Chris Stapleton has taken home four US Country Music Association Awards while an absent Morgan Wallen was shut out until taking the night’s biggest prize, entertainer of the year.
Stapleton’s wins included song of the year and single of the year for White Horse, and he took to the stage at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, three times to perform including a show-opening duet with Post Malone.
“I’m really honoured for this, thank you very much,” the always subdued country traditionalist Stapleton said on Wednesday as he accepted the male vocalist of the year award for a record-extending eighth time.
For much of the night it seemed the leading nominee Wallen, up for seven, would be shut out until presenter Jeff Bridges gave a botched rendering of his name as “Morgan Waylon” when he announced entertainer of the year.
Four of Wallen’s nominations came for his hit collaboration with Malone, I Had Some Help, though the song and the first-time nominee Malone went winless.
But the rapper-singer Malone was still all smiles at the CMAs after releasing his first country album earlier in 2024.
With Stapleton, he sang his song California Sober in full cowboy regalia.
He later took to the stage solo to sing the emotional Yours, which he dedicated to his young daughter.
Stapleton later performed his own What Am I Gonna Do with his wife Morgane, and performed again as part of an all-star tribute to George Strait, who received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
The 2023 entertainer of the year, Lainey Wilson, hosted the show along with Luke Bryan and NFL great Peyton Manning, and won two CMAs – female vocalist of the year, and best music video for Wildflowers and Wild Horses.
For a while it seemed Stapleton would get a sweep but he lost out on album of the year to a surprised Cody Johnson, who took the trophy for Leather.
Old Dominion won vocal group of the year for a record seventh straight time.
https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/chris-stapleton-dominates-at-the-cma-awards-c-16832470
