CMA Awards 2023 recap: All the biggest wins and epic performances

Lainey Wilson took home the top honor of entertainer of the year.

ByHayley FitzPatrick, Carson Blackwelder, and Angeline Jane Bernabe via GMA logo
Last Updated: November 8, 2023, 5:12 PM EST

Many of the biggest names in country music were honored at the 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards Wednesday night.

Lainey Wilson took home three of the top awards of the night, including the coveted entertainer of the year award, as well as female vocalist of the year and album of the year. She won two awards prior to the show, thanks to her collaboration with Hardy on his song "Wait in the Truck," bringing her total number of wins this year to five.

Elsewhere at the 2023 CMA Awards, Chris Stapleton won the award for male vocalist of the year, while Old Dominion and Brothers Osborne won vocal group of the year and vocal duo of the year, respectively.

There were also plenty of notable performances during the packed show, including a moving tribute performance for the late music legend Jimmy Buffett.

Check out a recap of how the night unfolded below.

Key moments:

Here's how the awards show unfolded. All times Eastern.
Nov 08, 2023, 10:56 PM EST

Chris Stapleton wins male vocalist of the year

Chris Stapleton won the CMA Award for male vocalist of the year.

"Thank you CMAs," Stapleton said. "I've won a couple of these, and I'm always shocked that I win one, and I'm humbled to be here tonight to get to stay in such a wonderful crowd of people. I wanna thank my wife, Morgane, who, I don't do any of this without her -- certainly don't get any of these without her."

Stapleton also thanked his team and said he's "thankful to be part of the country music community."

Chris Stapleton accepts the Male Vocalist of the Year award onstage during the 57th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena, on Nov. 8, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn.
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

Other nominees in the category included Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson and Morgan Wallen.

Stapleton also won the award last year. He has now won the CMA Award for male vocalist of the year seven times.

Nov 08, 2023, 10:44 PM EST

Tanya Tucker and Little Big Town perform "Delta Dawn"

Little Big Town took the stage with legendary country music artist Tanya Tucker to perform her hit song, "Delta Dawn," which she released in 1972 when she was 15

Tucker, now 65, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year.

Tanya Tucker performs onstage during the 57th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 8, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn.
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

Nov 08, 2023, 10:39 PM EST

Hardy, Morgan Wallen and Post Malone take the stage

Singers Hardy and Morgan Wallen got the crowd dancing during their performance of Joe Diffie’s “John Deere Green.”

Post Malone then joined them onstage to sing Diffie’s “Pickup Man,” which the crowd also enthusiastically sang along to.

Nov 08, 2023, 10:39 PM EST

Lainey Wilson wins female vocalist of the year

Lainey Wilson won the CMA Award for female vocalist of the year. This is Wilson's second win in the category after taking home the award last year.

Lainey Wilson accepts the Female Vocalist of the Year award from Martina McBride onstage during the 57th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena, on Nov. 8, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn.
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

"This is for all of the hardworkin' ladies that I know, that I don't know. I see ya," she said in her acceptance speech. "For all you little girls watching, and for the ones that are here tonight too, it's something that I'm doing, I'm getting up every single day and look[ing] at myself in the mirror and saying, 'I am beautiful. I am smart. I am talented. I am godly. I am fearless. If somebody tells me I can't do it, hold my beer -- watch this.'"

She added, "Here's to all the ladies who blaze trails every single dang day of their life."

Other nominees up for the honor included Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde and Carly Pearce.

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