Miranda Lambert just showed the world how you kick off a country music awards show.  She had all of us TV watchers feeling like we were right there with her.  A great performer, a great ‘mini concert’. And a lot of fun to watch. Her performance included many of her hit songs. After she was done, Luke Bryan was introduced as the host of the show, and (occasionally) joined by fellow American Idol judges, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Then they went right into the first award – Song of the Year, Chris Stapleton, “Starting Over”.  Doesn’t seem like three hours is going to be long enough to fit in all the artists scheduled to perform, along with all the awards being presented – so if you are watching, sit back and enjoy.  We’ll keep you up to date with the winners as announced (Refresh the page often, to see which winners have been  announced).

Less than an hour into the show, and we already heard Eric Church – “Heart On Fire,” Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde – “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” Zac Brown Band – “Same Boat,” and, Gabby Barrett — “One of the Good Ones,”

I sure hope all country music fans had the opportunity to watch the 55th Annual CMA Awards earlier tonight.  But, just in case some of you missed any of it, we have the winners for you.

Here are your winners!

NOMINEES:
Entertainer of the Year
Eric Church
LUKE COMBS–WINNER
Miranda Lambert
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood

Single of the Year
“Famous Friends,” Chris Young with Kane Brown
“The Good Ones,” Gabby Barrett
“Hell of a View,” Eric Church
“One Night Standards,” Ashley McBryde
“STARTING OVER”–CHRIS STAPLETON

Album of the Year
29, Carly Pearce
Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen
Heart, Eric Church
Skeletons, Brothers Osborne
STARTING OVER, CHRIS STAPLETON–WINNER

Song of the Year
“Forever After All,” recorded by Luke Combs
“The Good Ones,” recorded by Gabby Barrett
“Hell of a View,” recorded by Eric Church
“One Night Standards,” recorded by Ashley McBryde
‘STARTING OVER,’ RECORDED BY CHRIS STAPLETON–WINNER

Female Vocalist of the Year
Gabby Barrett
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Maren Morris
CARLY PEARCE–WINNER

Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
CHRIS STAPLETON–WINNER 

Vocal Group of the Year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
OLD DOMINION–WINNER
Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
BROTHERS OSBORNE–WINNER
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae

Musical Event of the Year
“Buy Dirt,” Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan
“Chasing After You,” Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” Elle King and Miranda Lambert
“Famous Friends,” Chris Young with Kane Brown
“HALF OF MY HOMETOWN,’ KELSEA BALLERINI (FEATURING KENNY CHESNEY)–WINNER

Musician of the Year
JENEE FLEENOR, FIDDLE–WINNER
Paul Franklin, steel guitar
Aaron Sterling, drums
Ilya Toshinskiy, banjo
Derek Wells, guitar

Music Video of the Year
“Chasing After You,” Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris
“Famous Friends,” Chris Young with Kane Brown
“Gone,” Dierks Bentley
“HALF OF MY HOMETOWN,” KELSEA BALLERINI (FEATURING KENNY CHESNEY)–WINNER
“Younger Me,” Brothers Osborne

New Artist of the Year
JIMMIE ALLEN–WINNER
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Mickey Guyton
Hardy

Steve Stroud, Nikki Thomas & Ben Walker. CMA Small Market Radio Personality of the Year. The Morning Air Show, WXBQ, Bristol-Kingsport-Johnson City, TN

CONGRATULATIONS, WXBQ RADIO
In case they don’t give an ‘on-air mention’ to all of the radio awards given this year, I do need to mention this one.  WXBQ is our local Country Music Radio Station.  I’ve been a fan since moving to this area 40 years ago. To me, WXBQ has always been the best anywhere.  But, it seems this year, the CMA voting members agree with me.  The CMA Broadcast Award for Small market Broadcast Personality of the Year was given to Steve Stroud, Ben Walker and Nikki Thomas.  Steve, Ben and Nikki are the hosts of WXBQ’s Morning Air Show.  If you aren’t from the Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, TN-VA area, be sure to stream WXBQ online by visiting their website, and hitting the “Listen Live” box.

The Morning Air Show put this on their Facebook page:  “Wow! This has been an incredible year for the Morning Air Show, and we’re so blessed to have the best listeners anywhere! To win an ACM AND CMA award in the same year is beyond anything we could have imagined. God is good.”  You read that right!  This very talented trio won both the ACM and CMA award this year.  I could not be happier for them.

Nikki Thomas is also now a Lifetime Member of the Country Music Association.  Quite an honor.  Nikki had this posted on her Facebook page:  “The award itself is awesome…but that Lifetime CMA Membership…is everything.  Once again…if you voted for us…thank you thank you thank you!”

Once again, to those fine folks at 96.9 WXBQ, Congratulations.  I believe I’m as thrilled as you are.

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  Miranda Lambert just showed the world how you kick off a country music awards show.  She had all of us TV watchers feeling like we were right there with her.  A great performer, a great 'mini concert'. And a lot of fun to watch. Her performance included...