Ella Langley Wins 7 ACM Awards; Cody Johnson Is Entertainer of the Year

The Academy of Country Music Awards were choosing Ella Langley every chance they got, as the “Choosin’ Texas” charttopper won all seven trophies she was nominated for before and during Sunday night’s ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The top prize of the night, however, went to Cody Johnson, who was awarded the coveted entertainer of the year award. (Langley was not up for that particular honor.) Johnson also picked up best male vocalist earlier in the evening.

Music “is the greatest drug that has ever been introduced on the planet earth,” Johnson said in picking up his entertainer of the year trophy at the climax of the two-and-a-half-hour show. But, establishing that he does not consider himself immersed in the business, Johnson said, “When i go home, I take my phone and I turn it face down. When I go home, I am a husband, I am a father, i am a cattle rancher.”

Langley’s wins included female artist of the year, artist songwriter of the year, both single of the year and song of the year for “Choosin’ Texas,” and music event of the year for her featured appearance on Riley Green’s “Don’t Mind if I Do.”

Although she had already taken multiple trips to the podium, Langley was tearful and initially at a loss for words when she accepted her final award of the night, female vocalist. “I’m trying to say something but I can’t,” she admitted. “The women in this category, the women in this life… I was having a strange day,” she noted, before adding that Lainey WIlson “wrapped me up and started praying for me,” and then she got a further boost she needed from “all of a sudden Miranda Lambert in her little pink hat.” Lambert was with Langley for some of those trips to the stage, as the co-writer of “Choosin’ Texas,” which remains the No. 1 song on the Hot 100.

(Wilson’s wins came in five categories, but she picked up seven awards, as she was rewarded as both a singer and co-writer in the single and song categories; the ACMs are unique in doubling up on honors for someone who does multiple duties on a nominated work.)

Parker McCollum was a surprise winner for album of the year for the critically acclaimed “Parker McCollum,” beating Zach Top, Morgan Wallen, Riley Green and Carter Faith in that category.

“I was starting to think y’all weren’t gonna let me up here,” McCollum quipped when he got to the stage.

Other winners awarded on the Prime Video webcast included the Red Clay Strays for group of the year and Brooks & Dunn for duo of the year.

Winners announced in the days leading up to the ceremony included Avery Anna as new female vocalist of the year, Tucker Wetmore as new male vocalist of the year, Jessie Jo Dillon as songwriter of the year, and Stephen Wilson Jr.’s “Cuckoo” as visual media of the year.

Shania Twain was a first-time host for the ACMs, which celebrated their 61st year with a return to the show’s longtime home in Las Vegas after three years in Texas.

The show featured 17 performances, opening with last year’s entertainer of the year, Lainey Wilson, in a choreography-filled performance of her current single “Can’t Sit Still,” accompanied by 10 near-lookalike female dancers clad in all-white and cowboy hats behind her. (Wilson was presumably taking a break from honeymooning, after being wed last weekend.) The show ended with Blake Shelton doing the Kenny Rogers smash “The Gambler,” in honor of esteemed songwriter Don Schlitz, who died last month.

Kacey Musgraves provided one of the performance highlights of the night with a randy rendition of her recent single “Dry Spell,” starting out sitting on the washing machine mentioned in the lyrics and moving over to a supermarket set meant to recall her music video. Clad in blingy denim shorts, Musgraves pushed a cart around the market, checking out suggestive foods while singing about thwarted sexual desire.

On the other end of the seriousness scale, Dan + Shay scored with their new anti-suicide ballad “Say So,” following an introductory speech by a tearful Lauren Alaina, who broke down talking about their mutual friend, industry executive Ben Vaughn, whose death prompted the song. Alaina spoke on behalf of ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy, and its efforts supporting mental health.

McCollum’s performance of his recent song “Killin’ Me” was especially well-received, in part due to his bringing out the revered singer Lee Ann Womack as his vocal partner on the tune.

Naturally, Langley’s turn as a performer was one of the most anticipated of the night. She chose not to do her current No. 1 hit, “Texas,” but rather the song that sits as No. 2 on the Hot 100 at present, “Be Her.” In contrast to the light-spirited country-R&B flavor of the recorded version, Langley performed a more serious-sounding and stripped down version, seated on a stool and playing an acoustic guitar alongside two fellow strummers.

Lambert had more to do than just accompany Langley to the stage for their mutual wins. She introduced a brand new song, “Crisco,” in a self-described disco-country vein.

Other performers included Thomas Rhett and Jordan Davis as duet partners, plus Green, Top, Kane Brown, Wetmore, Anna, the Red Clay Strays, Little Big Town and Faith.

With Langley seemingly unbeatable in any category she was up for, it seemed like a sure thing she would have won album of the year, too, if “Dandelion” had not come out too late to meet the eligibility deadline. It’s already the frontrunner that prize in 2027. Although she was not nominated for entertainer of the year, which usually is given to a seasoned artist who is headlining arenas, Langley may well be up for that next year, too, as the singer — who is only on her second major-label album — is soon to embark on her first arena tour.