Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

The First ACM Entertainer Of The Year And Some Of Its Most Notable Winners

First ACM Entertainer of the Year
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

The Academy of Country Music Awards, also known as the ACM Awards, was first held in 1966 to honor country music’s achievements and successes during the prior year. It was the genre’s first awards program hosted by a major organization, with the hopes of propelling country music into the public spotlight. 

Two years later, its signature hat trophy was created and given as an award in various categories, such as Male and Female Artists of the Year, Song of the Year, and the most prestigious and the biggest competitive category, Entertainment of the Year.

In 1971, the Academy of Country Music hailed the first-ever Entertainer of the Year – and it was none other than Merle Haggard. He took home the grand prize against a legendary lineup of nominees, including Charley Pride, Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell, and Johnny Cash.

At this time, Haggard was one of the most successful and prominent country singers in the world. His songs “The Fightin’ Side of Me” and “Okie from Muskogee” earned large-scale airplay. He is enjoying a hugely successful artistic and commercial run, amassing more than twenty No. 1 country singles since 1966

Since then, the most coveted award has been given to some of the genre’s best and brightest.

Some Of The Most Notable Winners Of Entertainer Of The Year Award

Ever since The Academy of Country Music Awards instituted their top award for Entertainer of the Year, it has been handed out to each one who deserves it. 

Some of the most notable winners include Garth Brooks, who has the most Entertainer of the Year wins. He walked off with the award six times – including one year that he wasn’t able to attend in person because his wife gave birth to their daughter the very same day. Other big winners are Alabama, Kenny Chesney, and George Strait.

Taylor Swift also earned the prestigious award – not once but twice – before she went pop. Other female acts who have won the award are Loreta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, and Carrie Underwood.

How about you? Who is your favorite Entertainer of the Year?

Latest Stories

Keith Urban holds a CMA award on stage, showing the same trophies he often ships home so his mom can keep a room full of them.

Keith Urban Gives Away Almost Every Award He Wins So One Person Can Keep a Room Full of Them

Keith Urban doesn’t just pick up awards, he packs them up and ships them off faster than most country stars can find a shelf. For a guy who’s racked up ...

Toby Keith performs with his American flag guitar, the same patriotic spirit that fueled his song "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue."

The Untold Truth Behind Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)”

When Toby Keith sat down with a fantasy football stat sheet and scribbled out “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue”, he didn’t just write a song. He lit a ...

Toby Keith plays guitar with an American flag design, capturing the patriotic vibe perfect for a Fourth of July country playlist.

35 Patriotic Country Songs to Turn Your Backyard Into the Ultimate 4th of July Party

Nothing says freedom like blasting a rowdy country playlist while you torch a few burgers, keep the cooler stocked, and watch your drunk uncle light fireworks way too close to ...

Keith Urban sits next to Nicole Kidman looking serious, a moment that echoes him shutting down talk about her steamy movie scenes.

Keith Urban Shuts Down Interview When Nicole Kidman’s Scenes With Younger Men Are Mentioned

Some lines just ain’t worth crossing, especially when you’re asking Keith Urban about Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron rolling around on screen. This week, the whole thing went sideways when ...

Tim McGraw sits outdoors with Faith Hill, leaning on a cane, sparking questions about his health but showing their strong bond.

Tim McGraw Using a Cane With Faith Hill Beside Him Raises Questions About His Health

Sometimes country music’s strongest cowboys need a little help standing tall, and Tim McGraw’s latest photo has folks asking how much longer he can keep carrying that torch. It’s not ...

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood smile together at an event, standing united amid the ongoing sexual assault lawsuit drama.

Garth Brooks’ Marriage With Trisha Yearwood Reportedly Unshaken by Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Nothing tests a marriage like ugly headlines, but Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are riding out this storm shoulder to shoulder. Since last October, Garth Brooks has been staring down ...

Country legend George Jones plays guitar under spotlight, embodying the raw heartbreak behind these 12 most depressing country songs.

These 12 Depressing Country Songs Will Have You Sobbing and Hitting Repeat All Night

Straight from the depths of Reddit’s country corner, here’s a list built by real fans who know heartbreak better than any Nashville hit machine ever could. These songs weren’t picked ...

Jimmy Swaggart preaching passionately in an undated photo, remembered now after his death at 90 from a heart attack.

Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart Dies at 90 Just Weeks After Suffering a Massive Heart Attack

There’s a hush across Pentecostal churches this week as believers remember Jimmy Swaggart, the firebrand evangelist, gospel singer, and TV preacher who spent decades filling stadiums, living rooms, and airwaves ...

Gavin Adcock onstage raising a whiskey bottle while blasting Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ as “not real country music.”

Viral Country Star Gavin Adcock Slams Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Says ‘That S— Ain’t Country Music’

Some headlines feel like a parody of the country music circus these days, and this is one of them. Gavin Adcock, the beer-slinging viral star who built half his brand ...

George Strait beams onstage at Patriots Stadium, guitar in hand, as he brings Texas charm with “All My Ex’s Live in Texas.”

George Strait Brings Lone Star Magic to Patriots Stadium With “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”

Some legends don’t need confetti cannons or stadium-shaking pyros. They just need a guitar, a baritone voice, and a song about every ex they ever outran in a pickup truck. ...

Leave a Comment

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.