2025 ACM Entertainer of the Year, Lainey Wilson

That was a great show!  I hope all of you had an opportunity to watch the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show this evening.  The opening set was awesome.  We heard Reba, Clint Black, Wynonna, LeAnn Rimes, Little Big Town and Dan + Shay.  They brought us a few hits from the past six decades.  From “Okie from Muskogee” to “Taquila”, it was a great opening.  One of the best in years.

A few awards kept jumping up throughout the night, like the Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement award.  The recipient – Alan Jackson.  I think this was the first year, so very appropriate that it went to the person it was named after. Keith Urban was given the ACM Triple Crown Award.  I’m pretty sure I missed at least one other special award/honor.

Was I disappointed with any of the winners.  Yes.  I’m not sure how Brooks & Dunn won Group of the Year.  What have they done this year, besides re-release “Believe” featuring Jelly Roll.  Has Rascal Flatts done anything this year, besides getting back together.  How did they win, with a group as awesome as Parmalee not even nominated!  And then there are the Red Clay Strays.  They are a good group, no question.  But, i really can’t imagine them having a larger fan base than Restless Road.  I absolutely love everything Restless Road has done.  Kind of surprised that they didn’t take that win … but happy that they were recognized with a nomination. But then, when you realize Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood were not even nominated in any major categories, maybe it makes it a little easier to understand.

If you missed any of the show, or didn’t get to see it tonight – here is your list of winners.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson–WINNER

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson–WINNER

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton–WINNER
Morgan Wallen

DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn–WINNER
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Muscadine Bloodline
The War And Treaty

GROUP OF THE YEAR
Flatland Cavalry
Little Big Town
Old Dominion–WINNER
Rascal Flatts
The Red Clay Stray

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kassi Ashton
Ashley Cooke
Dasha
Ella Langley–WINNER
Jessie Murph

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Gavin Adcock
Shaboozey
Zach Top–WINNER
Tucker Wetmore
Bailey Zimmerman

NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Restless Road
The Red Clay Strays–WINNER
Treaty Oak Revival

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine) – Megan Moroneyn, Producer: Kristian Bush, Record Company-Label: Columbia Records / Sony Music Nashville

Beautifully Broken – Jelly Roll, Producers: BazeXX, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Devin Dawson, Charlie Handsome, Ben Johnson, mgk, The Monsters & Strangerz, Austin Nivarel, SlimXX, Ryan Tedder,  Isaiah Tejada, Alysa Vanderheym, Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Republic Records

Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top, Producer: Carson Chamberlain,. Record Company-Label: Leo33

F-1 Trillion – Post Malone, Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records

Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson, Producer: Jay Joyce, Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville–WINNER

SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey, Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry, Record Company-Label: American Dogwood / EMPIRE

Dirt Cheap – Cody Johnson, Producer: Trent Willmon, Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville

I Had Some Help – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins,Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records

White Horse – Chris Stapleton, Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton, Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville

you look like you love me – Ella Langley, Riley Green, Producer: Will Bundy, Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records–WINNER

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
4x4xU – Lainey Wilson, Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson, Publishers: Louisiana Lady; One Tooth Productions; Reservoir 416; Songs of One Riot Music; Sony/ATV Accent

The Architect – Kacey Musgraves, Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne, Publishers: Songs for Indy and Owl; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing

Dirt Cheap – Cody Johnson, Songwriter: Josh Phillips, Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing; Write or Die Music; Write the Lightning Publishing–WINNER

I Had Some Help – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters, Ryan Vojtesak, Publishers: Bell Ear Publishing; Master of my Domain Music; Poppy’s Picks; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Universal Music Corporation

you look like you love me – Ella Langley, Riley Green, Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere, Publishers: Back 40 Publishing International; Langley Publishing; One Tooth Productions; Sony/ATV Tree; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Cowboys Cry Too – Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, Alysa Vanderheym, Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment

I Had Some Help – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records

I’m Gonna Love You – Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood, Producer: Trent Willmon, Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville

we don’t fight anymore – Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton, Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce, Record Company-Label: Big Machine Records

you look like you love me – Ella Langley, Riley Green, Producer: Will Bundy, Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records–WINNER

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
4x4xU – Lainey Wilson, Producer: Jennifer Ansell, Director: Dano Cerny

Dirt Cheap – Cody Johnson, Producer: Dustin Haney, Director: Dustin Haney

I’m Gonna Love You – Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood, Producers: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry, Director: Dustin Haney

Think I’m In Love With You – Chris Stapleton, Producers: Wes Edwards, Angie Lorenz, Jamie Stratakis, Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)

you look like you love me – Ella Langley, Riley Green, Producer: Alex Pescosta, Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney–WINNER

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
ERNEST
HARDY
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson–WINNER 

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jessi Alexander
Jessie Jo Dillon–WINNER 
Ashley Gorley
Chase McGill
Josh Osborne

countryAwardsTV AppearanceCody Johnson,Ella Langley,Lainey Wilson,Megan Moroney,Reba,Zach Top
That was a great show!  I hope all of you had an opportunity to watch the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show this evening.  The opening set was awesome.  We heard Reba, Clint Black, Wynonna, LeAnn Rimes, Little Big Town and Dan + Shay.  They brought us a...