Luke Bryan‘s first ACM Awards was a humble one. He went as a member of the general audience with stars in his eyes as he watched his idols accept awards and perform.
Luke Bryan, the son of a peanut farmer living in rural Georgia, wasn’t used to having large country acts pass through his hometown. So when events like the ACM Awards were broadcast on television, the whole Bryan family was glued to the screen.
“It was a big family night for us to sit and watch the awards,” he says. “It was our opportunity to see all our stars. We never really got to see ‘em perform, we didn’t have an arena or anything, so they couldn’t come to that, so a big chance to see our favorite performers were on TV watching the ACMs.”
Back then, Reba McEntire hosted the ACM Awards show — she did so every year from 1999 to 2010 — so when Bryan sat in the audience for the first time ever, her very presence on that stage was too much for him to handle.
“This was like a year before my first album ever came out,” recalls the singer. “I just sat in the back and ate popcorn, and I think Reba walked out, and I started crying, so that was an amazing moment.”
Little did Bryan know that, years later, he would succeed McEntire as ACM Awards co-host with buddy Blake Shelton and, this year, be nominated for Entertainer of the Year and three other awards, and be performing during the show as well.
CLICK HERE TO SEE LUKE BRYAN HOST THE 2014 ACM AWARDS WITH BLAKE SHELTON
In addition to being such a big name at the ACMs, another of Bryan’s dreams has come true: His very own exhibit will open up at the Country Music Hall of Fame come May.
“I remember bringing my parents to visit the museum and dreaming of something like this one day,” Bryan says. “Now to have an exhibit about my life that my family, friends and fans can come and see is just so cool.”
This year’s edition of the ACM Party for a Cause Festival will lead up to the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards, which will be broadcast live from Arlington’s AT&T Stadium on Sunday, April 19 (8-11:30 p.m. live ET/delayed PT) on CBS.
The 50th annual ACM Awards air Sunday, April 19 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
CLICK HERE TO SEE LUKE BRYAN PERFORM AT THE 2013 ACM AWARDS.
