Chris Stapleton won big at the 55th annual Country Music Association (CMA) Awards on Wednesday, dominating the major categories.
The award ceremony was presented by first-time host Luke Bryan at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Country music's biggest night featured performances by Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Zac Brown Band, Gabby Barrett, and Stapleton, who went on to win a majority of the awards handed out.
Ahead of the ceremony, Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney won two awards for their collaboration on the single Half of My Hometown. The 28-year-old singer posted an emotional video on Instagram after hearing the news, saying that she is proud that she won her first two CMAs with a song that "represents my roots and also celebrates the dream that made me leave to chase it down."
Ballerini described winning with country giant Chesney as "surreal," as he is a "hometown hero" since the two both grew up in Tennessee.
Once the show kicked off, Stapleton swept the categories, taking home Single of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year for Starting Over, as well as Male Vocalist of the Year.
The full list of winners is as follows:
Entertainer of the Year - Luke Combs
Single of the Year - Starting Over, Chris Stapleton
Album of the Year - Starting Over, Chris Stapleton
Song of the Year - Starting Over, Mike Henderson and Chris Stapleton
Female Vocalist of the Year - Carly Pearce
Male Vocalist of the Year - Chris Stapleton
Vocal Group of the Year - Old Dominion
Vocal Duo of the Year - Brothers Osborne
Musical Event of the Year - Half of My Hometown, Kelsea Ballerini featuring Kenny Chesney
Musician of the Year - Jenee Fleenor (fiddle)
Music Video of the Year - Half of My Hometown, Kelsea Ballerini featuring Kenny Chesney
New Artist of the Year - Jimmie Allen.
