2024 CMA Awards: Highlights, emotional tributes and history-making wins

Nov 21

Kennedy Felton Lifestyle Correspondent

By Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

Country music’s biggest night returned to Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 20, for the 58th CMA Awards, delivering show-stopping performances, heartfelt tributes and history-making wins. From Post Malone and Chris Stapleton’s electrifying opening performance to emotional honors for George Strait, the event showcased the best of country music while embracing its future.

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Post Malone and Stapleton kicked off the night with a soulful duet of “California Sober,” setting the stage for an evening filled with unforgettable moments.

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This year’s hosts, Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning and first-time host Lainey Wilson, kept the energy high with their humor and camaraderie. One standout moment was their tribute to the late Toby Keith, who passed away this year at 62 from stomach cancer. They toasted him with red Solo cups, a nod to his hit song “Red Solo Cup.”

Luke Bryan, from left, Lainey Wilson, and Peyton Manning raise their red cups and toast Toby Keith during the 58th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Rising star Shaboozey made a splash with his debut CMA Awards performance, singing “Highway” and “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” His set earned a standing ovation and proved why he’s already nominated for five 2025 Grammy Awards.

Brooks & Dunn teamed up with Jelly Roll for an emotional performance of “Believe,” leaving both the live audience and viewers at home in tears. Social media buzzed with reactions, calling the moment one of the night’s most moving.

Morgan Wallen, the night’s top nominee with seven nods, took home Entertainer of the Year. Although Wallen was not present, his win marked another milestone in his successful career. Cody Johnson also had reason to celebrate, winning his first CMA Album of the Year award for “Leather.”

Stapleton dominated the awards with wins for Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. Meanwhile, country music legend Strait was honored with the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. The “King of Country Music” received a heartfelt tribute from fellow artists, celebrating his career and influence on the genre.

George Strait accepts the lifetime achievement award during the 58th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. In background from left Lainey Wilson, Parker McCollum, Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

New artists also took center stage, with Megan Moroney winning New Artist of the Year. She beat out a strong group of nominees, including Shaboozey, Nate Smith and Bailey Zimmerman. Moroney’s win came shortly after her performance of “Am I Ok.”

On the red carpet, Olympian Simone Biles wowed in a shimmering silver gown, presenting Female Vocalist of the Year to Wilson later in the evening. Co-host Bryan opted for a classic pinstripe suit, while Shaboozey made a statement in mint green.

Simone Biles, left, presents the award for female vocalist of the year to Lainey Wilson during the 58th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

With its mix of first-time nominees, powerful performances and emotional tributes, the CMA Awards 2024 honored the best of country music while embracing its ever-evolving future.

Tags: Entertainment, Hollywood awards, Music, Nashville, Simone Biles

COUNTRY MUSIC’S BIGGEST NIGHT RETURNED TO NASHVILLE WITH THE 58-TH CMA AWARDS.

IT WAS AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING PACKED WITH PERFORMANCES… EMOTIONAL TRIBUTES… AND HISTORY MAKING WINS.

THE SHOW KICKED OFF WITH A DUET BY POST MALONE AND CHRIS STAPLETON… WHO SET THE TONE FOR THE NIGHT WITH THEIR SONG “CALIFORNIA SOBER.”

THIS YEAR’S HOSTS –

LUKE BRYAN… FIRST-TIME HOST LAINEY WILSON… AND PEYTON MANNING KEPT THE ENERGY HIGH THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

THE TRIO EVEN PAID TRIBUTE TO THE LATE TOBY KEITH WITH A TOAST… HONORING THE COUNTRY STAR WHO PASSED AWAY EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THE HOSTS HONORED HIS HIT “RED SOLO CUP” TOASTING WITH EXACTLY THAT BEFORE INTRODUCING SHABOOZEY TO THE STAGE.

THE SINGER’S DEBUT CMA PERFORMANCE OF “HIGHWAY” AND “A BAR SONG (TIPSY) BROUGHT THE CROWD TO THEIR FEET.

WITH FIVE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS ALREADY LINED UP FOR NEXT YEAR… THIS ARTIST IS ONE TO WATCH.ANOTHER POWERFUL MOMENT OF THE NIGHT CAME WHEN MUSICAL DUO BROOKS AND DUNN TEAMED UP WITH JELLY ROLL FOR AN EMOTIONAL PERFORMANCE OF “BELIEVE.”

THIS HAD BOTH THE AUDIENCE… AND SOCIAL MEDIA USERS WATCHING… IN TEARS.

MORGAN WALLEN LED THE NIGHT WITH SEVEN NOMINATIONS AND TOOK HOME ONE OF THE NIGHT’S TOP HONOR’S – ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR.*

DESPITE HIS ABSENCE, HIS WIN MARKED A HIGH POINT OF THE SHOW.

CODY JOHNSON CELEBRATED HIS FIRST CMA ALBUM OF THE YEAR WIN WITH HIS PROJECT “LEATHER.”

MEANWHILE… CHRIS STAPLETON DOMINATED THE AWARDS… WINNING SINGLE OF THE YEAR, SONG OF THE YEAR, AND MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR.

COUNTRY LEGEND GEORGE STRAIT WAS HONORED WITH THIS YEAR’S CMA WILLIE NELSON LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.

A GROUP OF COUNTRY STARS HONORED THE “KING OF COUNTRY MUSIC” WITH A HEATFELT CELEBRATION OF HIS CAREER.

THE NIGHT ALSO INTRODUCED NEW TALENT.

THE new artist of the year CATEGORY featured six nominees… with 27-YEAR-OLD MEGAN MORONEY (MA-ROW-KNEE) TAKING HOME THE WIN SHORTLY AFTER PERFORMING HER HIT SONG “Am I Okay”.

AND OF COURSE, THE RED CARPET WAS A SHOW OF ITS OWN.

GYMNASTIC OLYMPIAN SIMONE BILES TRADED IN HER GOLD MEDALS FOR A DAZZLING SILVER GOWN.

SHE LATER PRESENTED THE FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR TO THE SHOW’S CO-HOST, LAINEY WILSON.

LUKE BRYAN KEPT IT CLASSIC IN A PINSTRIPE SUIT…

WHILE SHABOOZEY TOOK TO THE CARPET IN A BOLD MINT-GREEN ENSEMBLE.

WITH 31 FIRST TIME NOMINEES… MOVING PERFORMANCES… AND EMOTIONAL TRIBUTES… THE 58-TH COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS SHOWCASED THE BEST OF COUNTRY MUSIC WHILE EMBRACING NEW VOICES AND STORIES.

WITH SAN, I’M KENNEDY FELTON.

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