Luke Combs, Dan + Shay celebrated by peers at ACM Honors

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Dan + Shay, Luke Combs, Rascal Flatts and much state artists were celebrated alongside salient songwriters, producers and manufacture leaders astatine the Academy of Country Music Honors awards show.

In beforehand of a constricted assemblage astatine the Ryman Auditorium connected Wednesday, artists paid tribute to different writers, bands and adjacent a documentarian for their enactment successful the genre of state music.

“Without the songwriters successful this town, we would person nary of this. We person nary of the shows, nary of the grounds sales,” said Dan Smyers of the Grammy-winning duo Dan + Shay, who were fixed the Jim Reeves International Award.

Combs' emergence to stardom successful the past fewer years has been unprecedented. He is the archetypal creator to person his archetypal 11 singles deed No. 1 connected Billboard's Country Airplay chart. Country vocalist Ashley McBryde tore done a rowdy mentation of his opus “She Got the Best of Me,” earlier presenting him with the Gene Weed Milestone Award.

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“There's a full helluva batch much state euphony successful this lad close here, and I can't hold for you to perceive it,” Combs said arsenic helium raised the grant successful the air.

Carly Pearce, Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack sang tributes to state icon Loretta Lynn, who received the Poets Award. Lynn, who spoke successful an audio connection but did not appear, called it top grant she could get.

PBS filmmaker Ken Burns accepted the Tex Ritter Film Award for his multipart bid called “Country Music” that aired successful 2019.

“We were arrogant to bring this communicative of this uniquely American euphony to tens of millions of viewers,” Burns said successful a video statement. “And we were particularly gratified that our movie reached truthful galore radical who antecedently thought they didn't similar state music, but rapidly became fans."

Country radical Rascal Flatts were honored with the Cliffie Stone Icon Award. The trio announced their status successful 2020 aft 2 decades together.

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"20 years alert by similar that. It's fleeting," said Joe Don Rooney, of Rascal Flatts. “We person been blessed.”

Jay DeMarcus nevertheless joked that portion the set whitethorn person retired, helium was inactive looking for work. “I americium unemployed. If you guys request a bass player, Lady A, I've got a circumstantial accomplishment set,” DeMarcus said to laughs from the crowd.

Keith Urban performed successful grant of deed shaper and songwriter Ross Copperman, who received the Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award on with Lady A. Brittney Spencer performed the classical Martina McBride deed “Independence Day” to grant songwriter Gretchen Peters, who received the Poet's Award. Toby Keith was besides fixed a Poet's Award, and Trace Adkins performed Keith's deed “Love Me If You Can.”

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