Morgan Wallen and Post Malone headline a very collaborative CMA Awards

On By Littum

Chris Stapleton took home four Country Music Association Awards and barely left the stage Wednesday night while one absent Morgan Wallen was shut out all evening until he took the biggest prize of the night, entertainer of the year.

Stapleton’s wins included Song of the Year and Single of the Year for “White Horse,” and he took the stage at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, three times to perform during the ABC broadcast, including a show-opening duet with Post Malone.

“I’m really honored by this, thank you very much,” said the ever-low-key country traditionalist Stapleton as he accepted the award for male vocalist of the year for a record eighth time.

For most of the night, it appeared that leading nominee Wallen, up to seven, would be shut out until host Jeff Bridges misstated his name as “Morgan Waylon” when announcing entertainer of the year.

Four of Wallen’s nominations came for his hit collaboration with Malone, “I Had Some Help,” though the song and first-time nominee Malone went without a win.

But rapper-singer Malone was smiling all night at the CMAs after releasing his first country album earlier this year. With Stapleton, he sang his song “California Sober” in full cowboy regalia, including a tie the size of a belt buckle. He later took the stage solo to sing the emotional “Yours”, which he dedicated to his young daughter.

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Stapleton later performed his own “What Am I Gonna Do” with his wife Morgane, appearing again as part of an all-star tribute to George Strait receiving the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

Last year’s entertainer of the year, Lainey Wilsonco-hosted the show 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 looked like Stapleton would get a sweep, but he lost out on album of the year to a surprised Cody Johnson, who took home the trophy for “Leather.”

“I thought Chris Stapleton or Jelly Roll was going to win,” Johnson said.

Old Dominion won Vocal Group of the Year for a record seventh consecutive time, surpassing the six won by Little Big Town.

The Stapleton-Malone opener and much of the night was a celebration of a time of crossover and collaboration in country.

The telecast, available on Hulu for streaming Thursday, featured performances from artist combos including Brooks & Dunn representing the 1990s and 2000s, with Jelly Roll representing country’s current moment. They gave an emotional gospel version of Brooks & Dunn’s 2005 song “Believe”.

Brooks & Dunn followed that up by winning Vocal Duo of the Year for the 15th time and first time since 2006.

Shaboozey brought the crowd to their feet with a solo performance that began with a bit of his more sober single “Highway” before launching into one of the defining hits of the year, “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

But he lost Best New Artist to Megan Moroney, who won minutes after her own performance.

“Thank you Jesus for putting this dream on my heart,” Moroney, a 27-year-old from Georgia, said misty-eyed as she accepted the award.

Wilson opened the tribute to Strait by singing part of his best-remembered hit, “Amarillo by Morning.”

She was followed by Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Stapleton and Strait contemporary Clint Black, who performed pieces of Strait hits including “Troubadour” and “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame”

Stapleton presented the 72-year-old Strait with the award, previously won by Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride and Nelson himself, calling Strait “true country music royalty, the king of country.”

A smiling Stræde thanked everyone for the powerful renditions of his songs.

“I’m glad I got them first,” he said.

The CMA Awards are nominated and voted on by members of the Country Music Association, which includes music executives, artists, publicists, songwriters and other industry professionals.