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Carrie Underwood surprises CMA Awards viewers as Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen win

Rebecca Lewis
Rebecca Lewis - Los Angeles
Los Angeles correspondentLos Angeles
Updated: November 21, 2024
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Carrie Underwood made a surprise appearance at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards, capping off an incredible evening of country music. 

Carrie, who is also preparing for the launch of American Idol, joined Cody to sing "I'm Gonna Love You", and the singer, who just wrapped her final Las Vegas dates of 2024 wore a gorgeous lace bodycon dress with tan leather corset, and she wore her hair loose in waves for the performance, which saw her come out midway through the song.

Carrie Underwood performs onstage at The 58th Annual CMA Awards held at Bridgestone Arena© Michael Buckner
Carrie Underwood performs onstage at The 58th Annual CMA Awards held at Bridgestone Arena
Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood perform onstage during The 58th Annual CMA Awards© Theo Wargo
Cody Johnson was joined by Carrie

The event kicked off with a gorgeous red carpet but all eyes soon turned to the ceremony, with Megan Moroney winning Best New Artist and giving an emotional speech in which she praised the fans for their support. 

Morgan Wallen picked up the coveted Entertainer of the Year awards, although presenter Jeff Bridges had some trouble with his name.

Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson and Peyton Manning speak onstage during The 58th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 20, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)© Theo Wargo
Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson and Peyton Manning hosted the 2024 ceremony

Lainey Wilson won Music Video of the Year for "Wild Horses and Wildflowers," and Female Vocalist of the Year and she thanked the "community" of Nashville who have "lifted me up from the beginning".

Old Dominion made CMA history by winning their seventh Vocal Group of the Year award, and Brooks and Dunn won Vocal Duo of the Year for the 15th time - their first award in 18 years.

Old Dominion backstage at the 2024 CMA Awards© Scott Kirkland
Old Dominion backstage at the 2024 CMA Awards

"People have asked, what do we want to be remembered by? And it's the music," Ronnie Dunn told press, before Kix joked that they were always trying to do "something stupider than Garth Brooks".

"We started chasing that stuff out of necessity to an extent, it was new to us, so like Kix said, 'We were shooting ourselves out of cannons'," quipped Ronnie, "but we hope you digged the music."

Megan Moroney performs onstage at The 58th Annual CMA Awards held at Bridgestone Arena © Michael Buckner
Megan Moroney performs onstage at The 58th Annual CMA Awards held at Bridgestone Arena

Ella Langley and Riley Green won off-screen for Best Musical Event of the Year, for their hit duet "You Look Like You Love Me," and the pair wowed viewers with a gorgeous performance that saw them begin in the audience.

"It's really validating," Riley told press later in the evening, "I don't think either of us thought [the song] would be this big."

Ella added: "I am at a loss for word. This is the first award I've ever won."

Riley Green and Ella Langley perform onstage during The 58th Annual CMA Awards© Theo Wargo
Riley Green and Ella Langley perform onstage during The 58th Annual CMA Awards

Chris Stapleton won Single of the Year for "White Horse", the first award handed out on stage, and he later accepted the award for Song of the Year, and said: "I really am taken back... a lot of my music I owe to [my wife] so I want to thank her."

"I am out of things to say... I am honored to be in this category with all the guys," he said as also picked up Male Vocalist of the Year, beating the likes of Morgan Wallen and Jelly Roll.

Dan Wilson and Chris Stapleton accept the Song of the Year award for "White Horse" onstage during The 58th Annual CMA Awards © Theo Wargo
Dan Wilson and Chris Stapleton accept the Song of the Year award for "White Horse"

Lainey Wilson, Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan hosted, and kicked the night off with some jokes about G.O.A.Ts – Simone Biles, who is in the audience and will present – and though Jelly Roll didn't appear to take photos at the red carpet, it didn't take long for the hosts to comment on his good looks and 100lbs weight loss, with the three all giving him a shout out on stage.

Jamey Johnson, Parker McCollum, Chris Stapleton, Miranda and Lainey also joined forces for a special tribute performance to honor George Strait with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

Single of the Year

"A Bar Song (Tipsy)" – Shaboozey

"Dirt Cheap" – Cody Johnson

"I Had Some Help" – Post Malone (feat. Morgan Wallen)

"Watermelon Moonshine" – Lainey Wilson

"White Horse" – Chris Stapleton WINNER

Song of the Year

"Burn It Down" – Parker McCollum

"Dirt Cheap" – Cody Johnson

"I Had Some Help" – Post Malone (feat. Morgan Wallen)

"The Painter" – Cody Johnson

"White Horse" – Chris Stapleton

Entertainer of the Year

Luke Combs

Jelly Roll

Chris Stapleton

Morgan Wallen - WINNER

Lainey Wilson

Album of the Year

Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves

Fathers & Sons – Luke Combs

Higher – Chris Stapleton

Leather – Cody Johnson - WINNER

Whitsitt Chapel – Jelly Roll

Female Vocalist of the Year

Kelsea Ballerini

Ashley McBryde

Megan Moroney

Kacey Musgraves

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

Old Dominion - WINNER

The Red Clay Strays

Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo of the Year

Brooks & Dunn - WINNER

Brothers Osborne

Dan + Shay

Maddie & Tae

The War and Treaty

Musical Event of the Year

"Cowboys Cry Too" – Kelsea Ballerini (with Noah Kahan)

"I Had Some Help" – Post Malone (feat. Morgan Wallen)

"I Remember Everything" – Zach Bryan (feat. Kacey Musgraves)

"Man Made a Bar" – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church)

"You Look Like You Love Me" – Ella Langley (feat. Riley Green)  - WINNER

Music Video of the Year

"Dirt Cheap" – Cody Johnson

"I Had Some Help" – Post Malone (feat. Morgan Wallen)

"I'm Not Pretty" – Megan Moroney

"The Painter" – Cody Johnson

"Wildflowers and Wild Horses" – Lainey Wilson - WINNER

New Artist of the Year

Megan Moroney - WINNER

Shaboozey

Nate Smith

Mitchell Tenpenny

Zach Top

Bailey Zimmerman  

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