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The Country Music Association Awards may have looked like The Miranda Lambert Show for most of the night on Wednesday, but it was Nashville hitmaker Luke Bryan who took home the biggest honor as Entertainer of the Year.
Bryan, now really the most powerful artist in the genre, became emotional as he accepted the prize on stage at the CMAs — his voice quavering as he thanked his family. And hoisting the trophy, he wrapped up his speech with his signature, blinding-white smile and the words: “We’re gonna have a good time tonight.”
Lambert certainly did, continuing her award-show reign by landing four wins — the most in the room — out of a field-leading nine nominations. For the fifth straight time, she was named Female Vocalist of the Year. She also won Vocal Event of the Year (for “We Were Us” with Keith Urban); Single of the Year (for the reflective “Automatic”); and Album of the Year (for the dynamic “Platinum”).
“I really poured my heart and soul into this one more than ever,” she said of her fifth album, noting that she turned 30 last year and “felt like I needed to sing about new stuff.”
The night’s biggest surprise: Newcomer Kacey Musgraves, who grew up in the same East Texas area as Lambert, picked up a win for Song of the Year for her critically acclaimed, controversial single “Follow Your Arrow.”
“Do you guys realize what this means for country music?” a stunned Musgraves asked the audience as she accepted her award for the song, which references same-sex kissing and smoking marijuana. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say that this award means so much because our genre was built on simple, good songs about real life – and that’s what this was.”
Musgraves’s not-so-veiled nod to the kind of songs that have taken over country music these days (alcohol-fueled party anthems about women and trucks) wasn’t lost on anyone. While “Follow Your Arrow” was too risque for radio play in some conservative parts of the country, it’s clear that CMA voters wanted to recognize solid songwriting.
Entertainer of the Year
Luke Bryan *WINNER*
Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban
Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert *WINNER*
Martina McBride
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Blake Shelton *WINNER*
Keith Urban
Vocal Group of the Year
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town *WINNER*
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band
Vocal Duo Of The Year
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line *WINNER*
Love & Theft
The Swon Brothers
Thompson Square
New Artist Of The Year
Brandy Clark
Brett Eldredge *WINNER*
Kip Moore
Thomas Rhett
Cole Swindell
Album of the Year
“Crash My Party,” Luke Bryan
“Fuse,” Keith Urban
“Platinum,” Miranda Lambert *WINNER*
“Riser,” Dierks Bentley
“The Outsiders,” Eric Church
Single of the Year
“Automatic” Miranda Lambert *WINNER*
“Drunk On A Plane” Dierks Bentley
“Give Me Back My Hometown” Eric Church
“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill
“Mine Would Be You” Blake Shelton
Song Of The Year
“Automatic” Miranda Lambert (written by Miranda Lambert, Nicolle Galyon and Natalie Hemby)
“Follow Your Arrow” Kacey Musgraves (written by Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally) *WINNER*
“Give Me Back My Hometown” Eric Church (written by Eric Church and Luke Laird)
“I Don’t Dance” Lee Brice (written by Lee Brice, Dallas Davidson and Rob Hatch)
“I Hold On” Dierks Bentley (written by Dierks Bentley and Brett James)
Vocal Event Of The Year
“Bakersfield,” Vince Gill and Paul Franklin
“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s,” Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill
“Somethin’ Bad,” Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood
“We Were Us,” Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert *WINNER*
“Can’t Make Old Friends,” Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers
Video Of The Year
“Automatic” Miranda Lambert (directed by Trey Fanjoy)
“Bartender” Lady Antebellum (directed by Shane Drake)
“Drunk on a Plane” Dierks Bentley (directed by Wes Edwards) *WINNER*
“Follow Your Arrow” Kacey Musgraves (directed by Kacey Musgraves and Honey)
“Somethin’ Bad” Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert (directed by Trey Fanjoy)
