Chris Stapleton took home four Country Music Association Awards and hardly left the stage on Wednesday night, while an absent Morgan Wallen was shut out all evening until taking the night's biggest prize, 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 telecast, including a show-opening duet with Post Malone.
“I’m really honored for this, thank you very much," the always subdued country traditionalist Stapleton said as he accepted the male vocalist of the year award for a record-extending eighth time.
For much of the night it seemed the leading nominee Wallen, up for seven, would be shut out, until presenter Jeff Bridges gave a botched rendering of his name as "Morgan Waylon" when he announced entertainer of the year.
Four of Wallen's nominations came for his hit collaboration with Malone, “I Had Some Help," though the song, and the first-time nominee Malone, went winless.
But the rapper-singer Malone was all smiles all night at the CMAs after releasing his first country album earlier in the year. With Stapleton, he sang his song “California Sober” in full cowboy regalia, including a bolo tie as big as a belt buckle. He later took the stage solo to sing the emotional “Yours,” which he dedicated to his young daughter.
Stapleton later performed his own “What Am I Gonna Do” with his wife Morgane, and performed yet again as part of an all-star tribute to George Strait, who received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Last year’s entertainer of the year, Lainey Wilson, hosted the show along 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 seemed Stapleton would get a sweep, but he lost out on album of the year to a surprised Cody Johnson, who took 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 straight time, surpassing the six won by Little Big Town.
The Stapleton-Malone opening and much of the night were 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-style performance of Brooks & Dunn's 2005 song “Believe."
Brooks & Dunn followed it up by winning vocal duo of the year for the 15th time and the first time since 2006.
Shaboozey brought the crowd to its feet with a solo performance that began with a bit of his more sober single “Highway” before launching into one of the year's defining hits, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)."
But he lost out on 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 with misty eyes 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 handed the 72-year-old Strait 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 Strait thanked everyone for the strong renditions of his songs.
“I’m glad I got 'em 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.
Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press