Luke Bryan was named Artist of the Year and Chris Stapleton won Album of the Year at Sunday’s American Country Countdown Awards.
Meanwhile, Brooks & Dunn reunited outside of their Vegas show to accept the Nash Icon award and perform their smash “Red Dirt Road.”
Ronnie Dunn’s response? “So here’s how it goes.”
“I wake up in a parking lot tomorrow in a brown, whiskey haze at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas with this Icon award sitting next to me.”
“I go, ‘You ain’t no icon. You ain’t no Johnny Cash.”
“You ain’t no Merle Haggard. You ain’t no George Jones. You got a lot long way to go skinny boy with a record deal.’ I’m proud of this, thank you!”
Speaking of the late Merle Haggard, Toby Keith, along with Haggard’s band the Strangers, and Haggard’s youngest son Ben, performed.
Keith sang a montage of Haggard hits including, “Mama Tried,” “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink” and “Fightin’ Side of Me.”
The gorgeous Carrie Underwood (above) showed off her moves – and vocal chops, as always – with a live rendition of “Church Bells.”
Usually high-energy Florida Georgia Line took it down a couple of notches for a performance of “H.O.L.Y.” as their wives looked on adoringly.
Jennifer Nettles, Cam and Martina McBride performed the latter’s 2003 hit “This One’s for the Girls” in an awesome shout-out to women.
A good time was had by all, to state the obvious. Here’s the full list of winners from the American Country Countdown Awards 2016:
Artist of the Year: Luke Bryan
Male Vocalist of the Year: Luke Bryan
Female Vocalist of the Year: Carrie Underwood
Group/Duo of the Year: Florida Georgia Line
Song of the Year: “Die a Happy Man” by Thomas Rhett
Breakthrough Male of the Year: Sam Hunt
Breakthrough Female of the Year: Kelsea Ballerini
Album of the Year: Traveller by Chris Stapleton
Nash Icon Award: Brooks & Dunn