CMA Awards 2024: Hosts Toast to Toby Keith, Jelly Roll Brings Crowd to Tears and More Highlights

PEOPLE Has the Complete 2024 CMA Awards Winners List

14 hr 43 min ago

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The 2024 CMA Awards have concluded, and the stars are off to polish their trophies.

PEOPLE has everything you need to know about who took home awards — from Morgan Wallen to Lainey Wilson — in our comprehensive winners list here. 

Keith Urban Throws Guitar Offstage — and Crew Member Catches It! — During ‘Liar’ Performance with Jelly Roll

14 hr 46 min ago

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Jelly Roll belted out a rousing version of his latest single, “Liar,” with Keith Urban on acoustic guitar — with an electric guitar behind his back. 

Midway through the performance, Urban took off his acoustic guitar and chucked it offstage to a crew member, who impressively caught the instrument. The camera then immediately panned back to Urban, who was already strumming his electric guitar.

“Liar” appears on Jelly’s Beautifully Broken album. He recently released a deluxe version of the project featuring a collaboration with Urban titled “Don’t Want To.”

Luke Combs Pays Tribute to Those Affected by Hurricane Helene While Introducing Eric Church

15 hr 30 min ago

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After delivering a performance of “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” earlier in the evening, Luke Combs took a moment to pay tribute to those affected by Hurricane Helene.

“We all know about the natural disaster that struck my home state of North Carolina and my now-home state of Tennessee in the last week of September,” said Combs.

“When I saw the devastation and saw how many people were suffering, the first person I called to help was my friend and fellow Tar Heel native Eric Church,” added the singer, who held a benefit concert with Church and other musicians last month.

“I’m so proud to say together we raised more than $24 million for hurricane relief,” said Combs of Church. “Not only that, but Eric has donated in perpetuity his song ‘Darkest Hour’ to the people of our home state affected by the hurricane.”

Church then entered the stage to perform an emotional rendition of “Darkest Hour.”

Bailey Zimmerman Plays Beer Pong on Stage While Performing ‘New to Country’

15 hr 55 min ago

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Bailey Zimmerman delivered a raucous performance of his single “New to Country.” The star descended onto the stage from above alongside a large set piece of his initials, “BZ.”

The stage itself was essentially a frat party filled with guys, and Zimmerman himself joined in on the fun, walking up to a beer pong table and throwing a ball. He finished the performance with a celebratory pose on someone else’s shoulders.

Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan Pose for Fun Photos Backstage After Performing ‘Cowboys Cry Too’

16 hr 10 min ago

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Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan scored a hit earlier this year with “Cowboys Cry Too,” which they performed together on the awards show.

Later in the evening, the two musicians posed for photos backstage, serving up some goofy poses and clearly enjoying themselves.

“Cowboys Cry Too” appears on Ballerini’s latest album, Patterns, and the song earned a 2024 CMA Award nomination for musical event of the year. She also earned a nod for female vocalist of the year.

Lainey Wilson Lights Up the Stage with a Campfire for ‘4x4xU’ Performance

16 hr 22 min ago

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In a break from her hosting duties, Lainey Wilson transformed the stage into a campground for a performance of her latest single, “4x4xU.”

She began the performance sitting in the bed of a pickup truck next to a campfire before standing up and singing the rest of the song under an artificial sky of stars.

“4x4xU” was released on Wilson’s Whirlwind album earlier this year, and the track debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 this week.

Brooks & Dunn and Jelly Roll Bring the Crowd to Tears with ‘Believe’ Performance

16 hr 36 min ago

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Fresh off the release of their Reboot 2 album, Brooks & Dunn performed a rendition of their 2005 hit “Believe” with Jelly Roll, who sang the first verse while Kix Brooks accompanied him on piano. Ronnie Dunn then entered the stage for the song’s second half, standing beside Jelly as they belted out its lyrics.

Toward the end of the performance, several individuals could be seen wiping tears from their eyes in the audience — and they received a standing ovation.

Jelly’s rendition of “Believe” appears on Reboot 2, a collection of Brooks & Dunn songs reimagined by country artists including Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Megan Moroney, Riley Green, Warren Zeiders and more.

Carrie Underwood Joins Cody Johnson for Surprise Duet Performance of ‘I’m Gonna Love You’

16 hr 57 min ago

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Cody Johnson took the stage during the show to perform “I’m Gonna Love You” and was joined by duet partner Carrie Underwood in a surprise appearance.

Johnson began the performance solo, and Underwood then joined to sing her parts as the crowed cheered. “So good that it almost hurts / Steady and true as a Bible verse / My heart skips just thinkin’ of you / Go on and bet it all, baby, we can’t lose,” they sang on the song’s chorus.

Megan Moroney Shouts Out Fans and Sugarland’s Kristian Bush in New Artist of the Year Speech

17 hr 4 min ago

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After performing “Am I Okay?” earlier in the show, Megan Moroney won new artist of the year. “Thank you Jesus for putting this dream on my heart, and thank you for the gift of songwriting,” she said while accepting the award.

Moroney also thanked her fans for “the way they care about my songs” and “wait outside the venue” for hours at her concerts, adding, “It’s really insane to me.”

She shouted out her record label, management and agent before praising Sugarland’s Kristian Bush, who produced her albums Lucky and Am I Okay?

“Kristian Bush, my producer, thank you for letting me be your intern at the University of Georgia so many years ago,” concluded Moroney’s speech.

Thomas Rhett and Teddy Swims Perform Together and Show Off Impressive Vocal Chops

17 hr 21 min ago

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Thomas Rhett and Teddy Swims showed off some serious vocals as they performed their collaboration “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Woman” as well as Swims’ chart-topping hit “Lose Control.”

Both singers wore black leather looks for the performance, which saw them begin with “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Woman” as they walked through the backstage area. Then, they emerged onto the stage to wrap the song and go into “Lose Control” — delivering some impressive vocal runs throughout.

Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson and Peyton Manning Toast Red Solo Cups in Tribute to the Late Toby Keith

17 hr 37 min ago

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Before Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson and Peyton Manning introduced Shaboozey’s performance of “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” the awards show hosts held up red solo cups — as did much of the audience — in tribute to the late Toby Keith.

“We want to take a moment to toast the great Toby Keith,” said Bryan of Keith, who died of stomach cancer in February at age 62. “A great artist, a great American and a great country music icon. Toby, you will be missed, buddy.”

“‘Red Solo Cup,’ ‘I Love This Bar,’ I mean, Toby had some great bar songs,” added Wilson, “and speaking of loving a bar, Shaboozey’s ‘A Bar Song’ was a big ole hit.”

Post Malone and Chris Stapleton Open the Show with ‘California Sober’

17 hr 59 min ago

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Post Malone teamed up with Chris Stapleton to open the show with a performance of their “California Sober” collaboration from Malone’s latest album, F-1 Trillion. Both stars sported cowboy hats as they strummed acoustic guitars and got the crowd moving with a rowdy kick-off to country’s biggest night.

Stapleton is nominated for entertainer of the year, single of the year and song of the year for “White Horse,” album of the year for Higher and male vocalist of the year. Malone is up for single of the year, song of the year, music video of the year and musical event of the year for “I Had Some Help” with Morgan Wallen.

Jelly Roll Says He’s ‘Not Carrying’ Any CMA Award Trophies This Year After Breaking One in 2023

17 hr 59 min ago

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Shortly after winning new artist of the year at the 2023 CMA Awards, Jelly Roll accidentally dropped and shattered the trophy. With three nominations this time around, the “I Am Not Okay” singer could very well win another one — and hopefully he’ll keep it intact.

“They did send me a new one, but I still wish they’d sent me the broken one too. That describes my whole life right there. That’s beautifully broken,” Jelly told ABC on the red carpet, referencing the title of his latest album.

As for the possibility of taking home a trophy tonight, this week’s PEOPLE cover star said, “I’m not carrying that thing at all. I’m gonna baby clutch it if I get one.”

Miranda Lambert Says the CMA Awards ‘Feels Like a Family Reunion’

18 hr 35 min ago

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Miranda Lambert, who’s performing with Parker McCollum at the ceremony in tribute to George Strait, opened up to ABC on the red carpet about how it feels to see so many fellow musicians at the 2024 CMA Awards.

“It feels like a family reunion at this point,” she told the outlet. “You get to see a lot of friends you have made over the years and don’t get to see all the time because of schedule, so it’s really fun.”

Lambert — who walked the carpet with husband Brendan McLoughlin — then said she’s looking forward to seeing Brooks & Dunn the most: “I love them so much.”

PEOPLE Has All the Red Carpet Arrivals You Need to See

18 hr 53 min ago

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The 2024 CMA Awards red carpet is open and full of stars wearing eye-catching looks. PEOPLE has all the outfits you need to see in our arrivals gallery here.

Luke and Caroline Bryan, Chris and Morgane Stapleton, Luke Combs, Jeff Bridges, Billy Bob Thornton, Katharine McPhee, Megan Moroney, The War and Treaty, Colbie Callait, Dasha and more have already strutted down the carpet — and it’s just the beginning!

Katharine McPhee Reveals She’s Working on a New Album in Nashville

19 hours ago

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In an interview with ABC on the red carpet, Katharine McPhee — who’s presenting album of the year at the ceremony — revealed she’s working on a new album in Nashville.

“I came here for the second album that I made years and years ago, and I worked with all of the Nashville writers and had an amazing time,” she said, referring to her Unbroken album, released in 2010.

“I’m here back again working on another album with all the Nashville writers again, and so I’ve had years of experience of being welcomed here in this town,” added the American Idol alum. “It’s a tough town, but it’s also a very lovely, kind town, so I’m excited to be here for their biggest night.”

Morgan Wallen Leads Nominations, Followed by Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson and More Stars

19 hr 16 min ago

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The Country Music Association revealed the full list of nominees for the 2024 CMA Awards on Sept. 6. Morgan Wallen led the list with seven nods, followed by Chris Stapleton and Cody Johnson with five each as well as Post Malone and Lainey Wilson with four each.

Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves, as well as producer/songwriters Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome and Hoskins each earned three nods.

Up for the coveted CMA Entertainer of the Year award are Combs, Stapleton, Wallen, Wilson and Jelly.