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

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Dan + Shay, Luke Combs, Rascal Flatts and additional state artists had been celebrated together with prominent songwriters, producers and sector leaders at the Academy of Nation Music Honors awards display.

In entrance of a constrained crowd at the Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, artists paid out tribute to other writers, bands and even a documentarian for their function in the genre of state songs.

“Without the songwriters in this city, we would have none of this. We have none of the exhibits, none of the history gross sales,” mentioned Dan Smyers of the Grammy-successful duo Dan + Shay, who had been specified the Jim Reeves International Award.

Combs’ rise to stardom in the very last couple of a long time has been unparalleled. He is the initial artist to have his initial eleven singles hit No. one on Billboard’s Nation Airplay chart. Nation singer Ashley McBryde tore as a result of a rowdy variation of his tune “She Acquired the Very best of Me,” in advance of presenting him with the Gene Weed Milestone Award.

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“There’s a total helluva great deal additional state songs in this boy suitable in this article, and I can not wait for you to listen to it,” Combs mentioned as he raised the award in the air.

Carly Pearce, Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack sang tributes to state icon Loretta Lynn, who acquired the Poets Award. Lynn, who spoke in an audio information but did not appear, called it best award she could get.

PBS filmmaker Ken Burns acknowledged the Tex Ritter Film Award for his multipart sequence called “Country Music” that aired in 2019.

“We had been proud to convey this tale of this uniquely American songs to tens of millions of viewers,” Burns mentioned in a video assertion. “And we had been particularly gratified that our film arrived at so numerous individuals who previously thought they did not like state songs, but rapidly turned supporters.”

Nation group Rascal Flatts had been honored with the Cliffie Stone Icon Award. The trio introduced their retirement in 2020 right after two a long time jointly.

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“20 a long time fly by like that. It really is fleeting,” mentioned Joe Don Rooney, of Rascal Flatts. “We have been blessed.”

Jay DeMarcus however joked that although the band may have retired, he was continue to searching for function. “I am unemployed. If you fellas require a bass player, Woman A, I have got a certain talent established,” DeMarcus mentioned to laughs from the crowd.

Keith City carried out in honor of hit producer and songwriter Ross Copperman, who acquired the Gary Haber Lifting Life Award together with Woman A. Brittney Spencer carried out the common Martina McBride hit “Independence Day” to honor songwriter Gretchen Peters, who acquired the Poet’s Award. Toby Keith was also specified a Poet’s Award, and Trace Adkins carried out Keith’s hit “Love Me If You Can.”