CMA Awards 2023 recap: All the biggest wins and epic performances
Lainey Wilson took home the top honor of entertainer of the year.
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:
Jelly Roll and K. Michelle perform "Love Can Build a Bridge"
Jelly Roll and K. Michelle ended the show with a moving performance of "Love Can Build a Bridge" by The Judds. Ahead of the show, Michelle shared with her followers on Instagram that it was her first time attending the CMA Awards.
"Thank you CMA for having me," Michelle captioned in her Instagram post in part. "FOREVER I LOVE THE JUDDS."
Lainey Wilson wins entertainer of the year
Lainey Wilson took home the CMA Award for entertainer of the year, the ceremony's top honor, at the end of Wednesday night's show.
"This is all I've ever wanted to do. It's the only thing I know how to do," she said. "It finally feels like country music is starting to love me back. I love it with my whole heart."
Wilson called her experience in the industry so far a "wild" ride, adding, "Thank y'all for letting me be me."
Other nominees in the category included Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood and Morgan Wallen.
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."
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.
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.
What happened at the 2022 CMA Awards?
Luke Combs won big at last year's CMA Awards, taking home the trophies for entertainer of the year and album of the year for "Growin' Up."
Chris Stapleton was named male vocalist of the year, Lainey Wilson was named female vocalist of the year, and Old Dominion and Brothers Osborne took home vocal group of the year and vocal duo of the year, respectively.
Wilson was also named new artist of the year while Alan Jackson was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Read all about the ceremony here.
