The 53rd annual CMA Awards are underway in Nashville, with Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and Ashley McBryde all taking home trophies.
Shelton’s big hit “God’s Country,” while Combs’ multi-week chart-topper “Beautiful Crazy” earned the singer and his co-writers the Song of the Year prize. Dan + Shay, who performed “Speechless” early in the show, were named Duo of the Year, marking the pair’s first CMA Awards win.
But it was Maren Morris who won big this time as her Girl album was crowned as this year’s Album of the Year.
Maren Morris is a Winner
The singer was decked out in a stunning white dress with flowing sheer sleeves that reached the ground, and she and her band powered through the song for a receptive CMAs audience.
Morris also shined in the ceremony’s opening medley that was a celebration of the strength and talent of country’s women icons, including 2019’s CMAs co-hosts Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, and Dolly Parton.
“Girl” is the title track of Morris’ sophomore album, which she released in March. Both the album and the song itself were nominated at the 2019 CMA Awards: Girl in the Album of the Year category, and “Girl” for Song of the Year and Single of the Year. Morris is the most-nominated artist at the 2019 CMA Awards.
In addition to the aforementioned nominations, the Girl track “All My Favorite People,” a collaboration with Brothers Osborne, received a Musical Event of the Year nod, and Morris herself is a 2019 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year nominee.
Garth Brooks is Entertainer of the Year
The votes are in, and the 2019 CMA Awards’ highest honor goes to … Garth Brooks! The country star received the coveted trophy during the awards show on Wednesday evening (Nov. 13), during a live broadcast from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.
From the stage he said:
“If they gave this award to this show tonight, I’d have to give it to Reba McEntire’s performance. Kelsea Ballerini … fantastic performance tonight. Luke Combs … this has got your name on it in the future, hoss.”
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CMA 2019, Garth Brooks, Maren Morris