Keith Urban bags first ACM Entertainer of the Year honor, Dan + Shay, Kacey Musgraves and Thomas also winners
For the first time in his career, Keith Urban took home Entertainer of the Year honors at the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards, held Sunday night in Las Vegas. The win, which comes just six months after he won the same award at the CMAs, gives the singer a clean sweep.
As always, Urban used his acceptance speech to acknowledge the unwavering support of his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, who seemed just as elated by the win. He also also gave a shout-out to the couple's daughters, Sunday and Faith, and thanked his "amazing" fans, saying, "You have no idea how much you mean to me."
Jason Aldean was this year's recipient of the ACM's Artist of the Decade award. "Well, that's the reason I wear the cowboy hat," he said after being presented the award from last year's recipient, George Strait.
Dan + Shay were also big winners, nabbing three awards, including top Duo and Single and Song of the Year honors for "Tequila." While collecting their Duo of the Year trophy, Shay Mooney called it "probably the greatest night of my life, besides the night I married my wife and had a baby." Afterward, host Reba McEntire dubbed the evening "Dan + Shay's excellent adventure."
Thomas Rhett, who walked off with Male Vocalist honors for the second straight year, kicked off his acceptance speech by joking, "Gonna give this to Dan + Shay so they can go home with four." He went on to thank his "smoking hot" wife, Lauren, who was sitting in the audience.
Kacey Musgraves was also a multiple-award winner, taking home Female Vocalist of the Year honors as well as Album of the Year for "Golden Hour." While picking up her female artist award, the singer had some words of encouragement for artists still struggling to get their music heard.
"This award goes out to any woman or girl, or anybody really, that is maybe being told that her perspective or style is too different to work," she said, adding, "Just stay at it, it'll work out."
The night included several ACM Flashbacks from Brooks & Dunn, George Strait and Miranda Lambert. Other performances included Little Big Town, delivering a touching version of their new song, "Daughters." Urban delivered a powerful version of "Burden," his new song, written by Irish singer Foy Vance.
"This Is Us" star Chrissy Metz, joined by Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina, Mickey Guyton and Maddie & Tae, performed the uplifting anthem “I’m Standing with You,” the Diane Warren-penned song from to the upcoming film "Breakthrough."
As promised, Reba McEntire, hosting the show for a record 16th time, avoided politics in her opening monologue. But she did take a shot at the male-heavy nominees' list. After welcoming everyone to the ceremony -- or as she called it, "Reba Las Vegas" -- she noted that it had recently snowed in Las Vegas. "It was so cold," she said, that "it froze us women out of Entertainer of the Year."
Here is the full list of winners:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Keith Urban
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kacey Musgraves
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Thomas Rhett
DUO OF THE YEAR
Dan + Shay
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Old Dominion
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ashley McBryde
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
LANCO
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
"Golden Hour" – Kacey Musgraves
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
"Tequila" – Dan + Shay
SONG OF THE YEAR
"Tequila" – Dan + Shay
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
"Drunk Girl" – Chris Janson
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR
"Burning Man" – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Shane McAnally
