De Academy of Country Music heeft voor de achtste keer op rij Miranda Lambert verkozen tot beste zangeres. De 33-jarige heeft de belangrijke countrymuziekprijs elk jaar sinds 2009 gewonnen. Tijdens de ACM Awards van 2016 moest ze eer delen met Reba McEntire.
Lambert won ook de award voor beste album, voor The Weight of These Wing. Ze schreef de plaat na haar scheiding van Blake Shelton, en bedankte in haar speech haar fans "dat ik mijn hartzeer met jullie mocht delen".
Voorafgaand aan de awardshow in Las Vegas zei de countryzangeres nog dat het een beetje voelde alsof haar dagboek uit die tijd werd genomineerd.
Scheiding
Shelton en Lambert zetten in 2015 na vier jaar een punt achter hun huwelijk. Shelton heeft inmiddels alweer een tijd een relatie met Gwen Stefani, Lambert date met zanger Anderson East. Na haar publieke scheiding houdt Lambert haar privéleven liever buiten de schijnwerpers, maar bij uitzondering verscheen het stel zondagavond wel samen op de rode loper.
Bij de ACM Awards werd Thomas Rhett verkozen tot beste zanger, hij mocht ook de prijs voor beste lied in ontvangst nemen voor Die A Happy Man. De award voor beste countrygroep ging naar Little Big Town.
Onderstaand de winnaars:
Entertainer of the Year
WINNAAR: Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Florida Georgia Line
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Male Vocalist of the Year
WINNAAR: Thomas Rhett
Jason Aldean
Dierks Bentley
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Female Vocalist of the Year
WINNAAR: Miranda Lambert
Kelsea Ballerini
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
Vocal Duo of the Year
WINNAAR: Brothers Osborne
Big & Rich
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
Vocal Group of the Year
WINNAAR: Little Big Town
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
New Male Vocalist of the Year
WINNAAR: Jon Pardi
Kane Brown
Chris Janson
Chris Lane
Brett Young
New Female Vocalist of the Year
WINNAAR: Maren Morris
Lauren Alaina
Cam
Brandy Clark
New Vocal Duo/Group of the Year
WINNAAR: Brothers Osborne
A Thousand Horses
Dan + Shay
LOCASH
Maddie & Tae
Album of the Year (Awarded to Artist/Producer/Record Company–Label)
WINNAAR: The Weight of These Wings – Miranda Lambert Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse, Glenn Worf Record Labels: RCA Nashville, Vanner Records
Black – Dierks Bentley Producers: Ross Copperman, Arturo Buenahora Jr. Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
Dig Your Roots – Florida Georgia Line Producer: Joey Moi Record Label: Big Machine Label Group
HERO – Maren Morris Producers: busbee, Brad Hill, Maren Morris Record Label: Columbia Nashville
Ripcord – Keith Urban Producers: Jeff Bhasker, busbee, Nathan Chapman, Nitzan Kaikov, Dann Huff, Tyler Johnson, Johnny Price, Nile Rodgers, Keith Urban, Greg Wells Record Labels: Hit Red Records, Capitol Records Nashville
Single Record of the Year (Awarded to Artist/Producer/Record Company–Label)
WINNAAR: “H.O.L.Y.” – Florida Georgia Line Producer: Joey Moi Record Label: Big Machine Label Group
“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban Producers: Dann Huff, Keith Urban Record Labels: Hit Red Records, Capitol Records Nashville
“Humble And Kind” – Tim McGraw Producers: Byron Gallimore, Tim McGraw Record Labels: McGraw Music, Big Machine Records
“My Church” – Maren Morris Producers: busbee, Maren Morris Record Label: Columbia Nashville
“Vice” – Miranda Lambert Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse, Glenn Worf Record Labels: RCA Nashville, Vanner Records
Song of the Year (Awarded to Songwriter/Publisher/Artist)
WINNAAR: “Die a Happy Man” – Thomas Rhett Songwriters: Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music Inc (BMI), Cricket On The Line (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp (BMI), Eastman Pond Publishing (BMI), Music of Big Deal (BMI), Nice Life (BMI), Frederic And Reid Music (BMI), BMG Platinum Songs (BMI), Brodsky Spensive Publishing (BMI)
“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban Songwriters: Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey, Steven Lee Olsen Publishers: WB Music Corp (ASCAP), Music Of The Corn (ASCAP), HillarodyRathbone Music (ASCAP), BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP), House of Sea Gayle Music (ASCAP), Spirit Catalog Holdings (S.a.r.l.), Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP)
“Humble and Kind” – Tim McGraw Songwriter: Lori McKenna Publishers: Songs of Universal Inc (BMI), Hoodie Songs (BMI)
“Kill a Word” – Eric Church Featuring Rhiannon Giddens Songwriters: Eric Church, Luke Dick, Jeff Hyde Publishers: Emileon Songs (BMI), Little Louder Songs (BMI), Longer And Louder Music (BMI), Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI)
“Tennessee Whiskey” – Chris Stapleton Songwriters: Dean Dillon, Linda Hargrove Publishers: Universal-Songs Of PolyGram International (BMI), EMI Algee (BMI)
“Vice” – Miranda Lambert Songwriters: Miranda Lambert, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Smack Hits (GMR), Kobalt Music Group, Ltd. (GMR), Anderson Fork In The Road Music (ASCAP), Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc. (ASCAP), Smackville Music (ASCAP)
Video of the Year (Awarded to Producer/Director/Artist)
WINNAAR: “Forever Country” – Artists of Then, Now & Forever Director: Joseph Kahn Producers: Nathan de la Rionda, Jil Hardin, Charleen Manca, Joanna Carter, Chandra LaPlume, Sarah Trahern, Damon Whiteside
“Fire Away” – Chris Stapleton Director: Tim Mattia Producer: Jennifer Rothlein
“Humble And Kind” – Tim McGraw Director: Wes Edwards Producer: Jennifer Rothlein
“Vice” – Miranda Lambert Director: Trey Fanjoy Producer: Ashley Bergeron Ford
Songwriter of the Year
WINNAAR: Lori McKenna
Shane McAnally
Ashley Gorley
Luke Laird
Hillary Lindsey
Vocal Event of the Year (Awarded to Artist/Producer/Record Company–Label)”
WINNAAR: “May We All” – Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw Producer: Joey Moi Record Label: Big Machine Label Group
“Different For Girls” – Dierks Bentley Featuring Elle King Producers: Ross Copperman, Arturo Buenahora Jr. Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
“Forever Country” – Artists of Then, Now & Forever Producer: Shane McAnally Record Label: MCA Nashville
“Setting the World On Fire” – Kenny Chesney Featuring P!nk Producers: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney Record Labels: Blue Chair Records, Columbia Nashville
“Think of You” – Chris Young Featuring Cassadee Pope Producers: Corey Crowder, Chris Young Record Labels: RCA Nashville, RCA Records