Luke Combs won the award for Country Music Award Entertainer of the Year. Image Source: ET Online
The 56th annual Country Music Association Awards were held on November 9, 2022, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Country artists Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning hosted the ceremony.
Here are the winners of 56th annual Country Music Association Awards:
Country Music Award Entertainer of the Year- Luke Combs
Single of the Year- Til You Can't — Cody Johnson
Album of the Year- Growin' Up — Luke Combs
Song of the Year- Buy Dirt — Songwriters: Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins
Female Vocalist of the Year- Lainey Wilson
Male Vocalist of the Year- Chris Stapleton
Vocal Group of the Year- Old Dominion
Vocal Duo of the Year- Brothers Osborne
Musical Event of the Year- Never Wanted to Be That Girl — Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
Musician of the Year- Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle
Music Video of the Year- Til You Can't — Cody Johnson
New Artist of the Year- Lainey Wilson
Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award- Alan Jackson
Luke Combs, who won the award for Country Music Award Entertainer of the Year, said during his acceptance speech that he wants to thank country music for making his dreams come true, adding that this is his fifth or sixth year being at the ceremony and country sounded a lot more country than it has in a long time. He added that there is nobody in the category who does not deserve to be standing up here. He beat country artists including Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, and Morgan Wallen for the win and also won the award for Album of the Year for "Growing Up."
Lainey Wilson, who also won two awards, Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year, said that this is the biggest and best night of her entire life, hand down, adding that her hard work is all starting to pay off. She told the audience that she wrote her first song at the age of 9, and here she was 20 years later, mentioning that she does not know if every artist gets to feel the way she feels right now. Lainey expressed gratitude to those who supported her and wanted her to win, and she stated that she does not take their support lightly.
Alan Jackson, in his acceptance speech, said that country music has been good to him and that he fell in love with it when he was a young man. Alan told the audience that he loves the instruments—the steel guitars and the fiddles—and things like that, which gave it such a unique character to him and made it it's own. The singer who performed just before he was awarded said that he loves the lyrics, the songs, the artists, the melodies, and the harmonies, and it’s just real American music to him. Finally, he mentioned that one night, while watching television, a movie about Hank Williams' life came on. and it just really inspired him.
The musician stated that he came to Nashville with nothing, adding that Carrie's three chords and the truth were more like three chords and a prayer, but he persisted. The prayer was partially answered. He continued, that he has just been such a fan of his music, and wanted to move to Nashville and try to carry on the kind that he loved, and he has had quality squad around him his whole professional life that has assisted him, and great songwriters, and he has been so privileged to have all that to help him get this far.
Alan Jackson also expressed his appreciation for his wife stating that he can't thank everyone who has been a part of his life over the years, but he has to thank his wife Denise over there somewhere. He went on to say they started as teenagers, and she's been along for the ride with him for the past 40 years adding that he is probably not the easiest person to love, but she's stuck by him and helped him through good and bad times. The positive and negative, the happy and sad he just wants to thank her for everything she's done for him over the years; she's his best friend, and she's given him a wonderful family over there. He finished his speech with a nod to his hit, "Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow."
The artist once again said thank you to the CMA and all of the wonderful fans he has had from all over the world. Thank you very much. Radio and all of the aspects of country music have been generous to him over the years lastly adding that the experienced the American dream. And he is still living that honky tonk dream.
Congratulations to the winners.
