NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Chris Stapleton was the big winner with six trophies including song and album of the year and Luke Combs claimed the biggest prize with entertainer of the year at the Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday night.
Stapleton won song and single of the year for “Starting Over” and album of the year for his record of the same name. He walked away with two more trophies as a producer on the single and album.
He then won male vocalist of the year for the fifth time and it appeared he would sweep the night before Combs swooped in and kept it from becoming a coronation.
“I don’t deserve to win it,” an emotional Combs said as he accepted the entertainer of the year trophy from Alan Jackson, “but I’m sure as hell glad that I did.”
At times it seemed Stapleton, who also performed twice, was on the stage all night.
“Man, amazing,” the soft-spoken singer with the long beard, never one for speeches, said after he won his last award. “I’m running out of words.
He came into the night the top nominee along with Eric Church, who was shut out.
Along with Stapleton and Church, Combs beat out Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, who opened the ABC telecast with a medley of her hits, including “Kerosene,” “Mama’s Broken Heart” and “Gunpowder & Lead.”
Darius Rucker in 2009 was the first Black artist to win the award.
Old Dominion won vocal group of the year for the fourth-straight time.
Carly Pearce wept as she won female vocalist of the year for the first time.
Pearce, competing in an all-female category, was the only woman to take the stage and claim an award during the ceremony, now in its 55th year.
Gabby Barrett was the night’s most nominated woman with four nods, but the “American Idol” alum was shut out.
The ceremony represented a return to normal for the show. It was back in front of an audience at its usual home, the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, after last year’s ceremony was held at a crowd-free Music City Center because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re following all the health protocols to keep everyone safe,” host Luke Bryan said during his opening monologue. “And we’re all vaccinated,” he said, “or not,” asking the awkwardly laughing audience, “anyone?”
Moments later he was joined on stage by his “American Idol” co-hosts Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, who sneaked up on him from behind.
“I have hosted other awards shows,” Bryan told his “Idol” co-hosts, pretending to be surprised. “I can handle this myself.”
Perry answered, “Yeah, we’ve seen them, that’s why we’re here.”
They then helped him present the first award to Stapleton.
