In one of the biggest nights in Country Music, Reba McEntire returns for a record setting 17th time to host the Academy of Country Music Awards in a performance filled gala event from Las Vegas – the first time the stars of Country music have been back to the city since the mass shooting last year during a Jason Aldean concert.
The 53rd annual ACM Awards opens with a tribute to Country music and its fans.
Noting that she follows hosting duties by Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley and Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, Reba says she figures they have finally figured out that it only takes one woman to do the job of two men.
This year ACM is flashing back to 1993.
The first performance of the night is four time ACM Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney with “Get Along”.
Maren Morris takes the stage for a performance of “Rich”.
Chris Young performs.
Bebe Rexha joins ACM Award winners Florida Georgia Line for a performance of “Meant to Be”.
Cam and Super Bowl winning quarterback Drew Brees presented the first award of the night for Song of the Year to songwriters Jack Ingram, Jon Randall, and Miranda Lambert for “Tin Man”. With her win, Lambert holds the record for the most ACM Awards with 29.
Brett Young performs his hit song “In Case You Didn’t Know”.
Alan Jackson and John Pardy join up for the first 1993 Flashback performance of the night with “Chattahoochee”.
Sugarland presents the award for Album of the Year to Chris Stapleton for “From a Room, Vol. 1”. Stapleton is not at the awards show, he is home on baby watch – his wife is expecting twins…any time.
Reba comes out and announces that the Staplestons have a new set of twin boys.
Lady Antebellum perform their hit “Heart Break”.
Dierks Bentley performs his hit song “Thank God for this Woman, Amen”.
Oklahoma Country boy and “The Voice” coach Blake Shelton performs his hit song “I Lived It”.
Kayne Brown and Lauren Alaina performed their song “What If I”.
Julia Michaels joins 12 time ACM Award winner Keith Urban for a performance of “Coming Home”.
The award for Vocal Group of the Year went to Old Dominion.
Kelsea Ballareni performed her song “I Hate Love Songs”.
ACM Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean performs.
Host Reba McEntire announced that Rhett Akins won the award for Songwriter of the Year
Miranda Lambert performed “Keeper of the Flame”.
Little Big Town performed their version of “Rocket Man” from the Elton John tribute album.
Blake Shelton returns to the stage for a 1993 flashback moment with Toby Keith.
Midland performed their song “Drinkin’ Problem”. Midland won the award for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year.
Thirteen time ACM Award winner Carrie Underwood premieres her new single “Cry Pretty”. This is Underwood’s first appearance since her fall last year.
Ashton Kutcher and Sam Elliott present the award for Vocal Event of the Year to Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood for “The Fighter”.
Dan + Shay per their smash hit “Tequila”.
Darius Rucker performs “For the First Time”.
Olympic skier Lindsey Vaunn presented the award for Female Vocalist of the Year to Miranda Lambert.
Thomas Rhett performed his hit song “Marry Me”.
Luke Bryan “Most People are Good”.
The award for Single Record of the Year went to Sam Hunt for “Body Like a Back Road”.
Lauren Alaina performed.
The award for Male Vocalist of the Year went to Chris Stapleston.
Kelly Clarkson joins her mother in law Reba McEntire for a 1993 Flashback performance “Does He Love You”.
The final award of the night was for Entertainer of the Year and went to Jason Aldean!
Chris Janson closed out the night with a rousing performance of “Redneck Life”.
Not presented during the live television broadcast:
Vocal Duo of the Year: Brother Osborne
New Female Vocalist of the Year: Lauren Alaina
New Male Vocalist of the Year: Brett Young
Video of the Year: “It Ain’t My Fault” by the Brothers Osborne
photo taken from the ACM Awards Facebook page.