Entertainer of the Year: Luke Bryan
Male Vocalist: Chris Stapleton
Female Vocalist: Miranda Lambert
Vocal Group: Little Big Town
Album: Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Vocal Duo: Florida Georgia Line
New Artist: Chris Stapleton
Song: “Girl Crush” – Liz Rose, Lori McKenna and Hillary Lindsey
Single: Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
Music Video: Maddie & Tae, “Girl in a Country Song”
Musical Event: Keith Urban featuring Eric Church, “Raise ‘Em Up”
Musician: Mac McAnally
10:03
Final thoughts: Underwhelming show production / sketches, but some surprising, uplifting (to use Bryan’s words) and vindicating awards. Most of all, loved joining my CU gang and readers…until next time! -TS
10:01
I won’t let the Bryan win bring me down from the Stapleton high, but I’ll say that it’s a lousy note for the show to end on. -LW
10:00
We survived another year, and one with quite a few pleasant surprises. Big thanks to all participated in reading and commenting, to Leeann and Tara for being my live blogging buddies, and to Jonathan for rocking the CU Twitter! -BF
9:59
There are worse things that could have happened tonight than Luke Bryan winning Entertainer of the Year. I’m at peace. Thoughts, CU readers? -TS
9:57
If only we could have gotten a surprise Chris Stapleton victory in this category as well. But cool of Luke to give him a shout-out. -BF
9:56
Reba presents Entertainer of the Year!
Entertainer of the Year: Luke Bryan
9:53
I’ll be reeling (in a wonderful way) from this Stapleton win for days! -LW
9:52
Sweetest, most real speech by Stapleton. What a fine example of country music. Here’s to hoping his influence is felt in the next few years. -TS
9:51
The best performance and the best acceptance speech. Chris Stapleton totally rules the night. -BF
9:49
Male Vocalist of the Year: Chris Stapleton
Oh…my…god. I can hardly believe this is real. -BF
Holy! Crap!!! -LW
9:48
It’s like seeing old friends again. -BF
Bill (husband) just observed that even though the younger artists don’t honor the veterans by imitating them, they seem to enjoy their performances more than those of their peers. -LW
9:47
This is so retro and random, but I’m all in. -TS
9:44 Brooks and Dunn and Reba…oh my! -BF
9:38
Great speech with a shout out to Stapleton and Timberlake by Miranda Lambert. I’m happy for her. -LW
Lambert giving a graceful, brief speech and saying what we’re all thinking: Timberlake and Stapleton owned the show. Shout out to Leeann for being the only one to predict her win. -TS
9:37
Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert
Miranda rocking a Christ Stapleton tee! -BF
9:36
Solid performance of “Riser” by the perpetually underrated Bentley. Could he snag a Male Vocalist of the Year win in the next half hour? -TS
9:34
Just saw that Chris Stapleton is trending worldwide on Facebook thanks to his wins tonight. -BF
Ah, yes, Dierks is a riser. He just keeps plugging along, even though he’s always woefully underappreciated by awards shows. -LW
9:33
Dierks Bentley performing “Riser”.
9:31
Be sure to check out the Country Universe Twitter feed too. Jonathan is doing a great job live tweeting the show for us there! -LW
9:28
It still stinks that Musgraves doesn’t get more airplay, but it sure is great to see that’s she’s become a pretty regular awards show presence. -BF
9:27
Musgraves is doing a respectable job, but I have to blame the sound for her not sounding better, because I’ve heard her live in concert and she sounded much stronger than this. -LW
Feeling all the Texas feels during Musgraves’ performance. I don’t think anyone else could smartly pull off these rainbows and unicorns. -TS
9:25
“Dime Store Cowgirl” makes my heart happy. -BF
9:24
Kacey Musgraves is here to save the day! -BF
This is one of the performances that I’ll turn up. -LW
9:23
In fairness to Aldean, the mix on this is bad and his voice is drowned out. Maybe the engineers didn’t want us to have to hear his voice too. -LW
9:22
What snarky thing can I say about this Aldean performance that I haven’t already said about Hunt, Florida Georgia Line,, Luke Bryan, et al? -LW
9:20
I don’t understand why we’re still being subjected to Jason Aldean performances. I feel like we should be past this by now. -BF
9:14
The sound guys have ruined one too many performances tonight. I was hoping to hear Lambert really dig in with her vocals. -TS
“Bathroom Sink” is so heartbreaking and smart. -LW
9:13
Great song, but the sound here is pretty rough. -BF
9:11
Yeah! Miranda Lambert with “Bathroom Sink”! -BF
9:09
Count “Elvira” as one of my favorite performances of the night. -TS
Vocal Group of the Year: Little Big Town
9:05
I’m just going to think happy, shiny thoughts about Chris Stapleton’s victories during this Luke Bryan dreck. -LW
9:03
Luke Bryan performing “Strip it Down”. -BF
8:59
Maddie & Tae ironically singing about respect for women when the only full solo female performance tonight has been by the show’s co-host. -TS
8:58
I derive pleasure from the fact that Maddie and Tae are singing “Girl in a Country song” right in front of the guilty parties! -LW
8:56
Wish we could have gotten a full Maddie & Tae performance. Maybe next year. -BF
8:55
There are decidedly less Underwood / Paisley sketches this year, no? On another note, this Shelton song is a guilty pleasure of mine. -TS
The Shelton song doesn’t make me want to die. -LW
8:53
Blake Shelton performing now. -BF
8:50
Brad Paisley performing “Country Nation”. -BF
8:48
I, admittedly, haven’t paid much attention to Ballerini, so I was honestly surprised by just how bad that performance was. -LW
8:45
It’s like they’re determined to embarrass FGL and Ballerini by having them follow such stellar performances / wins. -TS
8:43
Y’all, this is happening. I don’t even care what the voters’ motives are – a Chris Stapleton Album of the Year win is a win for all of us. -TS
Kelsea Ballerini performs a snippet of “Love Me Like You Mean It” and then announces the radio station winners. -BF
8:42
I’m so proud of the CMA right now!!! -LW
8:41
Even the Fall Out Boy collaboration was better than FGL. -LW
Album of the Year: Chris Stapleton, Traveler
Chris Stapleton…this is beyond awesome. -BF
8:40
I’d rather see Fall Out Boy perform on this show than Thomas Rhett. I’m actually kind of digging this, though it has no place in this line-up. -TS
Ditto to Tara. It doesn’t belong on the CMA stage, but I did enjoy that performance more than I expected to. -BF
8:38
I don’t hate this as much as FGL. That’s a ringing endorsement, huh? -LW
8:35
Thomas Rhett and Fall Out Boy performing “Crash and Burn” and “Uma Thurman”. -BF
8:30
The Church song isn’t striking me now. Maybe it’ll grow on me. -LW
8:28
Sometimes I wonder if Eric Church always wears those shades because he’s maintaining a Hannah Montana-esque secret identity. -BF
8:26
Ugh! I’m so sad that FGL are going to be the de facto duo for awhile. -LW
First dissappointing moment of the night. Bummed for Maddie & Tae, who truly deserved this award. -TS
Eric Church with “Mr. Misunderstood”. -BF
8:24
Vocal Duo of the Year: Florida Georgia Line
I hope FGL were embarrassed to have to perform after Stapleton and Timberlake. -LW
8:23
A small part of me felt bad for FGL for having to follow that epic performance, but then they started singing. -TS
Let’s just take a moment to be thankful that Cole Swindell is only presenting and not performing. -BF
8:22
Perhaps FGL coming after Stapleton/Timberlake will help highlight how terrible FGL are to people? -LW
8:19
Finally we come to the inevitable Florida Georgia Line performance. -BF
8:18
Well, the Stapleton/Timberlake performances were delightful! There’s no way that Stapleton didn’t impress the Timberlake fans who only watched the CMAs for Timberlake. -LW
8:14
Sick, first class performances by Timberlake and Stapleton. Expected nothing less. I need a studio recording of their “Tennessee Whiskey.” -TS
8:12
Justin Timberlake sure has come a long, long way since his Star Search performance of Alan Jackson’s “Love’s Got A Hold On You” as an 11-year-old country growler! I’m guessing Chris Stapleton was just born a badass singer though! -LW
8:08
I’m just gonna sit back and enjoy this. -LW
8:07
Finally…our much-anticipated Stapleton and Timberlake collaboration! -BF
8:01
Hard to hear Underwood in this arrangement, but she’s on point. Putting good vibes out there that “Choctaw County Affair” is the next single… -TS
7:59
Carrie Underwood with “Smoke Break”. -BF
7:57
New Artist of the Year: Chris Stapleton
Whoa!! Chris Stapleton!!!! -LW
NO WAY. Thrilled for Stapleton’s New Artist of the Year win. -TS
7:56
Cam and Brett Eldredge presenting New Artist. -BF
7:55
Oh Little Big Town…what would we do without you? -BF
7:54
Little Big Town sounding so good, just as they always do when they sing live! -LW
7:52
Little Big Town performing “Girl Crush”! Finally! -BF
7:48
Got nervous for a second there that Hunt’s performance would be followed by a win. Two for two with “Girl Crush”! -TS
7:46
Song of the Year: “Girl Crush” – Liz Rose, Lori McKenna and Hillary Lindsey
7:45
Miss America and Darius Rucker presenting Song of the Year. -BF
7:44
Again! Sam Hunt is not country! There’s no clever way to say it! -LW
7:42
Sam Hunt with “Take Your Time”. – BF
7:39
Commercial break side note: anxious to hear the new Church album that he slyly dropped to his fan club members this week. -TS
7:35
Zac Brown not at his best during “Beautiful Drug,” but I’ll take this rock-veiled-as-country over the bro-country that will surely follow this evening. -TS
7:34
Kenny Chesney with “Save it for a Rainy Day” -BF
7:27
I feel like Carrie and Brad have done well so far! -LW
7:26
And finally, the Single of the Year is actually the single of the year. Hoping for more “Girl Crush” love later in the show. -TS
7:23
Single of the Year: Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
7:22
Miley sets the bar and we try to reach the bar is my favorite line of the night so far. -TS
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell are our first presenters! -BF
Bob Wills! Texas! -TS
7:20
STAPLETON shout-out. Paisley calls him the one of the “best country singers that we have.” Take note, country radio. -TS
7:19
I’m loving Shatner in the storm trooper suit. -BF
7:18
Ha! They just playfully made fun of Sam Hunt! -LW
7:15
Anyone else call that Muppets reference? -TS
7:14
I give them credit for the Bruce Jenner joke without being jerks. -LW
And we have Muppets in the audience. -BF
7:12
Return of the Brad and Carrie parodies! Starting with a “Crazy”/ “Cray-Cray” complete with a reference to #SaladGate. -BF
7:09
Haven’t been a huge fan of this song, but I’m enjoying this performance. -BF
A little late, but I was amused by the Star Wars intro, thought the Hank Jr./Church performance was fun, but think the Urban/Mellancamp performance is unnecessary. -LW
7:08
Keith Urban performing “John Cougar John Deere John 3:16”. -BF
7:07
Flying through two duets in the first ten minutes. I was neutral to the Church / Williams Jr. duet but I’m feeling the groove of this one with Urban and Mellencamp. -TS
7:06
Keith Urban performing with John Mellencamp. -BF
7:04
Star Wars-themed intro: cheesy or awesome? You tell us. -TS
7:02
Darius Rucker being the storm trooper was a good one! -Leeann Ward
Hank Jr. and Eric Church have the opening performance. -BF
7:00
Kicking of with a Star Wars-themed comedy intro. -BF
6:56
Welcome, everyone! Sure feels great to be live blogging again. -Ben Foster
6:55
First CMA Awards show I’ve been excited about in awhile (due mostly in part to this rad J. Timberlake / Chris Stapleton duet). Joining you all the way from the Middle East this time! Let’s do this. -Tara Seetharam