ACM Awards Live Blog: All Winners, Performances, and Must-See Moments

Cody Johnson is officially an ACM Entertainer of the Year. The “Dirt Cheap” crooner picked up his second award of the night after picking up Male Vocalist of the Year honors earlier in the night.

Johnson beat out Luke Combs, Megan Moroney, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, and Lainey Wilson for the coveted trophy.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do was be in front of a crowd and entertain,” Johnson said.

He dedicated his first Entertainer of the Year award to “my good buddy, Luke Combs.”

Parker McCollum took home his first-ever Album of the Year at the 61st annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

The Texan won for his self-titled fifth studio album, which spawned the No. 2 Country Airplay hit “What Kinda Man”.

“Starting to think y’all weren’t gonna let me up here,” McCollum cracked from beneath his wide black cowboy hat.

The 61st annual Academy of Country Music Awards were a largely female-dominated affair, as Megan Moroney led the pack with nine nominations. She was followed closely by Miranda Lambert with eight, then Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley with seven apiece.

Still riding the wave of her ultra-successful single “Choosin’ Texas”, Langley is shaping up to be tonight’s big winner. The 27-year-old singer-songwriter from Alabama has already taken home Artist-Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year and Single of the Year (both for “Choosin’ Texas”) and Music Event of the Year honors (for her Riley Green duet “Don’t Mind If I Do”). And now, she’s officially the ACM’s 2026 Female Artist of the Year.

Langley emerged victorious in a stacked category that included Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson. The country music hitmaker struggled to gather her thoughts as she accepted her latest trophy with tears streaming down her face.

“I’m trying to say something, but I can’t,” she said.

Carter Faith made her quietly devastating ACM Awards Debut with “If I Had Never Lost My Mind…” from her Album of the Year-nominated LP Cherry Valley.

“If Carter Faith doesn’t win best female vocalist at some point, those words have no meaning,” declared the country music account Farce the Music on X/Twitter.

The 25-year-old singer-songwriter from North Carolina was shocked to learn of her ACM Awards nominee.

“I had never been nominated for something like that, so I kind of thought you got a call or something,” she told Taste of Country. “I just got tagged in a tweet, and it said, ‘Album of the Year.’ I was like, ‘What the f–k!’”

Cody Johnson thanked Jesus Christ and his wife, Brandi, in his acceptance speech for ACM Male Vocalist of the Year.

“Without sounding too cliche, I will say the ride has been worth the fall,” Johnson said.

“The Fall” crooner and wife Brandi welcomed their first son, Jaycee Daniel Johnson, on October 21, 2025.

He is their third child, joining older sisters Clara and Cori.

Ella Langley is on a roll tonight. The “Choosin’ Texas” singer just took home Music Event of the Year honors for “Don’t Mind If I Do”, one of two viral Riley Green duets she released in 2024.

After helping his duet partner up the steps, Green trotted out the time-tested story of Langley showing up to the studio in her pajamas to record the heartbreaking collaboration. Although she mostly let her fellow Alabama native have the spotlight, Langley had to interject here: “I had on jeans and a T-shirt, thank you very much.”

“She might sleep in those; I don’t know,” joked Green.

Langley has already taken home Song of the Year and Single of the Year honors for her megahit “Choosin’ Texas”.

Country music legend Willie Nelson, who just celebrated his 93rd birthday on April 29, isn’t attending tonight’s 61st annual Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony.

However, the “Always On My Mind” singer received birthday greetings from everyone at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, recorded by host Shania Twain and four-time ACM Award nominee Shaboozey.

Nelson is releasing his 79th studio album, Dream Chaser, on May 29.

Name a better duo than Brooks & Dunn—you can’t. And the “Brand New Man” pair just took home their 18th trophy for ACM Duo of the Year.

The country music veterans beat out Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Thelma and James, and Muscadine Bloodline. Brooks & Dunn released their debut album, Brand New Man, all the way back in 1991. More than three decades later, they just played for a crowd of more than 80,000 people on Morgan Wallen’s Still the Problem Tour.

“I don’t know why y’all aren’t getting sick of us, but God bless you for hanging with us,” declared Kix Brooks.

One year after winning the Academy of Country Music Award for New Vocal Group of the Year, country-rockers the Red Clay Strays have taken home Vocal Group of the Year honors.

Fuck yeah! Go Red Clay Strays #ACMAwards

— Crystal M (@TvFilmJunkie)