The Academy of Country Music revealed The Red Clay Strays as the latest early winners on Tuesday afternoon (April 29), with the milestone 60th ACM Awards around the corner.
The five-person band — made up of Brandon Coleman, Drew Nix, Zach Rishel, Andrew Bishop and John Hall — “were were surprised with their first ACM Award” while recording with award-winning producer Dave Cobb in Savannah, Georgia, per the Academy of Country Music. The Red Clay Strays received the ACM New Duo or Group of the Year award. They join Zach Top and Ella Langley as early ACM winners (New Male Artist of the Year and New Female Artist of the Year, respectively).
The star-studded ACM Awards will include performances by reigning Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton, Eric Church, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Chris Stapleton, Clint Black, Cody Johnson, Kelsea Ballerini, LeAnn Rimes, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, Wynonna Judd, Ella Langley and Zach Top. Sixteen-time ACM winner Reba McEntire is returning to host the show for her 18th time, more than any other artist, when the ACMs return to the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
See the full list of ACM nominees below.
The 60th ACM Awards will kick off at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 8.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
DUO OF THE YEAR
GROUP OF THE YEAR
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine) - Megan Moroney
Producer: Kristian Bush
Record Company-Label: Columbia Records / Sony Music Nashville
- Beautifully Broken - Jelly Roll
Producers: BazeXX, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Devin Dawson, Charlie Handsome, Ben Johnson, mgk, The Monsters & Strangerz, Austin Nivarel, SlimXX, Ryan Tedder, Isaiah Tejada, Alysa Vanderheym
Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Republic Records
- Cold Beer & Country Music - Zach Top
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Record Company-Label: Leo33
- F-1 Trillion - Post Malone
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records
- Whirlwind - Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- A Bar Song (Tipsy) - Shaboozey
Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry
Record Company-Label: American Dogwood / EMPIRE
- Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson
Producer: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville
- I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records
- White Horse - Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton
Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville
- you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Producer: Will Bundy
Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
- 4x4xU - Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
Publishers: Louisiana Lady; One Tooth Productions; Reservoir 416; Songs of One Riot Music; Sony/ATV Accent
- The Architect - Kacey Musgraves
Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne
Publishers: Songs for Indy and Owl; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing
- Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson
Songwriter: Josh Phillips
Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing; Write or Die Music; Write the Lightning Publishing
- I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters, Ryan Vojtesak
Publishers: Bell Ear Publishing; Master of my Domain Music; Poppy’s Picks; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Universal Music Corporation
- you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere
Publishers: Back 40 Publishing International; Langley Publishing; One Tooth Productions; Sony/ATV Tree; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Cowboys Cry Too - Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, Alysa Vanderheym
Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment
- I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records
- I’m Gonna Love You - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood
Producer: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville
- we don’t fight anymore - Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce
Record Company-Label: Big Machine Records
- you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Producer: Will Bundy
Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
- 4x4xU - Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jennifer Ansell
Director: Dano Cerny
- Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson
Producer: Dustin Haney
Director: Dustin Haney
- I’m Gonna Love You - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood
Producers: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
- Think I’m In Love With You - Chris Stapleton
Producers: Wes Edwards, Angie Lorenz, Jamie Stratakis
Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)
- you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Producer: Whale Tale Music
Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Jessi Alexander
- Jessie Jo Dillon
- Ashley Gorley
- Chase McGill
- Josh Osborne