`2020, MAN'
An unusual ACM Awards show culminated with a bit of history that included Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood summed it up best as she took part in the unexpected twist ending of Wednesday night's 55th Academy of Country Music Awards.
"2020, man," the Checotah native quipped as she became the second country music superstar to accept the night's top honor, Entertainer of the Year.
For the first time, the ACM Awards Entertainer of the Year contest ended in a tie, with Thomas Rhett joining Underwood as the winner.
Host Keith Urban, presenting the award, seemed as stunned as the two winners, saying "no way" with a laugh when he opened the envelope.
"Oh my goodness gracious. Keith, what is happening right now?" asked Rhett, who was the first announced winner and thanked Jesus, his wife, his three daughters, his team and his fans.
Along with finishing in the first tie for Entertainer of the Year, Underwood made ACM Awards history for becoming the first woman to win the top title three times, following her 2009 and 2010 victories.
"I am more than happy to share this with Thomas Rhett," she said, adding that she was honored to be in the category with nominees Luke Bryan, Luke Combs and Eric Church.
"Thank you to everybody here putting on the ACMs tonight. You guys made us all feel safe and you worked so hard. I'm just really glad we got to celebrate."
Time change
The ACM Awards normally take place in the spring in Las Vegas, but were shifted to autumn and Nashville due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was the first time for the show to be centered in Music City, with the event broadcasting live on CBS from three iconic country music venues: the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe.
Ada native Blake Shelton won Single of the Year for his smash "God's Country" and accepted the award from Los Angeles, where he is filming the NBC series "The Voice." He and his girlfriend and fellow "The Voice" coach Gwen Stefani also performed their new duet "Happy Anywhere" from a green screen room that through "TV magic" was made to look like The Bluebird Cafe.
"Holy cow, Single of the Year. This is a complete shock and an absolute honor," Shelton said, accepting the award via video and thanking God, Stefani and his producer Scott Hendricks, a Clinton native and Oklahoma Music Hall of Famer.
Combs earned Male Artist of the Year, plus Album of the Year for his sophomore studio effort "What You See Is What You Get." The band Old Dominion also earned two awards: Group of the Year and Song of the Year for the ballad "One Man Band." Dan + Shay garnered the Vocal Duo of the Year trophy.
"This is so weird talking to no one, but I have so many people to thank," Maren Morris said, accepting Female Artist of the Year in a mostly empty venue.
Early winners included Rhett for Video of the Year for his heartfelt mini- movie for "Remember You Young," Hillary Lindsey for Songwriter of the Year, Riley Green for New Male Artist of the Year and Tenille Townes for New Female Artist of the Year.
Miranda Lambert, a former Tishomingo resident, won the Music Event of the Year category for her all- star cover of “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” featuring Morris, Townes, Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack and Elle King. “Fooled Around and Fell in Love" is the signature hit of Oklahoma Music Hall of Famer Elvin Bishop, who grew up in Tulsa.
Socially distant performances
Lambert tapped into more Sooner State talent during her performance at the mostly vacant Bluebird Cafe, playing a strippeddown version of her uplifting hit "Bluebird" with her co- writers on the song, Natalie Hemby and Oklahoma native Luke Dick.
Along with the award winners, other performers on the star- studded show included Urban with pop star Pink, Tim McGraw, Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown, Jimmie Allen, Florida Georgia Line, Gabby Barrett, Morgan Wallen and Mickey Guyton, who made history as the first Black woman to perform on the ACM Awards.
Former Owasso resident Trisha Yearwood gave a powerful performance of her new song “I'll Carry You Home” for the "in memoriam" segment, which honored late luminaries like Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers, John Prine, Jan Howard and Oklahoma native Joe Diffie.
Taylor Swift returned to the ACM Awards stage for the first time in seven years to sing "Betty," from her new smash album "Folklore."
In addition to opening the show along with the other Entertainer of the Year nominees, Underwood delivered a show- stopping medley in honor of the 95th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, belting classic country hits from trailblazing women like fellow Oklahoma native Reba McEntire, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, Martina McBride and Dolly Parton.
Underwood then became the first woman to win the Entertainer title since Swift's backto-back victories in 2011 and 2012. Along with thanking God, her fans and her band and crew, she finished her awards speech with words of encouragement for "everybody who makes those shows happen," since the pandemic has halted touring.
"Hold on. It will happen again. Just hold on," she said.