Country music magic
Luke Bryan named entertainer of the year, Lambert leads with four trophies
LAS VEGAS — Everything went to script Sunday night at the Academy of Country Music Awards until the end when Luke Bryan pulled off an amazing upset and won entertainer of the year.
Bryan immediately overshadowed top winner Miranda Lambert’s big night by beating out some of country music’s top performers, including Lambert and her husband Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean and two-time entertainer of the year Taylor Swift in an upset that few would have predicted because of his relatively recent move into the spotlight.
The 36-year-old Georgia native recently began headlining his first arena tour and was the co-host of this year’s show.
“I don’t know what to say guys,” Bryan said as members the audience shouted “Luke.” “Thank you so much fans for doing this to me. Thank you so much for making my life what it is. What I always wanted to be was just a country singer who got to ride on a tour bus and show up on a new stage and play music every night.”
After an emotional speech, Bryan’s co-host Blake Shelton held his partner up and joked that he won in his “first and last year as co-host” of the awards.
Bryan is the first male winner of the award since 2007 when Kenny Chesney won the first fan-voted award. Swift and Carrie Underwood have won two apiece since then.
Bryan’s win will be the talk of Las Vegas Sunday night but Lambert again walks away as the academy’s trophy magnet.
She won her fourth straight female vocalist award and picked up three trophies for her hit song Over You — one for single record of the year and two for song of the year. She was performer of the song and co-wrote the song with Shelton.
Over You, written about Shelton’s late brother, won song of the year at the Country Music Association Awards last November as well.
“As a songwriter, having your song and your lyrics recognized by your peers is pretty much as good as it gets,” Lambert said. “And I’m so thankful for being in this genre of country music, every single time someone’s nominated, I just cheer, because I love everybody to death. So thank you for accepting me as a song writer, not just as a singer, because that means the world to me.”
Eric Church won two awards, including album of the year, and was tied with Jason Aldean, Little Big Town and Florida Georgia Line in overall win total.