Lainey Wilson wins ACM Entertainer of the Year award for second year
The 32-year-old singer scooped the coveted accolade ahead of Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen and took the time to praise her fellow nominees, as well as her fans, in her acceptance speech at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas, on Thursday (08.05.25) night.
Accepting the prize from Blake Shelton, she said: "I love every single one of y'all in this category, and y'all have taken me under y'all's wings and took me out on the road with you, asked me to be on songs, supported me in every way that you possibly can.
"I will tell you this: I'm sure everybody deals with a little bit of imposter syndrome, but I won't lie to you. I have a little bit. But I read something not long ago that that just said, 'If something is given to you, then you need to accept it with an open heart and an open mind.' And I just appreciate it.
"I really do have the best fans in the world."
The '4x4xU' hitmaker went on to tell a story from her childhood about her moments in the spotlight at home.
She said: "I remember I was thinking about it earlier this morning — I was just trying to like wrap my head around today — and I remember, my parents had this old hunting spotlight that we used to take off the charger all the time.
"And my sister would turn all the lights off in the house and she would shine the spotlight on me as I was running back and forth across the living room. I dreamed about entertaining. I love making people feel things. I love making people laugh and smile and cry. I'm sorry, I like to make you cry, because I love to feel things.
"Everybody loves to feel things. And country music has given me more than I deserve.
"And I appreciate everybody in this room. My heart is so full. Thank you so much. God bless every single one of y'all. I don't even know what else to say."
The Entertainer of the Year prize capped off a successful evening for Lainey, as she also won Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for 'Whirlwind' and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.
Ella Langley also had a successful night, bagging New Female Artist of the Year, as well as a string of prizes for her and Riley Green's duet 'you look like you love me', which won Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Visual Media of the Year.
Meanwhile, Keith Urban was recognised with the prestigious Triple Crown Award and was honoured with a musical tribute of some of his hits from Megan Moroney, Chris Stapleton - who won Male Artist of the Year - and Brothers Osborne.
After thanking them for their "amazing" performance, Keith - who was the first to win the prize since Carrie Underwood in 2010 - paid tribute to his wife Nicole Kidman and their daughters Sunday, 16, and 14-year-old Faith.
He said: "My wife, Nicole Mary, is here tonight. I love you, babygirl. And our girls Sunday and Faith watching at home tonight, I love you both, too.
"I have a massive team that I couldn't possibly thank by name, but I want to thank my team for working so insanely hard behind the scenes, 'cause there's no such thing as a self-made man. I wanna thank my road band and my road family. And I wanna say a special thanks to all the fans that have been coming out to see us play. I really appreciate it."
Other winners at the ceremony, which was hosted by Reba McEntire, included Brooks and Dunn, who took home Duo of the Year, Old Dominion, who were named Group of the Year for a record-breaking eighth year in a row, and Zach Top, who was named Best Male New Artist of the Year.
2025 ACM Awards list of winners:
Entertainer of the Year:
Lainey Wilson
Female Artist of the Year:
Lainey Wilson
Male Artist of the Year:
Chris Stapleton
Duo of the Year:
Brooks + Dunn
Group of the Year:
Old Dominion
New Female Artist of the Year:
Ella Langley
New Male Artist of the Year:
Zach Top
New Duo or Group of the Year:
The Red Clay Strays
Album of the Year:
'Whirlwind' - Lainey Wilson
Single of the Year:
'you look like you love me' - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Song of the Year:
'Dirt Cheap' - Cody Johnson
Music Event of the Year:
'you look like you love me' - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Visual Media of the Year:
'you look like you love me' - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Artist-Songwriter of the Year:
Lainey Wilson — WINNER
Songwriter of the Year:
Jessie Jo Dillon
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
The Arnhem Land school turning Dreamtime stories into songs
Bulman community in central Arnhem Land has been scooping national music awards with songs in traditional languages.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Grammy-winner Lainey Wilson in Newcastle for Howlin' Country
Howlin' Country is bootscootin' its way back to Newcastle this summer with a line-up headlined by Grammy Award-winner Lainey Wilson and homegrown talent Morgan Evans. They'll be joined at the Foreshore on February 14 by US performers Kaitlin Butts and Flatland Cavalry, Lake Macquarie's Adam Newling, and Brisbane's Tyla Rodrigues. More artists will be announced in the coming months. Newcastle-based Howlin' Country promoter Moe Matthew says 12,500 music lovers attended the inaugural festival on February 15 this year, which was headlined by Tyler Childers. The festival is "100 per cent locally owned and operated and has a strong commitment to the Newcastle community - whether that be through locally sourced vendors, staff or its commitment to showcasing some of the region's best local talent". "It's great to have Howlin' back for another year. From day one, the festival was built to support our local music scene, artists and businesses," he said. "Each year, we put a strong focus on showcasing homegrown talent, and having Adam Newling and Morgan Evans on the line-up this year really captures what Howlin' is all about. "We still have a few more artists to add to the line-up, but so far it feels like it's shaping up to be a fun day out in an awesome city, and one you can enjoy with the whole family." Mr Matthew has previously promoted music festivals This That, and Scene & Heard out of Wickham Park. Lainey Wilson has had a monumental rise to fame in recent years. She won a Grammy Award in 2024 for best contemporary country album for her album Bell Bottom Country, and has 16 American Country Music awards and nine Country Music Association awards to her name. The Nashville artist, who made her acting debut in popular US series Yellowstone in 2022, has had eight No.1 hits, including 4x4xU, Watermelon Moonshine and Heart Like A Truck, wrote and recorded Out of Oklahoma for the movie Twisters (2024), and has collaborated with the likes of Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton and Post Malone. ARIA Award-winning artist Morgan Evans, another Lake Macquarie local, last performed in Newcastle in 2023. He found fame overseas with his breakthrough Platinum-certified No.1 single Kiss Somebody and the Gold-certified Day Drunk, has more than 800 million streams, and has sold-out tours across the globe. Nashville and Texas-based sextet Flatland Cavalry have just celebrated 10 years together, and in that time have racked up six No.1 singles on Texas Country Radio and more than 500 million streams. They've also shared the stage with the likes of Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Jordan Davis, and Midland. Kaitlin Butts has a deep affinity for country music's more theatrical side - the extravagant storytelling, dazzling showmanship, and songs embedded with unbridled emotion and quick-fire humour. At Howlin' Country, the Tulsa native will be bringing her 2024 album Roadrunner! to life; a 17-track high-concept album that acts as a modern-day reimagining of the soundtrack to her all-time favourite musical, Oklahoma!. The 2026 edition of the festival will also feature some of Australia's brightest stars, including Adam Newling, who grew up in Warners Bay, and Brisbane's Tyla Rodrigues. Howlin' Country is bootscootin' its way back to Newcastle this summer with a line-up headlined by Grammy Award-winner Lainey Wilson and homegrown talent Morgan Evans. They'll be joined at the Foreshore on February 14 by US performers Kaitlin Butts and Flatland Cavalry, Lake Macquarie's Adam Newling, and Brisbane's Tyla Rodrigues. More artists will be announced in the coming months. Newcastle-based Howlin' Country promoter Moe Matthew says 12,500 music lovers attended the inaugural festival on February 15 this year, which was headlined by Tyler Childers. The festival is "100 per cent locally owned and operated and has a strong commitment to the Newcastle community - whether that be through locally sourced vendors, staff or its commitment to showcasing some of the region's best local talent". "It's great to have Howlin' back for another year. From day one, the festival was built to support our local music scene, artists and businesses," he said. "Each year, we put a strong focus on showcasing homegrown talent, and having Adam Newling and Morgan Evans on the line-up this year really captures what Howlin' is all about. "We still have a few more artists to add to the line-up, but so far it feels like it's shaping up to be a fun day out in an awesome city, and one you can enjoy with the whole family." Mr Matthew has previously promoted music festivals This That, and Scene & Heard out of Wickham Park. Lainey Wilson has had a monumental rise to fame in recent years. She won a Grammy Award in 2024 for best contemporary country album for her album Bell Bottom Country, and has 16 American Country Music awards and nine Country Music Association awards to her name. The Nashville artist, who made her acting debut in popular US series Yellowstone in 2022, has had eight No.1 hits, including 4x4xU, Watermelon Moonshine and Heart Like A Truck, wrote and recorded Out of Oklahoma for the movie Twisters (2024), and has collaborated with the likes of Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton and Post Malone. ARIA Award-winning artist Morgan Evans, another Lake Macquarie local, last performed in Newcastle in 2023. He found fame overseas with his breakthrough Platinum-certified No.1 single Kiss Somebody and the Gold-certified Day Drunk, has more than 800 million streams, and has sold-out tours across the globe. Nashville and Texas-based sextet Flatland Cavalry have just celebrated 10 years together, and in that time have racked up six No.1 singles on Texas Country Radio and more than 500 million streams. They've also shared the stage with the likes of Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Jordan Davis, and Midland. Kaitlin Butts has a deep affinity for country music's more theatrical side - the extravagant storytelling, dazzling showmanship, and songs embedded with unbridled emotion and quick-fire humour. At Howlin' Country, the Tulsa native will be bringing her 2024 album Roadrunner! to life; a 17-track high-concept album that acts as a modern-day reimagining of the soundtrack to her all-time favourite musical, Oklahoma!. The 2026 edition of the festival will also feature some of Australia's brightest stars, including Adam Newling, who grew up in Warners Bay, and Brisbane's Tyla Rodrigues. Howlin' Country is bootscootin' its way back to Newcastle this summer with a line-up headlined by Grammy Award-winner Lainey Wilson and homegrown talent Morgan Evans. They'll be joined at the Foreshore on February 14 by US performers Kaitlin Butts and Flatland Cavalry, Lake Macquarie's Adam Newling, and Brisbane's Tyla Rodrigues. More artists will be announced in the coming months. Newcastle-based Howlin' Country promoter Moe Matthew says 12,500 music lovers attended the inaugural festival on February 15 this year, which was headlined by Tyler Childers. The festival is "100 per cent locally owned and operated and has a strong commitment to the Newcastle community - whether that be through locally sourced vendors, staff or its commitment to showcasing some of the region's best local talent". "It's great to have Howlin' back for another year. From day one, the festival was built to support our local music scene, artists and businesses," he said. "Each year, we put a strong focus on showcasing homegrown talent, and having Adam Newling and Morgan Evans on the line-up this year really captures what Howlin' is all about. "We still have a few more artists to add to the line-up, but so far it feels like it's shaping up to be a fun day out in an awesome city, and one you can enjoy with the whole family." Mr Matthew has previously promoted music festivals This That, and Scene & Heard out of Wickham Park. Lainey Wilson has had a monumental rise to fame in recent years. She won a Grammy Award in 2024 for best contemporary country album for her album Bell Bottom Country, and has 16 American Country Music awards and nine Country Music Association awards to her name. The Nashville artist, who made her acting debut in popular US series Yellowstone in 2022, has had eight No.1 hits, including 4x4xU, Watermelon Moonshine and Heart Like A Truck, wrote and recorded Out of Oklahoma for the movie Twisters (2024), and has collaborated with the likes of Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton and Post Malone. ARIA Award-winning artist Morgan Evans, another Lake Macquarie local, last performed in Newcastle in 2023. He found fame overseas with his breakthrough Platinum-certified No.1 single Kiss Somebody and the Gold-certified Day Drunk, has more than 800 million streams, and has sold-out tours across the globe. Nashville and Texas-based sextet Flatland Cavalry have just celebrated 10 years together, and in that time have racked up six No.1 singles on Texas Country Radio and more than 500 million streams. They've also shared the stage with the likes of Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Jordan Davis, and Midland. Kaitlin Butts has a deep affinity for country music's more theatrical side - the extravagant storytelling, dazzling showmanship, and songs embedded with unbridled emotion and quick-fire humour. At Howlin' Country, the Tulsa native will be bringing her 2024 album Roadrunner! to life; a 17-track high-concept album that acts as a modern-day reimagining of the soundtrack to her all-time favourite musical, Oklahoma!. The 2026 edition of the festival will also feature some of Australia's brightest stars, including Adam Newling, who grew up in Warners Bay, and Brisbane's Tyla Rodrigues. Howlin' Country is bootscootin' its way back to Newcastle this summer with a line-up headlined by Grammy Award-winner Lainey Wilson and homegrown talent Morgan Evans. They'll be joined at the Foreshore on February 14 by US performers Kaitlin Butts and Flatland Cavalry, Lake Macquarie's Adam Newling, and Brisbane's Tyla Rodrigues. More artists will be announced in the coming months. Newcastle-based Howlin' Country promoter Moe Matthew says 12,500 music lovers attended the inaugural festival on February 15 this year, which was headlined by Tyler Childers. The festival is "100 per cent locally owned and operated and has a strong commitment to the Newcastle community - whether that be through locally sourced vendors, staff or its commitment to showcasing some of the region's best local talent". "It's great to have Howlin' back for another year. From day one, the festival was built to support our local music scene, artists and businesses," he said. "Each year, we put a strong focus on showcasing homegrown talent, and having Adam Newling and Morgan Evans on the line-up this year really captures what Howlin' is all about. "We still have a few more artists to add to the line-up, but so far it feels like it's shaping up to be a fun day out in an awesome city, and one you can enjoy with the whole family." Mr Matthew has previously promoted music festivals This That, and Scene & Heard out of Wickham Park. Lainey Wilson has had a monumental rise to fame in recent years. She won a Grammy Award in 2024 for best contemporary country album for her album Bell Bottom Country, and has 16 American Country Music awards and nine Country Music Association awards to her name. The Nashville artist, who made her acting debut in popular US series Yellowstone in 2022, has had eight No.1 hits, including 4x4xU, Watermelon Moonshine and Heart Like A Truck, wrote and recorded Out of Oklahoma for the movie Twisters (2024), and has collaborated with the likes of Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton and Post Malone. ARIA Award-winning artist Morgan Evans, another Lake Macquarie local, last performed in Newcastle in 2023. He found fame overseas with his breakthrough Platinum-certified No.1 single Kiss Somebody and the Gold-certified Day Drunk, has more than 800 million streams, and has sold-out tours across the globe. Nashville and Texas-based sextet Flatland Cavalry have just celebrated 10 years together, and in that time have racked up six No.1 singles on Texas Country Radio and more than 500 million streams. They've also shared the stage with the likes of Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Jordan Davis, and Midland. Kaitlin Butts has a deep affinity for country music's more theatrical side - the extravagant storytelling, dazzling showmanship, and songs embedded with unbridled emotion and quick-fire humour. At Howlin' Country, the Tulsa native will be bringing her 2024 album Roadrunner! to life; a 17-track high-concept album that acts as a modern-day reimagining of the soundtrack to her all-time favourite musical, Oklahoma!. The 2026 edition of the festival will also feature some of Australia's brightest stars, including Adam Newling, who grew up in Warners Bay, and Brisbane's Tyla Rodrigues.
Canberra Times
06-08-2025
- Canberra Times
Bye Bye Baby: Australian music pioneer Col Joye dies
Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Be the first to know when news breaks. As it happens Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Get the very best journalism from The Canberra Times by signing up to our special reports. As it happens Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. Get the latest property and development news here. We've selected the best reading for your weekend. Join our weekly poll for Canberra Times readers. Your exclusive preview of David Pope's latest cartoon. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Don't miss updates on news about the Public Service. As it happens Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. More from Entertainment Further details of Joye's passing on Tuesday are still to be publicly released. "He will be sadly missed." "Our deepest condolences go to Col's family. "At a time when the local industry was dominated by US and UK artists, he proved that Australians would embrace local artists and local music," CEO Annabelle Herd said in a statement. The Australian Recording Industry Association paid tribute to Joye, saying he made a remarkable contribution to the local music scene for more than six decades. Normie Rowe (right), with rock legends Brian Cadd and Col Joye, has paid tribute to his idol. (Julian Smith/AAP PHOTOS) "Col was in my psyche right throughout my entire life. I watched him and I thought, 'if I'm going to be a singer, that's the sort of singer I want to be'." Australian singer and songwriter Normie Rowe told the ABC on Wednesday that Joye was one of his idols. The families spent years warring in local and international courts over the profits for the highly-lucrative musical, with Jacobsen declaring bankruptcy in 2011 amid claims he'd been cheated out of the rights to the multimillion-dollar production. Ructions over the roles of Amber and Michael escalated, with a lawsuit over Jacobsen's handling of the Dirty Dancing stage musical and the collapse in 2009 of Arena Management, a Jacobsen company headed by Michael. The float was a debacle, raising only $8 million, and the company was placed in administration less than a year after its launch. It began when the second generation joined the firm - Joye's daughter Amber joined in 1997 and Kevin Jacobsen's son Michael in 2002, when Joye and Jacobsen decided to create Jacobsen Entertainment and float it on the stock exchange. A family feud pulled the Jacobsen Group to pieces in March 2012. In 2001, the ABC series Long Way to the Top noted his star power and honoured his career. However, he made a full recovery and decided to retire from performing. In 1990, Joye fell from a tree, suffering head injuries which left him in a coma. Joye was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1988, the first entertainer to be honoured. In 1983, Joye was awarded the Order of Australia for his work as an entertainer and his philanthropic work. Col and his brother Kevin later formed the management company Jacobsen Group, which also handled publishing and recording for famous clients like The Bee Gees. After Beatlemania hit Australia, Joye had to wait until 1973 for his next number one single, which was Heaven Is My Woman's Love. The artists later visited injured soldiers in hospital after the battle. Joye also toured Vietnam with singer Little Pattie to entertain Australian troops, most famously on August 18, 1966, at Nui Dat when the Battle of Long Tan began nearby. Col Joye and the Joyboys were the first Australian rock band to reach the American Billboard chart in 1959, touring the US with Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs in the mid-1960s and early 70s. Billy Thorpe and Col Joye were at the vanguard of Australia's rock industry. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS) On the advice of a clairvoyant, he changed his name to Col Joye and became a regular on the music show Bandstand for 14 years. The Jacobsen brothers released two singles in 1959 - Stagger Lee and Bye Bye Baby - with the latter reaching number one in the charts, establishing Joye as a major star. Joye was born Colin Jacobsen on April 13, 1939, in Sydney and left school at 14 to work as a salesman for a jeweller and start a band with his brothers Kevin and Keith. All other regional websites in your area The digital version of Today's Paper All articles from our website & app Login or signup to continue reading Subscribe now for unlimited access. Musician, entertainer and entrepreneur Col Joye has died aged 89, after a career that earned him dozens of gold and platinum records, studded with successive number one hits. Col Joye's musical and business career endured many highs and lows over almost 70 years. Photo: Matthias Engesser/AAP PHOTOS Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper. Login or create a free account to save this to My Saved List Login or create a free account to save this to My Saved List Login or create a free account to save this to My Saved List
