Academy of Country Music Honors

DAMON: Since 1964, The Academy of Country Music has evolved from a regional trade organization supporting west coast country music like Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and Dwight Yokum, to an international powerhouse headquartered in Nashville that connects fans, artists and the country music industry.

The organization may be best known for its global award show, the ACM Awards, but it also holds additional events throughout the year including tonight's special.

We're celebrating the heart and legacy of country music featuring tribute performances by top country stars in honor of industry icons.

We'll recognize career milestones, lifetime achievements and notable contributions to country music.

From the iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, this is the Academy of Country Music Honors.

Our first tribute performance of the night honors Clint Black.

The Texan songwriter burst onto the scene as part of country music's famed class of '89 and has penned 22 number-one hits.

Honoring him, here's Lady A, the ten-time Academy of Country Music Award winners and the Grammy winning vocal group made up of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood, performing Black's classic "A Bad Goodbye."

(crowd applauds) I've been bound to leave you We've known that for a while I'm sure it's something I can't do If I can't leave you with a smile Well I don't know how far I'll have to go 'Til I'm sure those eyes won't cry And in my mind I've left enough to know That I can't leave you with a bad goodbye Goodbye easier said than done Goodbye there's no good When you're the one whose goodbye You swore would never come and in my goodbye You're finding none Well I'm still bound to leave you But I surely don't know how My heart won't let me put you through What my mind says should happen now I don't know where we'll go from here There may be no way to fly And the cloud I'm in just makes it all too clear That I can't leave you With a bad goodbye Goodbye Easier said than done Goodbye There's no good when you're the one Whose goodbye you swore would never come And in my goodbye you're finding none How can we be so far between Where we are and one more try And any way I look I've only seen That I can't leave you with a bad goodbye (crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: Performing next, here's an Academy of Country Music Award winner whose topped the country charts five times.

Sara Evans with her hit "Born to Fly."

Well I've been tellin' My dreams to the scarecrow About the places that I'd like to see And I say friend Do you think I'll ever get there Aww, but he just stands there smilin' back at me So I confess my sins to the preacher About the love I'd been prayin' to find Is there a brown-eyed boy in my future yeah And he says girl you got nothin' but time But I say how do you wait for heaven And who has that much time And how do you keep your feet on the ground When you know that you were born You were born to fly Well my daddy He is grounded like the oak tree My mama she is steady as the Sun Oh you know I love my folks But I keep starin' down the road Just lookin' for my one chance to run Hey 'cause I will soar away Like the blackbird and I will blow in the wind Like a seed and I will plant my heart In the garden of my dreams and I will grow up Where I want wild and free oh yeah How do you wait for heaven And who has that much time And how do you keep your feet on the ground When you know that you were born You were born to fly Oh yeah You born to fly, fly, fly, fly Oh yeah Ooh ooh ooh (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: Mary Chapin Carpenter was part of the wave of artists that ushered in a new movement in country music and paved the way for many female singer/songwriters to come.

Paying tribute to her, here's three-time Academy of Country Music Award winner, the incomparable Trisha Yearwood performing one of her favorite Carpenter hits, "This Shirt."

This shirt is old and faded All the color's washed away I've had it now for more damn years Than I can count anyway I wear it beneath my jacket With the collar turned up high So old I should replace it But I'm not about to try This shirt's got silver buttons And a place upon the sleeve Where I used to set my heart up Right there where anyone could see This shirt is the one I wore To every boring high school dance Where the boys ignored the girls And we all pretended to like the band This shirt was a pillow For my head on a train through Italy This shirt was a blanket beneath the love we made In Argeles This shirt was lost For three whole days in a town near Buffalo 'Till I found the locker key In a downtown Trailways bus depot This shirt was the one I lent you And when you gave it back There was a rip inside the sleeve Where you rolled your cigarettes It was the place I put my heart now Look at where you put a tear I forgave your thoughtlessness But not the boy who put it there This shirt was the place your cat decided To give birth to five And we stayed up All night watching and we wept When the last one died This shirt is just a faded Old piece of cotton shining like the memories Inside those silver buttons This shirt is a grand old relic With a grand old history I wear it now for Sunday chores Cleaning house and raking leaves I wear it beneath my jacket With the collar turned up high So old I should replace it But I'm not about to try (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: Here to perform his number-one hit, "Good Vibes," this is singer/songwriter behind smashes like "Buy Me a Boat" and "Fix a Drink," Chris Janson.

(crowd cheers) CHRIS: Whoo!

Yeah, come on, let's rise it up.

Let's do it!

Well, I ain't watchin' TV today Bad news it can just stay away If you ain't got anything good to say Then shut your mouth Whoo!

I got my windows down and my blinders on Radio set to my favorite song All green lights On the road I'm on man there ain't no doubt I'm gettin' them good vibes I'm livin' this good life I'm breathin' on God's time And I ain't gonna waste one breath I'm soakin' it all up I got me a full cup Whoa there ain't nothin' gonna spill it Nothin' gonna kill it Wavin' them worries goodbye I'm feelin' them good vibes How about makin' a little noise for Charlie Cook one time.

(crowd cheers) I ain't tryna hear the negative No, just tryin' to change the narrative 'Cause it is simply imperative That we all have a damn good time Gettin' them good vibes I'm livin' this good life I'm breathin' on God's time Whoa and I ain't gonna waste one breath I'm soakin' it all up I got me a full cup Whoa there ain't nothin' gonna spill it Nothin' gonna kill it Somebody make some noise one time, will ya!

I got a good girl She got a good smile I kiss her good morning And kiss her good night Keep it on the up That's how we get down So don't be comin' around Unless you got them good vibes I'm livin' this good life I'm breathin' on God's time Amen and I ain't gonna waste one breath I'm soakin' it all up I got me a full cup Whoa there ain't nothin' gonna spill it Nothin' gonna kill it Wavin' them worries goodbye I'm feelin' these good vibes Whoa yeah And this one right here's for you my brother Charlie Cook.

I love you so much.

Okay, here we go.

(crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: The Academy of Country Music Triple Crown is a rare feat.

Only awarded to an artist after winning in the new artist, artist and entertainer-of-the- year categories, nine artists in the academy's history have received this recognition, including this next honoree, Chris Stapleton.

Performing Stapleton's "Cold," here's the multi-nominated husband-and-wife duo made up of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, The War and Treaty.

(crowd applauds) Girl the way you broke my heart Shattered like a rock through a window Thought we had it so good Never really saw this comin' Oh why you got to be so cold Why you got to go and cut me like a knife And put our love on ice Oh girl you know you left this hole Right here in the middle of my soul Oh why you got to be so cold (crowd cheers and applauds) What am I supposed to say If anybody asks me about you I guess I'll tell 'em I'm without you How am I supposed to live When I built my life around you Now try to put yourself in my shoes Oh why you got to be so cold Why you got to go and cut me like a knife Put our love on ice Oh Girl you know you left this hole Right here in the middle of my soul Whoa Why you got to be so cold I can only feel my love hangin' on I don't feel like it's over I'm still on fire Why you gonna be so (crowd cheers) Oh Oh why you got to be so cold Why you got to go and cut me like a knife Put our love on ice Oh Girl you know you left this hole Right here in the middle of my soul Whoa Why you got to be so cold Why you got to be so cold (crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: We're back with the Academy of Country Music Honors, the music industry's favorite night with once-in-a-lifetime performances tributing some of the genre's greatest you'll only see here.

Country music wouldn't be the same without the songwriters who bring life to the tunes we all love.

This next performance honors a certified phenomenon in the songwriting space.

Ashley Gorley.

He's written or co-written more number-one hits than any other songwriter in any genre.

Performing "What He Didn't Do," a song Gorley helped craft alongside these next two performers, here's Academy of Country Music Award winner Carly Pearce and hit songwriter Emily Shackleton.

Everybody's asking what the hell happened Wondering why it all went wrong And mamma always said If you can't say something nice Then don't say anything at all And I've got my side of the story And he's got his side too So I ain't gonna go and tell you what he did But I'll tell you what he didn't do Treat me right, put me first Be a man of his word Stay home 'cause he wanted to And always fight for my love Hold on tight like it's something That he couldn't stand to lose The devil's in the details I won't tell the hell that he put me through All I know is in the end it wasn't what he did No it was what he didn't do (crowd cheers) And I'm already halfway over him And I ain't taking time to turn around So I'ma take the high road Even though we both know I could run him out of this town And that's just dirty laundry I don't need to wear the truth So I ain't gonna tell you everything he did But I'll tell you what he didn't do Treat me right, put me first Be a man of his word Stay home 'cause he wanted to And always fight for my love Hold on tight like it's something That he couldn't stand to lose The devil's in the details I won't tell the hell that he put me through All I know is in the end it wasn't what he did No it was what he didn't do Oh yeah And I ain't met the right one yet But I know when I do He'll treat me right, put me first Be a man of his word Stay home 'cause he wanted to And always fight for my love Hold on tight like it's something That he can't stand to lose The devil's in the details I won't tell the hell that he put me through All I know is in the end It wasn't what he did No it was what he didn't do And all I know is in the end It wasn't what he did No it was what he didn't do (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: In the country-music space, it's customary for artists to double as songwriters, and this holds true for our next honoree, Hardy.

He began his career writing songs for stars like Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, Morgan Wallen, and more.

His artistry and songwriting continue to push country music forward.

To honor Hardy, this is Bailey Zimmerman performing Hardy's, "Signed, Sober You."

(crowd cheers) My third shot down I'm in trouble I'm a newly single man seein' double Fake a smile for all my friends then go home alone Around 2:00 AM and stumble through The front door gone as it gets Flip the kitchen light on There it is on the fridge just my luck Read this if you're drunk Don't think about it mister Don't even touch your phone I know you think you miss her But I promise you you don't There's healing in the lonely Sit back kick off your boots And you'll thank me in the morning Like you always do Signed, sober you (crowd cheers) PS pizza's in the freezer Dumb and Dumber on the TV And that's so stupid and that's what you'd be To go diggin' through her Instagram If you're thinking 'bout that read this again Don't think about it mister Don't even touch your phone And I know you think you miss her But I promise you you don't And there's healing in the lonely Sit back kick off your boots And you'll thank me in the morning Like you always do Signed, sober you Yeah well remember last time That you hit her up you heard some other guy How much does that suck And that set you back a month And trust me old friend you don't wanna go down That road again So don't think about it mister Don't even touch your phone I know you wanna kiss her But I promise you you don't 'Cause there's healing in the lonely Sit back kick off your boots And you'll thank me in the morning Like you always do Signed, sober you (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: Next up, performing "Fallen" off his debut gospel album, this is award-winning actor and singer/songwriter Dennis Quaid.

I went for a joyride down the Devil's highway My eternal soul hanging by a thread I was determined that the world was going my way Wound up beside the road left for dead Now I'm fallen Fallen I'm fallen Fallen Feeling so alone So alone All I wanna do is go back home I was raised on the blood of Jesus Taught the difference between wrong and right I was my momma's precious angel I was my daddy's little man all right I had everything I needed Everything To make something of my life But bad things happen to good people When you're riding with the Devil On a foggy night Now I'm fallen Fallen I'm fallen Fallen Feeling so ashamed All I wanna do is go is back home Ooh Wished I'd been more careful 'Bout what I'd wished for Wished I'd been more careful 'Bout the company I kept I wished I hadn't taken my daddy's money I wish I wasn't in the Devil's debt He came like a friendly stranger Offering whiskey, women, glory and drugs I stood high up on top of that mountain Not realizin' what a hole I had dug Now I'm fallen Fallen I'm fallen Fallen I'm the prodigal son All I want to do is go back home Go back home Go back home Go back home Go back home (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: Now here's Jordan Davis performing his acclaimed song, "Buy Dirt" with Christian and country recording artist Anne Wilson.

(crowd applauds) A few days 'fore he turned 80 He was sitting out back in a rocker Said what you been up to lately I told him chasing a dollar And in between sips of coffee He poured this wisdom out Said if you want my two cents on making a dollar count Buy dirt Find the one you can't live without Get a ring let your knee hit the ground Do what you love but call it work Throw a little money in the plate at church Send your prayers up and your roots down deep Add a few limbs to your family tree Watch their pencil marks and the grass in the yard All grow up 'Cause the truth about it is It all goes by real quick You can't buy happiness But you can buy dirt JORDAN: Anne Wilson, everybody.

(crowd cheers and applauds) Before you get caught on that ladder Let me tell you what it's all about Find you a few things that matter That you can put a fence around And then he laid it out Buy dirt Find the one you can't live without Get a ring let your knee hit the ground Do what you love but call it work Throw a little money in the plate at church Send your prayers up and your roots down deep Add a few limbs to your family tree And watch their pencil marks And the grass in the yard All grow up 'Cause the truth about it is It all goes by real quick You can't buy happiness But you can buy dirt You can buy dirt And thank the good Lord for it 'Cause He ain't makin' any more of it And buy dirt If I'm the one you can't live without Then get a ring let your knee hit the ground Do what you love but call it work And throw a little money in the plate at church Send your prayers up and your roots down deep Add a few limbs to your family tree And watch their pencil marks And the grass in the yard All grow up 'Cause the truth about it is It all goes by real quick You can't buy happiness But you can buy dirt (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: Kane Brown is no stranger to global success as his universal sound welcomes in a worldwide audience.

Whether he's touring in Australia, the UK or Europe, his fans are showing up.

To honor Brown with his hit, "Like I Love Country Music," this is seven-time Academy of Country Music award-winner, Lee Brice.

(crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) LEE: Oh, yeah.

Girl, you gone and done it to me Hotter than a hoochie coochie Got me like that first time I heard Alan Jackson Chattahoochee It was never the same again and I'm a lifelong fan Hah Baby I love you like I love country music You get me high as Willie girl You get me gone as Jones You turn me on as much as I turn on my radio Let's take our time walk the line Kinda like Johnny and June did Baby I love you like I love country music All right!

'Cause I could never live without ya Or my favorite songs about ya Top to bottom perfect You're like Brooks & Dunn's debut album You got a feeling like I'm a brand new man I'm a brand new man Baby I love you like I love country music You get me all high as Willie Get me gone as Jones You turn me on as much as I turn on my radio Let's take our time walk the line Kinda like Johnny and June did Aww, let's do this!

Girl I love you like I love country music Yeah-hoo!

I was stranded on an island Only way that I survive is I had you and that needle dropping on a vinyl You get me all high as Willie Get me gone as Jones You turn me on as much as I turn on my radio Let's take our time to walk the line Kinda like Johnny and June did Yeah I love you like I love country music Oh baby I love you like I love country music (crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: We're back with the Academy of Country Music Honors, a night of tribute performances honoring some of the biggest artists and executives in country music.

Recording and touring artist, songwriter, collaborator, actor, author-- plain and simple, he's truly an icon.

He's Tim McGraw.

Tributing McGraw with "Don't Take the Girl," here's ACM award-winner Brett Young.

(crowd cheers) Johnny's daddy was takin' him fishin' When he was eight years old A little girl came through the front gate Holdin' a fishin' pole His dad looked down and smiled Said we can't leave her behind Son, I know you don't want her to go But someday you'll change your mind And Johnny said Take Jimmy Johnson take Tommy Thompson Take my best friend Bo Take anybody that you want as Long as she don't go Take any boy in the world Daddy please don't take the girl (crowd cheers) Same old boy same sweet girl Ten years down the road He held her tight and kissed her lips in Front of the picture show Stranger came and pulled a gun Grabbed her by the arm Said if you do what I tell you to there Won't be any harm And Johnny said Take my money take my wallet And take my credit card Here's the watch that my grandpa gave me Here's the key to my car Mister give it a whirl But please don't take the girl Same old boy same sweet girl Five years down the road There's gonna be a little one and she Said it's time to go Doctor says the baby's fine But you'll have to leave 'Cause his momma's fadin' fast And Johnny hit his knees And there he prayed Take the very breath you gave me Take the heart from my chest I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me Make this my last request Take me out of this world God please don't take the girl Johnny's daddy was takin' him fishin' When he was eight years old (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: We can't forget about the crossover hit that helped spark the emergence of country rap.

To further honor McGraw, here's Grammy award-winning rapper Nelly with their song "Over and Over."

(Nelly vocalizing) (crowd cheers and applauds) NELLY: Nashville, what's happening?

'Cause it's all in my head I think about it Over and over again And I can't keep picturing you with him And it hurts so bad Yeah 'cause it's all in my head I think about it Over and over again I replay it Over and over again And I can't take it I can't shake it I can't wait to see you Want to see if you still got that look in your eye That one you had for me Before we said our goodbyes Now it's a shame that we gotta spend our time Being mad about the same things Over and over again About the same thing Over and over again I remember the day you left I remember the last breath You took right in front of me When you said that you would leave I was too damn stubborn To try to stop you or say anything But I see clearly now And this choice I made keeps playin' in my head Over and over again It play in my head Over and over again Oh but I think she's leavin' Aw man I heard she's leavin' Yeah I don't know what else to do Can't go on not lovin' you Beause it's all in my head I think about it Over and over again And I can't keep picturing you with him And it hurts so bad Yeah 'cause it's all in my head I think about it Over and over again I replay it Over and over again I can't take it I can't shake it no Now that I realize that I'm going down From all this pain you put me through And every time I close my eyes I lock it down Oh said I can't go on not lovin' you Because it's all in my head (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: Stepping into the scene at 45 years old, the late K.T.

Oslin brought songs that were a breath of fresh air to an audience eager for country music that spoke to them.

Here's Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Brandy Clark honoring Oslin with "80's Ladies."

(crowd applauds) We were three little girls from school One was pretty One was smart, one was a borderline fool Oh she's still good lookin' That woman hadn't slipped a bit The smart one used her head She made her fortune And me I cross the border every chance I get We were the girls of the '50s Stoned rock and rollers in the '60s And more than our names got changed As the '70s slipped on by Now we're 80's ladies There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried (crowd cheers and applauds) We've been educated, we got liberated And that's complicating matters with men Oh we've said 'I do' and we've signed 'I don't' And we've sworn we'd never do that again Oh we burned our bras and we burned our dinners And we burned our candles at both ends And we've got some children Who look just like the way we did back then Oh but we're all grown up now All grown up None of us can tell you quite how We were the girls of the '50s Stoned rock and rollers in the '60s Honey more than our names got changed As the '70s slipped on by Now we're 80's ladies There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried A my name is Alice I'm gonna marry Artie We're gonna sell apples and live in Arkansas B my name is Betty I'm gonna marry Bobby We're gonna sell beans gonna live in Brazil C my name is Connie I'm gonna marry Charlie We're gonna sell cars and live in California (crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: Next, we recognize country music artist Breland, who not only enriches the genre but also captivates audiences globally through his worldwide appeal and poise in everything he does.

Here's 13-time Academy of Country Music award winner Keith Urban, and tonight's ACM Lift Every Voice honoree Breland performing their collaboration "Throw It Back."

(crowd cheers and applauds) If she get a shot of whiskey She know how to throw it back She turn up for Elvis Presley Told the DJ throw it back She look better every Thursday She don't have to throw it back Shawty got me catching feelings I just hope she throw it back Throw it throw it back Drop it low you can blame it on the Jack Slow it down girl I'm tryna make it last If you sexy and you know it make it clap hey Throw it throw it hey Threw it on back Nothing says Summer Like the way she make me feel Feel Tall glass of natural woman I can tell that she keep it real She keep it real yeah A green light she'll give it to you Gotta get it 'fore it turn red Hotter than a flame I barely know her name But I'm damn sure willing to willing to bet If she get a shot of whiskey She know how to throw it back She turn up for Elvis Presley Told the DJ throw it back She look better every Thursday She don't have to throw it back Shawty got me catching feelings I just hope she throw it back Throw it back Drop it low you can blame it on the Jack Slow it down girl I'm tryna make it last If you sexy and you know it make it clap hey Throw it Better thank Jesus making them peaches Georgia Bulldog got me SEC-sick She on that wave And I'm deep in Tryna buy another round Throw it back Let me see the levee-breakin' Chevy super heavy duty Toot toot While you do do Bubble bubble You been eating your McDoubles And it's trouble for me If she get a shot of whiskey She know how to throw it back She turn up for Elvis Presley Told the DJ throw it back She look better every Thursday She don't have to throw it back Shawty got me catching feelings I just hope she throw it back Throw it throw it back Drop it low you can blame it on the Jack Slow it down girl I'm tryna make it last If you sexy and you know it make it clap BRELAND: Give 'em something, Keith!

Hey!

Hey hey!

If she get a shot of whiskey She know how to throw it back She turn up for Elvis Presley Told the DJ throw it back She look better every Thursday She don't have to throw it back Shawty got me catching feelings I just hope she throw it back Hey throw it back Drop it low you can blame it on the Jack Slow it down girl I'm tryna make it last If you sexy and you know it make it clap Throw it throw it throw it back Ryman Auditorium, what's poppin'?!

(crowd cheers and applauds) DAMON: It's been such a fun night celebrating so many of country music's greatest stars at the Academy of Country Music Honors.

We have one more performance in store for you tonight.

Closing out the Academy of Country Music Honors from Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, here's singer/songwriter Priscilla Block with "Just About Over You."

I'm Damon Whiteside, and on behalf of the Academy of Country Music, thank you for watching.

(crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) I've stopped looking for your truck Every time I go somewhere I don't scroll through the past anymore 'Cause I don't care I'm finally putting on the shirt I like Tight jeans big hoops with my hair up high The least you could've done Was give me the bar tonight Why'd you have to come back in right then Right when I was just getting good and gone I was in the wrong place at the wrong time You must've heard I was moving on Then right out of the blue a quarter past two I'm all about you When I was just about, just about over you I was just about, just about over you You could've stayed with the guys Acting like you didn't see me It would've hurt a little less If you'd bought some girl a drink But you had to walk up, messing me up, I'm drunk Wondering why it's gotta be like this I thought that I was moving on But now I'm starting back over again Why'd you have to come back in right then Right when I was just getting good and gone I was in the wrong place at the wrong time You must've heard I was moving on Then right out of the blue a quarter past two I'm all about you When I was just about, just about over you Oh, oh, I was just about over you Maybe you caught me on a bad night Maybe tomorrow I'll be just fine Maybe it's the red wine That put you back in my mind Why'd you have to come back in right then Right when I was just getting good and gone 'Cause I was in the wrong place, wrong time You must've heard I was moving on Then right out of the blue a quarter past two I'm all about you I was just about, just about over you Oh, oh I was just about over you (crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds) (crowd cheers and applauds)