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For a couple minutes there, Jelly Roll and Brooks & Dunn turned the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville into a church with a spiritual performance of “Believe” at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards Wednesday (Nov. 20). With Kix Brooks on piano and Ronnie Dunn sharing lead vocals with the “Son of a Sinner” singer, the […]

Shaboozey proved that there are way more colors in his musical palette than “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” when he took the stage at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday (Nov. 20). The singer, whose signature song has straddled the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 18 weeks so far — snagging the […]

Billy Ray Cyrus is part of the BeyHive. The “Achy Breaky Heart” singer took to Instagram on Wednesday (Nov. 20) to reminisce on his past with the CMA Awards, which took place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on the same day as his post. He shared two photos, a throwback snap in which he accepted the […]

Post Malone and Chris Stapleton opened the 2024 Country Music Association Awards Wednesday (Nov. 20) with a rockin’ performance of their duet “California Sober.” With both stars wearing cowboy hats and slinging guitars with a full band backing them up, the rapper-turned-country star and Kentucky native brought the energy right away. “She said, ‘I’ll take […]

The 2024 CMA Awards have arrived!
Going into Wednesday’s (Nov. 20) ceremony at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Morgan Wallen is the leading nominee, racking up seven nods, including for the night’s top honor: entertainer of the year. Following Wallen, Cody Johnson and Chris Stapleton have five nods each; Post Malone and Lainey Wilson each nabbed four; and Louis Bell, Luke Combs, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney and Kacey Musgraves have three apiece.

But who will emerge the night’s big winner? Follow along with Billboard all night as we keep track of the winners, updating live.

Entertainer of the year

Luke Combs

Trending on Billboard

Jelly Roll

Chris Stapleton

Morgan Wallen

Lainey Wilson

Single of the year

Award goes to artist(s), producer(s) and mix engineer(s)

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey; Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry; Mix Engineer: Raul Lopez

“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson; Producer: Trent Willmon; Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke

“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen); Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore

“Watermelon Moonshine” – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce

“White Horse” – Chris Stapleton; Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton; Mix Engineer: Vance Powell

Album of the year  

Award goes to artist, producer(s) and mix engineer(s)

Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves; Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian; Mix Engineers: Shawn Everett, Konrad Snyder

Fathers & Sons – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews

Higher – Chris Stapleton; Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton; Mix Engineer: Vance Powell

Leather – Cody Johnson; Producer: Trent Willmon; Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke

Whitsitt Chapel – Jelly Roll; Producers: Andrew Baylis, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Jesse Frasure, David Garcia, Kevin “Thrasher” Gruft, Austin Nivarel, David Ray Stevens; Mix Engineers: Jeff Braun, Jim Cooley

Song of the year 

Award goes to songwriter(s)

“Burn It Down”; Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Parker McCollum, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose

“Dirt Cheap”; Songwriter: Josh Phillips

“I Had Some Help”; Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters

“The Painter”; Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins

“White Horse”; Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson

Female vocalist of the year 

Kelsea Ballerini

Ashley McBryde

Megan Moroney

Kacey Musgraves

Lainey Wilson

Male vocalist of the year

Luke Combs

Jelly Roll

Cody Johnson

Chris Stapleton

Morgan Wallen

Vocal group of the year

Lady A

Little Big Town

Old Dominion

The Red Clay Strays

Zac Brown Band

Vocal duo of the year  

Brooks & Dunn

Brothers Osborne

Dan + Shay

Maddie & Tae

The War and Treaty

Musical event of the year 

Award goes to artists and producer(s) 

“Cowboys Cry Too” – Kelsea Ballerini (with Noah Kahan); Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym

“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen); Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins

“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan (ft. Kacey Musgraves); Producer: Zach Bryan

“Man Made a Bar” – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church); Producer: Joey Moi

WINNER: “you look like you love me” – Ella Langley (feat. Riley Green); Producer: Will Bundy

Musician of the year

Tom Bukovac – Guitar

Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle

Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar

Rob McNelley – Guitar

Charlie Worsham – Guitar

Music video of the year 

Award goes to artist(s) and director(s)

“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson; Director: Dustin Haney

“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen); Director: Chris Villa

“I’m Not Pretty” – Megan Moroney; Directors: Jeff Johnson, Megan Moroney

“The Painter” – Cody Johnson; Director: Dustin Haney

“Wildflowers and Wild Horses” – Lainey Wilson; Director: Patrick Tracy

New artist of the year

Megan Moroney

Shaboozey

Nate Smith

Mitchell Tenpenny

Zach Top

Bailey Zimmerman

   

Weekly national

“American Country Countdown” (Kix Brooks) – Cumulus/Westwood One

“Country Gold with Terri Clark” (Terri Clark) – Westwood One

WINNER: “Crook & Chase Countdown” (Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase) – Jim Owens Entertainment

“Highway Hot 30 with Buzz Brainard” (Buzz Brainard) – SiriusXM

“Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence” (Tracy Lawrence and Patrick Thomas) – Silverfish Media

Daily national

WINNER: “The Bobby Bones Show” (Bobby Bones, Amy Brown, “Lunchbox” Dan Chappell, Eddie Garcia, Morgan Huelsman, “SZN Raymundo” Ray Slater, “Mike D” Rodriguez, Abby Anderson, “Kick Off Kevin” O’Connell, and Stephen “Scuba Steve” Spradlin) – iHeartMedia

“Michael J On Air” (Michael J. Stuehler) – iHeartMedia

“Nights with Elaina” (Elaina Smith) – Westwood One / Cumulus Media

“PickleJar Up All Night with Patrick Thomas” (Patrick Thomas) – PickleJar / Cumulus Media

“Steve Harmon Show” (Steve Harmon) – Westwood One / Cumulus Media

Major market

“The Andie Summers Show” (Andie Summers, Jeff Kurkjian, Donnie Black, and Shannon Boyle) – WXTU, Philadelphia, Pa.

“Chris Carr & Company” (Chris Carr, Kia Becht, and Sam Sansevere) – KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

WINNER: “Frito & Katy” (Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey) – KCYY, San Antonio, Texas

“The Morning Wolfpack with Matt McAllister” (Matt McAllister, Gabe Mercer, and “Captain Ron” Koons) – KKWF, Seattle, Wash.

“The Most Fun Afternoons With Scotty Kay” (Scotty Kay) – WUSN, Chicago, Ill.

Large market

“Dale Carter Morning Show” (Dale Carter) – KFKF, Kansas City, Mo.

“Heather Froglear” (Heather Froglear) – KFRG, Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.

WINNER: “Jesse & Anna” (Jesse Tack and Anna Marie) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio

“Mike & Amanda” (Mike Wheless and Amanda Daughtry) – WQDR, Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

“On-Air with Anthony” (Anthony Donatelli) – KFRG, Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.

Medium market

“Brent Michaels” (Brent Michaels) – KUZZ, Bakersfield, Calif.

“Joey & Nancy” (Joey Tack, Nancy Barger, and Karly Duggan) – WIVK, Knoxville, Tenn.

“New Country Mornings with Nancy and Woody” (Nancy Wilson and Aaron “Woody” Woods) – WHKO, Dayton, Ohio

“Scott and Sarah in the Morning” (Scott Wynn and Sarah Kay) – WQMX, Akron, Ohio

WINNER: “Steve & Gina In The Morning” (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa

Small market

“Dan Austin Show” (Dan Austin) – WQHK, Fort Wayne, Ind.

“Dave and Jenn” (Dave Roberts and Jenn Seay) – WTCR, Huntington-Ashland, W. Va.

WINNER: “The Eddie Foxx Show” (Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx) – WKSF, Asheville, N.C.

“Hilley & Hart” (Kevin Hilley and Erin Hart) – KATI, Columbia, Mo.

“Officer Don & DeAnn” (“Officer Don” Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington-Fayette, Ky.

Major market

KCYY – San Antonio, Texas

KKBQ – Houston, Texas

KYGO – Denver, Colo.

WXTU – Philadelphia, Pa.

WINNER: WYCD – Detroit, Mich.

Large market

WIRK – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla.

WMIL – Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.

WINNER: WQDR – Raleigh-Durham, N.C.      

WSIX – Nashville, Tenn.

WWKA – Orlando, Fla.

Medium market

KXKT – Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa

WBEE – Rochester, N.Y.

WIVK – Knoxville, Tenn.

WLFP – Memphis, Tenn.

WINNER: WUSY – Chattanooga, Tenn.

Small market

WCOW – La Crosse, Wis.

WKML – Fayetteville, N.C.

WKXC – Augusta, Ga.

WXFL – Florence-Muscle Shoals, Ala.

WINNER: WYCT – Pensacola, Fla.

The 2024 CMA Awards are officially here, with country’s biggest and brightest stars taking over the red carpet at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.Morgan Wallen leads this year’s nominees with seven nods. Cody Johnson and Chris Stapleton follow with five nods each, while Post Malone and Lainey Wilson each got four. Louis Bell, Luke Combs, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney and Kacey Musgraves all received three nominations.
The show — hosted by Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning and Wilson — will also feature a number of star-studded performances. Bryan, Combs, Johnson, Moroney, Musgraves, Malone, Stapleton, Wilson, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Eric Church, Riley Green, Sierra Hull, Jelly Roll, Noah Kahan, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Ella Langley, Ashley McBryde, Thomas Rhett, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, Molly Tuttle and Bailey Zimmerman are all set to take the stage.
Meanwhile, Simone Biles, Clint Black, Jeff Bridges, Mark Collie, Jordan Davis, Freddie Freeman, Don Johnson, Jackson Laux, Little Big Town, Dustin Lynch, Katharine McPhee, The Oak Ridge Boys, Taylor Frankie Paul, Carly Pearce, Caleb Pressley, Nate Smith, Daniel Sunjata, Mitchell Tenpenny and Billy Bob Thornton will also join the fun as the evening’s presenters.
The 58th Annual CMA airs live from Bridgestone Arena on ABC and next day on Hulu. To celebrate the country-filled night, check out our gallery of photos from the red carpet below.

Ashley Cooke

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Ashley Cooke at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Blanco Brown

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Blanco Brown at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Hunter Hayes

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Hunter Hayes at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Colbie Caillat

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Colbie Caillat at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Josh Phillips

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Josh Phillips at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Chapel Hart

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Trea Swindle, Danica Hart, Devynn Hart of Chapel Hart at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Tigirlily Gold

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Krista Slaubaugh, Kendra Slaubaugh of Tigirlily Gold at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Moriah Smallbone

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Moriah Smallbone at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Ian Bohen

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Ian Bohen at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Tiera Kennedy

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Tiera Kennedy at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Riley Green

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Riley Green at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Megan Moroney

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Megan Moroney at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Dax

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Dax at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Oak Ridge Boys

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Richard Sterban, William Lee Golden, Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Daniel Sunjata

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Daniel Sunjata at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Mitchell Tenpenny

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

c at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

O.N.E The Duo

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Prana Supreme Diggs, Tekitha Washington of O.N.E The Duo at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Sarah Trahern

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Sarah Trahern at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Cody Johnson

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Cody Johnson at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

The War and Treaty

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Michael Trotter Jr., Tanya Trotter of The War and Treaty at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Dasha

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Dasha at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Jeff Bridges

Image Credit: Michael Buckner

Jeff Bridges at The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville.

Jelly Roll is staying the course on his fitness goals. In a candid interview with People for his cover story published Wednesday (Nov. 20), the country star revealed that he’s lost a total of 110 pounds this year so far — 60 to 70 pounds of which he estimates have disappeared while he’s been on […]

At Wednesday night’s (Nov. 20) CMA Awards, slated to air live on ABC from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Eric Church is nominated for musical event of the year for his Morgan Wallen collaboration “Man Made a Bar.”

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Church is a CMA entertainer of the year winner and two-time CMA album of the year winner. But during his performance at the upcoming awards show, the focus won’t be about hit songs or career success. North Carolina native Church is using the awards show’s wide-reaching platform to perform his recent release, and solo-written, “Darkest Hour,” with the aim of continuing to shine a light on those who continue to be impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. It was previously revealed that Church’s publishing royalties from “Darkest Hour” will go to aid those who impacted by Hurricane Helene.

“I think the biggest thing that the people of North Carolina need after Helene is awareness,” Church tells Billboard ahead of the CMA Awards. “Because as a society we tend to move on pretty quickly to other things. That’s just our nature and these people are going to need help for a long time. So the more that I can shine a light on the people there and the need that is going to still be there for a long time, the better off it it will be. And we can help the people there get back on their feet.”

Trending on Billboard

Since the category four Hurricane Helene wrought destruction in numerous communities in North Carolina and other states in September, with more than 100 storm-related fatalities in North Carolina alone, Church has been a leader in spearheading several efforts to help those in need.

He teamed with fellow artists including Luke Combs, James Taylor and Billy Strings to lead the “Concert For Carolina” in October, with the event also welcoming guests including Keith Urban, Scotty McCreery, Parmalee, Sheryl Crow and Chase Rice. Concert For Carolina raised over $24 million to help those impacted Hurricane Helene.

“It was an amazing night,” Church tells Billboard, reflecting on the event. “I’ve done a lot of shows, but I don’t know that I’ve ever felt a show like that. We had a lot of people come help — Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, James Taylor — and it just ended up being this redemptive revival night. But at the same time, we all knew why we were there. We knew that there was still a need. So we were there on a mission. The concert had a mission feel to it that we were organizing and weaponizing and we were there to help the people in North Carolina. It was a unique feel for any concert I’ve ever done.”

Additionally, the singer-songwriter’s Chief Cares Foundation launched the building initiative Blue Print for the Blue Ridge, pledging to build 100 homes for families in Avery County, North Carolina and surrounding areas whose homes were impacted by the hurricane. Church tells Billboard that he’s visited Avery County multiple times, surveying the damage and looking at sites for the project.

“In this country, we do pretty well at the 911 — the food, the water, the diapers. We don’t do as well at phase two, and that’s keeping people in the community,” he says. “We will never rebuild these communities if you don’t keep the people there. So we’ve committed to putting a hundred homes in Avery County and to give people a place that they can figure out what’s next for them. They can stay in their county, their kids can stay in the local schools, they can stay involved in their church. It just gives ’em a shelter that they can then figure out the next part of their life. And it’s all I’ve been doing every day, all day since the hurricane happened.”

Jelly Roll had a special connection to Taylor Swift long before their paths ever crossed — and at the 2024 Grammys, he finally got to tell her about it.
In his People cover story published Wednesday (Nov. 20), the 39-year-old country star opened up about feeling flustered when the “Anti-Hero” singer made her way over to meet him at the February ceremony. “My wife [podcaster Bunnie XO] said, ‘I think Taylor’s coming over to holler at you,’” he recalled. “It was like the Red Sea parted for her.”

Jelly went on to explain his personal attachment to Swift, which involves his now 16-year-old daughter, Bailee. “I take a ridiculous, probably abnormal, amount of pride in being from Nashville, so anytime I can link a Tennessee connect, it tickles me,” he told the publication. “Taylor lived in Hendersonville for a while, and she had bought a playground. I used to push Bailee on that swing set that Taylor donated to Hendersonville.”

Trending on Billboard

However, the “Son of a Sinner” singer says he was “so nervous” when he was actually face-to-face with the pop star, he “couldn’t even remember what swing set it was.” “I’m looking at Taylor Swift, and I have a reason to explain to her why I like her so much, and I’m going, ‘You built the swing set somewhere, my daughter, I pushed her on it,’” Jelly said. “I did so bad! Definitely was at a loss for words in that moment.”

Even so, Swift looked thrilled to meet her fellow Tennesseean in a video Bunnie posted at the time. After snapping a picture with Jelly, the “Karma” artist wrapped him in a big hug.

“When your hubby gets to meet his crush finally,” the Dumb Blonde host captioned her clip.

That night, Swift won album of the year for her Billboard 200-topping album Midnights, while Jelly was nominated for best new artist (but ultimately lost to Victoria MonĂ©t). Both artists are nominated for more awards in 2025, with the Eras Tour headliner up for song, record and album of the year thanks to “Fortnight” and The Tortured Poets Department, while Jelly is in the running for best country song and best country solo performance for “I Am Not Okay.”

Since this year’s Grammy night, Jelly has nabbed his first-ever No. 1 album with October’s Beautifully Broken. He’s currently touring in support of the record and, as announced Tuesday (Nov. 19), he’ll soon join Post Malone on the road for a North American stadium tour kicking off in April.

See Jelly’s People cover below.

On Tuesday night (Nov. 19), performing rights organization BMI celebrated the songwriters and publishers behind 50 of the previous year’s most-performed country songs during its annual BMI Country Awards, held at BMI Nashville’s offices.

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Among the songs honored were Jelly Roll’s “Need a Favor,” Cody Johnson’s “The Painter,” Kane Brown’s “Bury Me in Georgia,” Luke Combs’s “Where the Wild Things Are” and more. Leading the festivities were BMI’s President & CEO Mike O’Neill, BMI Nashville’s VP, Creative, Clay Bradley, and BMI Nashville’s executive director of creative Shannon Sanders.

The evening launched with Ella Langley, Lukas Nelson and Aaron Raitiere teaming for a rendition of “With a Little Help From My Friends.”

Trending on Billboard

Zach Bryan and Chase McGill tied as honorees for the BMI songwriter of the year honor, with each songwriter co-writing six of BMI’s most-performed songs in country music. Bryan’s credits were “Burn, Burn, Burn,” “Dawns,” “Hey Driver,” “I Remember Everything,” “Oklahoma Smokeshow” and “Sun to Me,” while McGill co-wrote Morgan Wallen’s “Ain’t That Some,” Luke Bryan’s “But I Got a Beer in My Hand,” Conner Smith’s “Creek Will Rise,” Russell Dickerson’s “God Gave Me a Girl,” Jordan Davis’s “Next Thing You Know,” and Thomas Rhett’s “Mamaw’s House.” Bryan was not in attendance, but McGill took the stage to thank his family and those who have been a part of his journey.

He also thanked his longtime music publisher, Universal Music Publishing Group, and recalled telling UMPG executive Terry Wakefield about his career aims. “Terry came to my house the day we started working together and he asked me, ‘What are your goals as a songwriter?’ I said, ‘I don’t have goals–I have a goal: I want to be BMI writer of the year.’ So Terry laid out a plan and here we are. So thank you.”

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” was named the 2024 BMI country song of the year, and was published by Big Loud Mountain, John Byron Music, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. “Last Night” led the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 16 nonconsecutive weeks.

Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp was named publisher of the year, publishing 34 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, including Parker McCollum’s “Burn It Down,” Tyler Hubbard’s “Dancin’ in the Country,” Riley Green’s “Different ‘Round Here,” Warren Zeiders’ “Pretty Little Poison” and Bailey Zimmerman’s “Religiously.”

Alabama frontman Randy Owen was honored with the BMI Icon award, joining an elite group of fellow recipients that have included Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Bill Anderson, Dean Dillon and Kris Kristofferson. Owen is not only the lead singer for three-time CMA vocal group of the year winners Alabama, but his songwriting prowess is evidenced by some of the group’s enduring hit songs including “Christmas in Dixie,” “Tennessee River,” “Feels So Right,” and “My Home’s in Alabama.” Along the way, Owen has won 25 BMI Million-Air Awards and in 2000, he was honored with the BMI president’s award.

“One thing I learned early on, when I signed to BMI under [former BMI Nashville president/CEO] Frances Preston,” Owen told Billboard on the red carpet. “Honestly, I had no idea that you could make money writing songs. I just wrote songs that I enjoyed writing, songs that I felt like I had to write.”

Dolly Parton and Kenny Chesney offered tributes to Owen via video, while Riley Green honored Owen by performing “My Home’s in Alabama.” Luke Bryan offered a superb vocal rendering on the soulful and sultry “Feels So Right.” The evening recognized not only Owen’s work as a songwriter, but his dedication to giving back to others, most notably through his work in launching the Country Cares for St. Jude Kids program, which recently reached its milestone 35th anniversary and celebrated raising $1 billion for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since 1989.

One of the highlights of the evening came when Blake Shelton performed a rendition of Alabama’s 1982 hit “Mountain Music.”

“Congratulations, you deserve this,” Shelton told Owen.

Shelton welcomed Bryan back to the stage to join him, backed by guitar and searing fiddle. The crowd of songwriters, publishers and other industry members, all garbed in suits and elegant dresses, immediately rose to their feet, clapping and singing along to Owen’s lyrics of flowing rivers, rustic Cajun hideaways and playing baseball with chert rocks. As artists performed their tributes, Owen could often be seen wiping away tears as he watched from the audience.

Owen and his wife Kelly took the stage, with Kelly offering insights into Owen’s songwriting and praising how his songs have impacted not only their family, but so many music fans. Owen himself then thanked those who have been essential to the group’s success, including producer Harold Shedd, who was in attendance. “You may be 115 years old, but you’re still a stud to me,” Owen told Shedd with a chuckle.

Owen honored his late Alabama bandmate Jeff Cook, calling Cook “a musical genius.” He also welcomed his Alabama bandmate Teddy Gentry to the stage alongside him, thanking him for their friendship, and praising Gentry’s work in crafting the group’s harmonies.

“Teddy, I love you and I appreciate you being here tonight. It means the world to me and my family. I appreciate you, and we’re still rockin’,” Owen said, ending by thanking the musicians who played on all of Alabama’s records.

“Thank you for this night. It’s a highlight.”