The 58th ACM Awards are coming up later this week and we’ve been taking a look back at some of the most memorable moments in the show’s history.
There was Miranda Lambert blasting Blake Shelton after their divorce in 2019, Matthew McConaughey recalling getting lucky after telling some ladies he made custom boots for George Strait in 2009, Alan Jackson’s now iconic protest of pre-recorded tracks in 1994, and so many more.
One thing that’s been quite obvious in recent years is an increase in non-country performances. Sure, we all love a good crossover, but it would be nice to hear some fiddles at the Academy of Country Music awards.
Turns out, these events are not a new phenomena and pop culture icons have long been participating in these award shows, but one that got me rolling was Mr. T back in 1983.
At the time, the now classic TV show The A-Team was in its first season and his career was fast on the upswing after his role in Rocky III as Clubber Lang, which brought to national spotlight his now iconic line “I pity the fool.”
Well, the suits behind the scenes decided there was no better person to do the typically boring tradition of reading the rules than Mr. T, and while he didn’t disappoint, it was clear many people in the audience were pretty confused by the whole ordeal.
Introducing himself as the law, boss, and enforcer, he launches into an intimidating, yet humorous, reading of the long process by which nominations and winners are selected. Multiple times throughout this, the camera cuts to people’s bewildered faces in the crowd, clearly unsure of how they should be reacting.
For my money, the best part is when he calls out Dwight Call and John Trovani, who were responsible for counting the ballots and keeping the results a secret until announced onstage, out from behind the curtain to give them some props, before promptly telling the crowd to stop clapping and the two men to get back to safety.
Why this happened, I have no idea, but man, it’s at least fun to go back and watch.
For this year’s nominees, Morgan Wallen is up for his first Entertainer of the Year Award and Hardy and Lainey Wilson lead the pack with seven and six nominations, respectively. Zach Bryan is also up for his first-ever ACM Award in the New Male Artist of the Year category.
The Nominees
The dynamic duo of Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks will co-host the show for the first time on May 11th at 8:00 PM EDT exclusively on Amazon Prime, livestreamed from The Star in Frisco, Texas.
And with all that being said, here are the nominees:
Entertainer of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Morgan Wallen
Female Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Lainey Wilson
Male Artist of the Year
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Jordan Davis
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War and Treaty
Group of the Year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
New Female Artist of the Year
Priscilla Block
Megan Moroney
Caitlyn Smith
Morgan Wade
Hailey Whitters
New Male Artist of the Year
Zach Bryan
Jackson Dean
ERNEST
Dylan Scott
Nate Smith
Bailey Zimmerman
Album of the Year
Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde
Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson
Growin’ Up – Luke Combs
Mr. Saturday Night – Jon Pardi
Palomino – Miranda Lambert
Single of the Year
“Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina” – Cole Swindell
“Thank God” – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown
“‘Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson
Song of the Year
“Sand In My Boots” – Morgan Wallen
“She Had Me At Heads” Carolina – Cole Swindell
“‘Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson
“wait in the truck” – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson
“You Should Probably Leave” – Chris Stapleton
Visual Media of the Year
“HEARTFIRST” – Kelsea Ballerini
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina” – Cole Swindell
“Thank God” – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown
“‘Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson
“wait in the truck” – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson
‘What He Didn’t Do” – Carly Pearce
Songwriter of the Year
Nicolle Galyon
Ashley Gorley
Chase McGill
Josh Osborne
Hunter Phelps
Music Event of the Year
“At the End of a Bar” – Chris Young with Mitchell Tenpenny
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina [Remix]” – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina
“Thank God” – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown
“Thinking ‘Bout You” – Dustin Lynch feat. MacKenzie Porter
“wait in the truck” – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson
