The 2023 ACM Awards, held at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas, and co-hosted by Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, brought country music fans together to celebrate the industry’s biggest stars and emerging talent.
From record-breaking wins to iconic performances with a dash of red carpet flair, this spectacular event was packed with unforgettable moments that will keep everyone talking.
Key Takeaways
- The 2023 ACM Awards, hosted by Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, brought together the biggest stars in country music at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas.
- Highlights of the night included unforgettable performances from Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, and a surprise appearance by Ed Sheeran.
- Chris Stapleton took home Entertainer of the Year while Lainey Wilson won Album of the Year. Other notable winners include Morgan Wallen for Male Artist of the Year and Cole Swindell for Song of the Year with “She Had Me at Heads Carolina”.
Overview Of The 2023 ACM Awards
The 2023 ACM Awards have come and gone, leaving behind a trail of unforgettable performances and deserving winners. Held at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas, and hosted by country music legends Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, the show was nothing short of spectacular.
From remarkable vocals to genre-bending collaborations, the night had it all. With names like Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton taking home some of the biggest awards of the night, here’s a complete list of winners along with memorable moments that will go down in history as some of country music’s finest celebrations. Get ready to be entertained!
Venue And Hosts
The 2023 ACM Awards were held at the stunning Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, providing a state-of-the-art backdrop for this prestigious celebration of country music talent.
Adding to the unforgettable atmosphere of the event were dynamic co-hosts Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, whose combined star power elevated this awards show to an even higher level.
With their natural chemistry, comedic timing, and deep-rooted connection to country music’s rich heritage, Dolly and Garth captivated audiences both present at the live broadcast on Prime Video as they seamlessly guided them through a night filled with incredible live performances from notable celebrity guests like Carrie Underwood and Luke Combs.
Famous Celebrities Attending
The 2023 ACM Awards boasted an impressive guest list of famous celebrities from the music industry, highlighting the star-studded event. Some notable attendees included:
- Keith Urban
- Jason Aldean
- Miranda Lambert
- Lainey Wilson
- Chris Stapleton
- Dolly Parton (host)
- Garth Brooks (host)
- Cole Swindell
- Ashley McBryde
- HARDY
These artists and celebrities not only graced the red carpet but also contributed to the memorable moments throughout the awards ceremony with their talent and charisma.
The Winners Of The 2023 ACM Awards
Entertainer of the Year
- Jason Aldean
- Kane Brown
- Luke Combs
- Miranda Lambert
- WINNER: Chris Stapleton
- Carrie Underwood
- Morgan Wallen
Female Artist of the Year
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Miranda Lambert
- Ashley McBryde
- Carly Pearce
- WINNER: Lainey Wilson
Male Artist of the Year
- Kane Brown
- Luke Combs
- Jordan Davis
- Chris Stapleton
- WINNER: Morgan Wallen
The Duo of the Year
- Brooks & Dunn
- WINNER: Brothers Osborne
- Dan + Shay
- Maddie & Tae
- The War and Treaty
Group of the Year
- Lady A
- Little Big Town
- Midland
- WINNER: Old Dominion
- Zac Brown Band
New female artist of the Year
- Priscilla Block
- Megan Moroney
- Caitlyn Smith
- Morgan Wade
- WINNER: Hailey Whitters
New male artist of the Year
- WINNER: Zach Bryan
- Jackson Dean
- ERNEST
- Dylan Scott
- Nate Smith
- Bailey Zimmerman
Album of the year
Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Label(s)
- Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde; Producer: John Osborne; Label: Warner Music Nashville
- WINNER: Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Broken Bow Records
- Growin’ Up – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Label: Columbia Records
- Mr. Saturday Night – Jon Pardi; Producers: Jon Pardi, Bart Butler, Ryan Gore; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
- Palomino – Miranda Lambert; Producers: Jon Randall, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Mikey Reaves; Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville
Single of the year
Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Label(s)
- Heart Like a Truck – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Broken Bow Records
- Never Wanted to Be That Girl – Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde; Producers: Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally; Label: Big Machine Records/Warner Music Nashville
- WINNER: She Had Me at Heads Carolina – Cole Swindell; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: Warner Music Nashville
- Thank God – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Nashville
- ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson; Producer: Trent Willmon; Label: Warner Music Nashville/CoJo Music
Song of the Year
Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)
- Sand In My Boots – Morgan Wallen; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Josh Osborne, Michael Hardy; Publishers: Relative Music Group; Sony/ATV Accent; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing
- WINNER: She Had Me at Heads Carolina – Cole Swindell; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jesse Frasure, Mark D. Sanders, Thomas Rhett, Tim Nichols; Publishers: Ashley Gorley Publishing Designee; Be A Light Publishing; Colden Rainey Music; EMI Blackwood Music Inc; Songs Of Roc Nation Music; Sony Tree Publishing; Telemitry Rhythm House Music; Universal Music Corp; WC Music Corp; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
- ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson; Songwriters: Ben Stennis, Matt Rogers; Publishers: Anthem Canalco Publishing; Dead Aim Music; The Stennis Mightier Music
- wait in the truck – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Renee Blair; Publishers: Humerus Publishing Global; Nontypical Music; Pile of Schmidt Songs; Rednecker Music; Relative Music Group; Round Hill Verses Publishing; Sony/ATV Accent; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; The Money Tree Vibez; WC Music Corp; Who Wants to Buy My Publishing
- You Should Probably Leave – Chris Stapleton; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Chris DuBois, Chris Stapleton; Publishers: One77 Songs; Sea Gayle Music; Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing; Spirit Two Nashville; WC Music Corp
Visual Media of the Year
Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)
- HEARTFIRST – Kelsea Ballerini; Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry; Director: P Tracy
- She Had Me at Heads Carolina – Cole Swindell; Producer: Troy Jackson; Director: Spidey Smith
- Thank God – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown; Producer: Luke Arreguin; Director: Alex Alvga
- ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson; Producer: Maddy Hayes; Director: Dustin Haney
- WINNER: wait in the truck – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson; Producer: Inkwell Productions; Director: Justin Clough
- What He Didn’t Do – Carly Pearce; Producer: Ryan Byrd; Director: Alexa Campbell
Songwriter of the Year
- Nicolle Galyon
- WINNER: Ashley Gorley
- Chase McGill
- Josh Osborne
- Hunter Phelps
Artist-songwriter of the Year
- Luke Combs
- ERNEST
- WINNER: HARDY
- Miranda Lambert
- Morgan Wallen
The music event of the year
Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Label(s)
- At the End of a Bar – Chris Young with Mitchell Tenpenny; Producers: Chris DeStefano, Chris Young; Label: RCA Nashville
- She Had Me at Heads Carolina [Remix] – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: Warner Music Nashville
- Thank God – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Nashville
- Thinking ‘Bout You – Dustin Lynch feat. MacKenzie Porter; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: Broken Bow Records
- WINNER: wait in the truck – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson; Producers: Derek Wells, HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt; Label: Big Loud Records
Memorable Moments And Surprises
Heartfelt Acceptance Speeches
The 2023 ACM Awards featured a number of emotional acceptance speeches that left the audience touched and moved. Here are some of the most memorable moments:
- Lainey Wilson gave a heartfelt speech after winning Female Vocalist of the Year, thanking her fans and family for their support.
- Chris Stapleton, who won Entertainer of the Year, dedicated his award to his late father and thanked his wife for her love and encouragement.
- HARDY was visibly emotional as he accepted his awards for Songwriter of the Year and Album of the Year, thanking his collaborators and friends for their contributions to his success.
- Morgan Wallen, who won Single of the Year for “Sand in My Boots,” thanked his team and fans while also acknowledging the controversy surrounding him.
- Hailey Whitters gave an empowering speech after winning New Female Artist of the Year, encouraging other female artists to pursue their dreams.
These heartfelt speeches showed just how much these artists care about their craft and their fans, making for a truly memorable night at the 2023 ACM Awards.
Unexpected Collaborations
The 2023 ACM Awards featured some of the most unexpected collaborations in country music. Here are some of the best moments when artists teamed up to deliver unforgettable performances:
- Ed Sheeran and Luke Combs performed a duet of “Beautiful Crazy”, thrilling fans with their unique blend of country and pop.
- Miranda Lambert and Eric Church teamed up to sing “Budweiser’s Back”. Both vocalists delivered a strong performance, showcasing their impressive range as artists.
- Dolly Parton joined Lee Ann Womack for a moving rendition of “I Hope You Dance”. The performance had everyone in tears.
- Kacey Musgraves and Maren Morris took the stage together for a powerful duet of “High Horse” that had fans dancing in their seats.
- Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood delivered an electric performance of their hit song “The Fighter”. The two stars’ chemistry was undeniable, making it one of the highlights of the night.
- Chris Stapleton surprised fans by performing with pop star Halsey on his hit song “Tennessee Whiskey”. The unlikely pairing was a hit with fans, who raved about their heartwarming duet.
Overall, unexpected collaborations were one of the defining features of the 2023 ACM Awards, showcasing country music’s ability to blend genres and create something truly special.
Tributes To Country Music Legends
During the 2023 ACM Awards, various artists paid tribute to country music legends who have left an enduring mark on the industry. Here are some of the memorable tributes:
- Lainey Wilson performed a heartfelt rendition of “Jolene” by Dolly Parton as a tribute to the queen of country music.
- Keith Urban honored Merle Haggard with a soulful performance of “Mama Tried.”
- Miranda Lambert paid tribute to George Jones with a touching rendition of “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”
- Garth Brooks delivered an emotional tribute to Kenny Rogers with a medley of his greatest hits, including “The Gambler” and “Islands in the Stream.”
- Luke Combs performed a stripped-down version of Don Williams’ classic hit “Tulsa Time,” highlighting the timeless appeal of traditional country music.
- The show ended with a poignant tribute to Johnny Cash, featuring a performance by Chris Stapleton and Willie Nelson singing “Seven Spanish Angels” as photos and clips from throughout Cash’s storied career played on the screen behind them.
The tributes paid homage to the great artists who helped shape country music into what it is today, inspiring and influencing generations along the way.
Upsets And Surprises Of The Night
Despite being a night of celebration and recognition for country music’s finest, the 2023 ACM Awards had its fair share of upsets and surprises. Here are some of the most notable ones:
- Hailey Whitters winning New Female Artist of the Year over more established nominees like Carly Pearce and Ingrid Andress.
- Zach Bryan taking home the New Male Artist of the Year award, beating out popular names like Hardy and Parker McCollum.
- The Album of the Year winner, Lainey Wilson’s “Bell Bottom Country,” not receiving a single nomination in any other category.
- Chris Stapleton winning Entertainer of the Year, beating out Miranda Lambert who was heavily favored to win after breaking the record for most nominations in a single year.
- Luke Combs failing to win any major awards despite being nominated for five categories.
These unexpected outcomes added an extra layer of excitement to an already thrilling night in country music.
Moments That Brought The Audience To Their Feet
The 2023 ACM Awards had its fair share of unforgettable moments that left the audience cheering and applauding. Here are some of those memorable instances:
- When Lainey Wilson belted out “Things a Man Oughta Know,” her powerful vocals had the crowd on their feet, singing along and swaying to the beat.
- When Chris Stapleton’s name was announced as the winner of Entertainer of the Year, the audience erupted in cheers and applause, recognizing his outstanding contributions to country music.
- When the Brothers Osborne played “It Ain’t My Fault,” their energetic performance had the crowd dancing and grooving to their catchy tunes.
- When Miranda Lambert received Female Artist of the Year, she acknowledged her fellow female artists in a heartfelt speech, inspiring a standing ovation from the audience.
- When Old Dominion performed “I Was On a Boat That Day,” their lively stage presence had fans clapping and singing along, creating an electrifying atmosphere in the arena.
- When Keith Urban played his hit song “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” his soulful performance left everyone mesmerized, earning him a resounding round of applause from his adoring fans.
- When Trisha Yearwood took to the stage for her medley with Carly Pearce, she proved why she’s an icon in country music, delivering an exceptional vocal performance that garnered admiration from everyone present.
