CMA Awards 2023: The Complete List of Winners, Including Lainey Wilson, Newly Crowned Entertainer of the Year
Luke Combs and his cover of the
Tracy Chapman classic 'Fast Car' won two awards. Jelly Roll was named best new
artist. But Wilson was dominant, winning album of the year and female vocalist,
as well as two awards for her collaboration with Hardy.
Lainey Wilson didn’t have to wait long to win entertainer of the year, the top prize given out by the CA Awards. In only her second year of being nominated at all, and her first year getting a nod for the biggest trophy, the rising star claimed the big kahuna. She also prevailed for album of the year, female vocalist of the year, music video of the year and music event of the year (the last two in collaboration with Hardy).
Early on, the major action from
Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena was around Luke Combs‘ cover of Tracy Chapman’s
“Fast Car,” which won the first two on-air awards, for single of the year and
song of the year.
Chapman did not attend, but
presenter Sara Evans read a statement from the singer-songwriter, who said “I’m
sorry I couldn’t join you all” but that it was “truly an honor for my song to
be recognized 35 years after its debut.” Said Combs, as he picked up the single
of the year honor: “I want to thank Tracy Chapman for writing one of the
greatest songs of all time. It’s the first favorite song I ever had.”
In a very competitive field for
fresh faces, Jelly Roll won new artist of the year. In his acceptance speech,
he singled out the competitor who has been the commercially successful in the
category, saying, “Zach Bryan, I think you are one of the hottest things on
earth, not just country music.” Continuing on in a nearly preacher-like,
inspirational tone, Jelly Roll added: “There is something poetic about a
39-year-old man winning new artist of the year… What’s in front of you is so
much more important than what’s behind you. Let’s party, Nashville!”
Chris Stapleton won male vocalist
for the seventh time — or, as he put it, “I’ve won a couple of these,” before
noting that he is “always humbled” to prevail. He thanked his wife, Morgane
Stapleton, saying, “I don’t do any of this without her. Certainly don’t get any
of these without her.” Stapleton mentioned two friends who died this year,
including his former partner in the Steel Drivers, Mike Henderson, whom he said
schooled him in the ways of songwriting.
Brothers Osborne won vocal duo of
the year for a sixth time — with singer T.J. Osborne joking: “We’re shocked,
honestly, every year this happens. I thought the way this was going that Lainey
Wilson and Hardy were gonna win this award.” Old Dominion similarly continued
to have a lock on the group of the year award, picking it up for the sixth
consecutive year.
Jelly Roll opened the show with a
previously unannounced guest, Wynonna Judd, joining him for a gospel
choir-fueled “Need a Favor.” Another performance that hadn’t been revealed
prior to the show had Wallen bringing Eric Church out to recreate their recorded
duet of “Man Made a Bar,” from Wallen’s smash album “One Thing at a Time.” Both
Wallen and Jelly Roll are slated for further performance slots during the
three-hour telecast; Wallen will be saluting Wynonna, singing a duet of the
Judds’ “Love Can Build a Bridge” with K. Michelle.
Wilson came into the awards
leading all nominees, with nine. Jelly Roll has the second highest number of
nominations, having picked up five. Combs and Hardy each have four nominations.
Performances for the night
include Post Malone and Morgan Wallen participating in a medley of country
classics and an all-star salute to the late Jimmy Buffett with Kenny Chesney,
Alan Jackson, Zac Brown and longtime Buffett band member Mac McAnally.
Performances from the CMAs can be
viewed individually here on YouTube, prior to the entire show becoming
available on Hulu Thursday.
The complete list of winners, in
bold in their respective categories:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
·
Luke Combs
·
Chris Stapleton
·
Carrie Underwood
·
Morgan Wallen
·
Lainey Wilson
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s),
Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
·
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs
Producers:
Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineer:
Chip Matthews
·
“Heart Like a Truck” –
Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay
Joyce
Mix Engineers:
Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
·
“Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll
Producer: Austin
Nivarel
Mix Engineer:
Jeff Braun
·
“Next Thing You Know” –
Jordan Davis
Producer: Paul
DiGiovanni
Mix Engineer:
Jim Cooley
·
“Wait in the Truck” – Hardy
(feat. Lainey Wilson)
Producers:
Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
Mix Engineer: Joey
Moi
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
·
Ashley McBryde Presents:
Lindeville – Ashley McBryde
Producers: John Osborne, John Peets
Mix Engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne
·
Bell Bottom Country –
Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
·
Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews,
Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim
Cooley, Chip Matthews
·
One Thing At A Time –
Morgan Wallen
Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome,
Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery
Mix Engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind
Nordland
·
Rolling Up the Welcome
Mat – Kelsea Ballerini
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa
Vanderheym
Mix Engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa
Vanderheym
SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Songwriter(s)
·
“Fast Car”
Songwriter: Tracy Chapman
·
“Heart Like A Truck”
Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas
Wilson, Lainey Wilson
·
“Next Thing You Know”
Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James,
Chase McGill, Josh Osborne
·
“Tennessee Orange”
Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins,
Megan Moroney, Ben Williams
·
“Wait in the Truck”
Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy,
Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
·
Kelsea Ballerini
·
Miranda Lambert
·
Ashley McBryde
·
Carly Pearce
·
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
·
Midland
·
Old Dominion
·
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)
·
“Save Me” – Jelly Roll
(with Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray
Stevens
·
“She Had Me At Heads
Carolina (Remix)” – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina
Producer: Zach Crowell
·
“Thank God” – Kane Brown
(with Katelyn Brown)
Producer: Dann Huff
·
“Wait in the Truck” –
Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
·
“We Don’t Fight Anymore” –
Carly Pearce (featuring Chris Stapleton)
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
·
Jenee Fleenor
·
Paul Franklin
·
Rob McNelley
·
Derek Wells
·
Charlie Worsham
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)
·
“Light On In The Kitchen” –
Ashley McBryde
Director: Reid Long
·
“Memory Lane” – Old
Dominion
Directors: Mason Allen, Nicki Fletcher
·
“Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll
Director: Patrick Tohill
·
“Next Thing You Know” –
Jordan Davis
Director: Running Bear
·
“Wait in the Truck” – Hardy
(feat. Lainey Wilson)
Director: Justin Clough
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
·
Zach Bryan
·
Jelly Roll
·
Parker McCollum
·
Megan Moroney
·
Hailey Whitters
