Top Moments From The 53rd ACM Awards

By Brent Furdyk. 15 Apr 2018 11:44 PM

From moments sweet (lovebirds Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani — and let’s not forget Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman) to smooth (always-impeccable host Reba McEntire) to some truly inspired “flashback” musical pairings and an emotional win for Jason Aldean, check out these highlights from the 53rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

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Keith Urban And Julia Michaels' Dynamic Duet

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A Sombre Opening
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This year’s ACM Awards started on a solemn note to pay tribute to the country-music fans who lost their lives in last year’s horrific Las Vegas shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Jason Aldean — who was performing onstage when gunfire broke out — stepped out onto a darkened stage, noting that the idea had been floated to start the awards with a song, but admitted “it’s a lot bigger than a single song.” Aldean was joined by Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett, who each spoke before Aldean concluded: “With respect for the victims, our friends, family and fans, we celebrate the music tonight. America: this is your ACM Awards.”
The 17th Time Is The Charm

Marking her 17th time as host of the ACM Awards, Reba McEntire declared “it’s great to be back as your host,” reminding us that she first hosted way back in 1986. “To put that in perspective, not only was Kelsea Beallerini not born, her parents weren’t even dating yet,” she quipped. McEntire also thanked last year’s hosts, Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley, and Blake Shelton (who had previously hosted with Bryan). However, she added: “It only takes one woman to do the job of two men,” a line that earned her a standing ovation.
Maren Morris Rips Through ‘Rich’
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A giant lighted sign let us know that newlywed Maren Morris was performing her new hit “Rich” — highlighted by a brief audience shot of Miranda Lambert fangirling as she bopping her head back and to the music.
Bebe Rexha And FGL Are ‘Meant To Be’
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Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard Brian Kelley began the performance of "Meant to Be", with Bebe Rexha entering from a different part of the stage before being joined by the FLG vocalists, backed by a choir to create a rich, emotional performance.
Miranda Lambert’s Song Of The Year
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Miranda Lambert appeared to be stunned when Cam and New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees read her name to declare she had won the Song of the Year category, bringing her hands to her mouth in utter surprise and throwing her arms in the air in utter delight when she realized her hit “Tin Man” took this year’s award.
Dierks Bentley’s Sweet Moment
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Following his performance of “Woman Amen”, Dierks Bentley strode from the stage to his front-row seat, where he gave wife Cassidy Black a kiss, lifted her to her feet and gave her a big hug, making it crystal clear who the subject of his song is. Leave it to Bentley’s former ACM Awards co-host to ruin the moment by jokingly trying to get in on the hugging before Bentley playfully shooed him away. Boundaries, Luke, boundaries! Meanwhile, Bentley even had a big hug for the seat-filler who beat a hasty retreat when he unexpectedly, apparently, returned to his front-row seat after the performance.
Chris Stapleton's Twin Win
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Chris Stapleton’s “From A Room: Volume 1” took the award for Album of the Year, but the singer couldn’t be in Vegas, as he and wife wife Morgan are in Nashville, where she's expecting twins any day now. Accepting the award on his behalf, host Reba McEntire had some big news to announce. “We just found out that those little rascals came a little bit early," she revealed. "Hot off the press!”
The Gwen And Blake Show
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While Blake Shelton was onstage singing his hit “I Lived It”, there was another show going on in the audience as Gwen Stefani gazed at her sweetheart onstage with love in her eyes as she mouthed the lyrics, one of the sweetest lovey-dovey moments in an awards ceremony filled with lovey-dovey moments. His performance, by the way, earned a standing O.
Here For The Beer
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While the rest of the crowd was cheering Shelton's performance during the stranding ovation, Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard used the opportunity to chug a frosty beer. Hey, all that clapping makes a guy thirsty!
Keith Urban And Julia Michaels' Dynamic Duet
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Keith Urban delivered a powerful performance of “Coming Home” with Julia Michaels, with wife Nicole Kidman showing the love by bopping her head like a teenage fan throughout the performance for a lovey-dovey moment on par with Blake and Gwen.
Kelsea Ballerini Hates Love Songs
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Kelsea Ballerini performed her hit “I Hate Love Songs” from within a giant lit-up heart that delivered her from the rafters to the stage, where she delivered an intimate, fun performance, declaring that, “I hate love songs… but ACMs, I love you.”
Miranda Lambert Burns It Down
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Miranda Lambert proved she can rock with the best of them with her slow-build performance of “Keeper of the Flame”. Like the fiery inferno projected on the screen behind her, the song slowly built from a spark to an ember to a raging blaze at its crescendo.
Talking Country
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“They told me I can’t talk about politics, drinking or breakups,” quipped McEntire as the show reached its halfway point. “They do know this is a country music show, right?”
Little Big Town's 'Rocket Man'
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Little Big Town delivered a harmonious performance of Elton John’s “Rocket Man”, the vocal group’s entry in “Restoration”, the new country-music tribute to the music of Sir Elton and Bernie Taupin — bolstered by a ‘70s-style laser light show, no less.
Blake And Toby's Flashback Moment
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“It’s no secret that I like to have a good time,” quipped Blake Shelton in introducing his ‘Flashback Moment’ duet with Toby Keith, performing his 1993 debut single “that celebrates the cowboys we all love and wish we could be,” before the pair embarked on a toe-tapping duet on “Should Have Been a Cowboy”.
Carrie's Comeback
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Making her first public appearance since requiring 40-plus stitches for a gash on her face following an accident at her home, Carrie Underwood made a triumphant return to debut her new single “Cry Pretty”. Not only was the performance absolutely amazing, her face looked flawless! At the end of the powerful, emotional performance, Underwood wiped tears from her eyes as the entire crowd took to their feet for an enthusiastic, extended standing ovation.
A Vocal Event
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Immediately after Carrie Underwood's spectacular performance, presenters Ashton Kutcher and Sam Elliott of Netflix sitcom “The Ranch” presented Underwood and Keith Urban with the award for Vocal Event of the Year. Still emotional from the standing ovation that had cooled just moments earlier, Underwood was understandably overwhelmed. “You just knocked it out of the park,” Urban told Underwood, who told the crowd, “I’m still kind of shook here now.” She kept it together until she and Urban left the stage, when the tears could be seen flowing as he wrapped his arm around her as they walked offstage.
A Tequila Sing-a-long
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Vocal duo Dan + Shay took to the stage for an acoustic performance of their hit “Tequila”, backed by an array of fans who joined them onstage (one of whom was country singer Cam) for an enthusiastic sing-a-long.
Luke Bryan Gets Positive
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Luke Bryan delivered a message of positivity in a feel-good performance of the "American Idol" judge's hit "Most People Are Good" guaranteed to put a smile on any face.
Miranda's Big Night
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"I cannot believe this, I really can’t,” admitted Miranda Lambert when she won her second award of the evening, for Female Vocalist of the Year. “Thank you so much. I love country music. It is my entire life. I dedicate everything I have to it. For y’all to care so much about what I’m doing, I’ll never, ever take it for granted.”
Kelly And Reba Crush It
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For the show’s final “Flashback Moment”, Kelly Clarkson joined the evening’s host Reba McEntire for a vocal duet of “Does He Love You”, melding their powerful voices together for a performance that was as harmonious as it was powerful.
Jason Aldean: Entertainer Of The Year
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The ACM Awards saved its most emotional moment for the end, when Jason Aldean was named Entertainer of the Year. After giving his thank yous (including his wife and children), Aldean addressed being onstage when gunfire broke out at the Route 91 Festival in Las Vegas last year in a horrific mass shooting that took 58 lives. “It’s been a rough year. And I just want to say thanks to everybody that reached out to us, and showed us love and support over the last six months. It meant the world to us,” said Aldean, choking back tears. “To my Route 91 people, you guys are in our hearts always. I love you guys. And we love Las Vegas. Vegas strong, baby.”
Redneck Life
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Following Aldean’s win, host Reba McEntire returned to the stage for one final time. “Let’s end this show with a song that’s gonna get you on your feet and ready to party the rest of the night,” she said, introducing Chris Janson and his electrifying performance of “Redneck Life” that saw him literally catapult into the air.

Top Moments From The 53rd ACM Awards

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