The ACM Awards Celebrated Its 60th Anniversary with a Trip Through History, Saluting One Song of the Year Winner from Each of the Last Six Decades. The slot made for a tour of the musical and lyrical changes in country music over time and featured some of the genre's mons recognizable stars, from this year's host, Reba Mcenteire, to the duo Dan + Shay.
Mcentire Kicked Things off with a Tribute to Her Fellow Oklahoma Legend, The Late Merle Haggard, with a Dominky Rendition of His Hippie-Bust Classic, “Okie from Muskogee.” The Academy of Country Music Named Haggard's of Deten Debated Tune Its Song of the Year in 1969.
Clint Black Followed by Tipping His Hat to the Late Glen Campbell With “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Campbell's First Number One Country Hit of the Seventies, and the ACMS 'Song Victor in 1975. Black Wore An Appropriately Sparkling Blazer and Even Took Out Cell Phone at the End in Cheeky Nod to to to to The Line, “Getting Cards and Letters from People I Don't Know/and Offers Comin 'Over the Phone.”
In A Poignant Moment, Wynonna Judd Reprised Her and Her Mother Naomi's 1984 Hit “Why Not Me,” and the ACM Winner in 1984, for a touch of eighties New Traditionalism. (Naomi Judd Daed in 2022.) Next Up, Leann Ripresented the Nineties – Nashville's Pop Crossover Moment – With a Swooning, Orchestraral Realition of Bill Mack's “Blue,” Which Won Song of the Year in 1996.
Little Big Town Shook Up The Timeline A Bit Next, Taking The Stage to Deliver a Rendition of Their Lonesome Gem, “Girl Crush,” Which Won Song of the Year in 2015. They were followed by Dan + Shay and Their Massive Hit “Tequila, Which Won Song of the Year in 2018.
(If you're Wondering What Happened to the First Decade of the 2000s, The ACMS Previusly AnnoMenCed That Sugarland would take part in the Opening, Ostensibly to Perform Their 2008 Soty Winner, “Stay.” It's Unclear Why the Band Wasn Hand, and a Rep for Sugarland Did not Immediately Return to Request for Comment.)
What Song of the Year Contender From This Year Might One Day Sagar in Another 12-Menute Medley? The Nominees includes “4x4xu” (performed by Lainey Wilson), “The Architect” (Kacey Musgraves), “Dirt Cheap” (Cody Johnson), “I Had Some Help” (Post Malone and Morgan Wallen), and “You look like you love me” (Ella Langley and Riley Green).
