brooks & Dunn with Brothers Osborne. Dierks Bentley, Sheryl Crow, Chris Janson, Brothers Osborne's John Osborne and the Eagles' Joe Walsh paid tribute to Kris Kristofferson, the 2019 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award winner, by performing his classic “Me and Bobby McGee.”
2019 CMA Awards winners list
• Entertainer of the Year: Garth Brooks.
• Single of the Year: Blake Shelton.
• Female Vocalist of the Year: Kacey Musgraves. • Male Vocalist of the Year: Luke Combs.
• Vocal Group of the Year: Old Dominion.
• Vocal Duo of the Year: Dan + Shay.
• Album of the Year: Maren Morris, “Girl.”
• Song of the Year: Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III and Robert Williford, “Beautiful Crazy.”
• Video of the Year: Kacey Musgraves, “Rainbow.”
• Musical Event of the Year: Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road (Remix).”
To read Brandy McDonnell's full recap of the CMA Awards, go to oklahoman.com/article/5646942/cma-awards-live-chat-withbrandy-mcdonnell.