Lainey Wilson came into this year’s Country Music Association Awards with nine nominations, and she lived up to the high expectations. Wilson was crowned as the biggest winner of the night with five awards, including entertainer of the year.
Wilson had to beat tough competition in Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, and Morgan Wallen to be named entertainer of the year at this year’s CMA Awards. To make the whole thing even more impressive, she also won a trophy for album of the year with Bell Bottom Country.
Wilson also defeated Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, and Carly Pearce to be named the female vocalist of the year. She picked up two more awards with her Hardy collaboration “Wait in the Truck”: music video of the year and musical event of the year.
It was also a big night for Luke Combs’, whose cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” was one of the most decorated songs of the night. It won the trophy for single of the year and song of the year, but Combs ended up losing the award for male vocalist of the year to Chris Stapleton.
The 2023 Country Music Association Awards took place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on November 8, with Luke Bryan with Peyton Manning hosting the show.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS AT THE 2023 CMA AWARDS:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Morgan Wallen
*Lainey Wilson — WINNER!
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
*”Fast Car” – Luke Combs — WINNER!
“Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson
“Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde
*Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson — WINNER!
Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs
One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat – Kelsea Ballerini
SONG OF THE YEAR
* “Fast Car” – Songwriter: Tracy Chapman — WINNER!
“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 — WINNER!
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
*Chris Stapleton — WINNER!
Morgan Wallen
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
*Old Dominion — WINNER!
Zac Brown Band
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
*Brothers Osborne — WINNER!
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Save Me” – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson)
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina (Remix)” – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina
“Thank God” – Kane Brown (with Katelyn Brown)
*”wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson) — WINNER!
“We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce (featuring Chris Stapleton)
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
*Jenee Fleenor — WINNER!
Paul Franklin
Rob McNelley
Derek Wells
Charlie Worsham
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“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 — WINNER!
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Zach Bryan
*Jelly Roll — WINNER!
Parker McCollum
Megan Moroney
Hailey Whitters
