Lainey Wilson rules Academy of Country Music Awards once again
'I really do have the best fans in the world,' she said in her final acceptance speech, admitting to experiencing impostor syndrome. 'I dreamed about entertaining. ... Country music has given me more than I deserve.'
Beyond Wilson's dominance, the 2025 ACM Awards were packed with celebration. Earlier, first-time and leading nominee Ella Langley's duet with Riley Green, the ubiquitous 'You Look Like You Love Me,' was named single and music event of the year. Both Langley and Green used their first acceptance speech to shout out classic country — songs with talking in them — that inspired their modern hit.
Chris Stapleton.
A revisitation of the past might have been a theme on Thursday night, evidenced right at the top of the ceremony: a 14-minute medley of six decades of country classics, performed by giants of the genre. Host Reba McEntire launched into Merle Haggard's 'Okie from Muskogee,' followed by Clint Black with Glen Campbell's 'Rhinestone Cowboy' and Wynonna Judd with The Judds' 'Why Not Me.' LeAnn Rimes returned to the ACM Awards stage for her 1997 ballad 'Blue.' Little Big Town tackled their 2014 track 'Girl Crush' and Dan + Shay delivered their 'Tequila.'
It was an exciting way to kick off the ACM Awards, live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas. And it was a show highlight, rivaled only by the introduction of the ACM Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award, the inaugural trophy given to its namesake, Jackson, after he performed 'Remember When.'
Kix Brooks (right) and Ronnie Dunn.
In his acceptance speech, he joked that a fan named a dog after him. Having an award named after him? That isn't half bad, either. The first trophy of the night, the coveted song of the year, was awarded to Cody Johnson for his radio hit 'Dirt Cheap.'
Performances followed, fast and furious. McEntire, Wilson and Miranda Lambert teamed up for the world premiere of their new single 'Trailblazer,' celebrating women in country music.
Ella Langley and Riley Green.
Eric Church performed his brand-new single 'Hands of Time,' succeeded by the most awarded artist in the history of the award show, Lambert with 'Run.' She was then joined by Langley to duet 'Kerosene' from Lambert's 2005 debut album of the same name.
Zach Top stripped things down for 'Use Me.' Blake Shelton channeled the great George Strait for his new single 'Texas,' followed by Wilson with 'Whirlwind.' Kelsea Ballerini performed atop her 'Baggage.' Johnson rocked 'The Fall,' before performing 'Red Dirt Road' with Brooks & Dunn. Chris Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, harmonized on 'It Takes a Woman.'
Jelly Roll and Shaboozey joined forces for their collaboration, 'Amen.'
Alan Jackson.
'It's Shaboozey's birthday,' Jelly Roll said. 'We wanna thank y'all and we wanna thank God.' Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts closed the show.
The Oak Ridge Boys gave the group of the year award to Old Dominion. It was a moving gesture; in 2024 the Oak Ridge Boys' Joe Bonsall, a Grammy award winner and celebrated tenor, died from complications of the neuromuscular disorder Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
Jessie Jo Dillon.
Another tearjerker: McEntire leading the audience in a sing-along of the late Kris Kristofferson's 'Me and Bobby McGee.' Male artist of the year went to Stapleton. Duo of the year was awarded to Brooks & Dunn.
Associated Press
Winners at a glance
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
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jessie Jo Dillon
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At the end, Wilson said he felt as if he had been fired but Love denied it. Wilson last performed live in 2022. Wilson and his first wife, Marilyn, had two daughters, Carnie and Wendy, who had hits in the 1990s as part of the group Wilson Phillips. He and second wife Melinda, whom he met when she sold him a car, had five children. Reuters
