Lainey Wilson delivered a medley of massive hits when she arrived on the Bridgestone Arena stage to host the 59th CMA Awards on Wednesday night (November 19).
Wilson invited award-winning musician Charlie Worsham to join her on stage as she kicked off the mashup of decades-spanning hits by some of the genre’s biggest stars. She launched the performance with Chris Stapleton’s “White Horse,” and continued with Brooks & Dunn’s “Hillbilly Deluxe,” “you look like you love me” by Ella Langley and Riley Green, “Redneck Woman” by Gretchen Wilson, Lady A’s “Need You Now,” Miranda Lambert’s “Gunpowder and Lead,” Shaboozey’s viral “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” and “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town. Wilson walked through the crowd, dancing and singing with many of the artists in the audience. At the end of the medley, Keith Urban joined Wilson on stage to perform his hit single, “Where The Blacktop Ends.”
The Louisiana-born superstar is hosting the show for her second consecutive year, and for her first time solo. This makes Wilson the third female artist in Country Music Association history to host the show alone, following Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. Wilson said in a press conference on Sunday (November 16) that her performance was “gonna be fun.” She teased that the CMA audience would get to see “that real fiery side of me, that sassy side…I got that crazy side.” She unleashed it while performing “Ring Finger” from 2025 CMA Album of the Year winner, Whirlwind.
“I wanna keep this a celebration of country music. I want it to be a night to lift people up,” Wilson said.
Other artists in the star-studded lineup throughout the evening included Kelsea Ballerini, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays, Chris Stapleton, BigXthaPlug, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Shaboozey, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore and Stephen Wilson Jr., Keith Urban and Little Big Town. Presenters and special guests included Lady A, Alison Brown, Jessica Capshaw, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lauren Daigle, Jordan Davis, Elizabeth Hurley, Cody Johnson, Bert Kreischer, Brandon Lake, Ella Langley, Steve Martin, Leanne Morgan, Ne-Yo, Chris O’Donnell, Kimberly Perry, LeAnn Rimes, Alan Ritchson, Lara Spencer, Billy Bob Thornton, Grace Van Patten, Gretchen Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman.
The 59th CMA Awards is airing live on ABC. The show will be available to stream on Thursday (November 20) on Hulu. Check back with iHeartCountry throughout the evening for a live-updated list of winners, red carpet fashion, performance highlights, backstage moments you won’t see on TV, and other can’t-miss moments throughout the show.