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2020 CMA Awards: Winners list

Maren Morris and Luke Combs had big nights, especially Morris with her song 'The Bones.'

Editor's note: The related video above was published on Tuesday.

The Country Music Association Awards celebrated the best artists of the genre Wednesday night from Nashville, Tennessee.

The CMA Awards are normally held in November in Nashville, but this year’s show on ABC didn't have a normal audience of fans because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

CMA CEO Sarah Trahern had promised to bring country stars together in one room for the awards show, while keeping them physically distanced.

Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker hosted the event. Eric Church is 2020's Entertainer of the Year, while Maren Morris is country music's Female Vocalist of the Year. Morris also won both Single of the Year and Song of the Year with "The Bones."

Luke Combs, who continued his streak of success as one of country music’s biggest streaming artists with six nominations, including his first for entertainer of the year, won the CMA award for Male Vocalist of the Year. His "What You See Is What You Get" won Album of the Year.

Miranda Lambert, who was the leading nominee with seven, including her first entertainer of the year nomination in five years, won Music Video of the Year for "Bluebird."

Charley Pride, 82, was honored for his trailblazing career, as the three-time Grammy winner and Country Music Hall of Famer accepted the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. The rich baritone singer became the genre's first Black superstar, charting 29 No. 1 hits between the 1960s and 1980s. Other recipients of the award include Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Kris Kristofferson.

The CMAs had a rocky road to the telecast, with Lee Brice and Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard recently dropping out after testing positive for COVID-19.

The Country Music Association also faced criticism for a social media post it made declaring the show to be “a no drama zone,” apparently encouraging artists to remain apolitical. The association reversed course and later said it will “welcome every artist’s right to express themselves.”

Here's a list of this year's nominees and winners for the 54th annual CMA Awards:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

  • WINNER: Eric Church
  • Luke Combs
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Carrie Underwood
  • Keith Urban

SINGLE OF THE YEAR 
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer

  • “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
    Producer: Dan Smyers
    Mix Engineer: Jeff Juliano
  • “Beer Never Broke My Heart” – Luke Combs
    Producer: Scott Moffatt
    Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
  • “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
    Producer: Jay Joyce
    Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
  • WINNER: “The Bones” – Maren Morris
    Producer: Greg Kurstin
    Mix Engineer: Greg Kurstin
  • “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett
    Producers: Ross Copperman, Zach Kale
    Mix Engineer: Buckley Miller

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist and Producer(s) 

  • Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
    Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi
  • Never Will – Ashley McBryde
    Producers: Jay Joyce, John Peets
  • Old Dominion – Old Dominion
    Producers: Shane McAnally, Old Dominion
  • WINNER: What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs
    Producer: Scott Moffatt
  • Wildcard – Miranda Lambert
    Producer: Jay Joyce

SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Songwriters 

  • “Bluebird”
    Songwriters: Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert
  • WINNER: “The Bones”
    Songwriters: Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz
  • “Even Though I'm Leaving”
    Songwriters: Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III, Ray Fulcher
  • “I Hope You're Happy Now”
    Songwriters: Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Carly Pearce, Jonathan Singleton
  • “More Hearts Than Mine”
    Songwriters: Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis, Derrick Southerland

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

  • Miranda Lambert
  • Ashley McBryde
  • WINNER: Maren Morris
  • Kacey Musgraves
  • Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR 

  • Eric Church
  • WINNER: Luke Combs
  • Thomas Rhett
  • Chris Stapleton
  • Keith Urban

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

  • Lady A
  • Little Big Town
  • Midland
  • WINNER: Old Dominion
  • Rascal Flatts

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

  • Brooks & Dunn
  • Brothers Osborne
  • WINNER: Dan + Shay
  • Florida Georgia Line
  • Maddie & Tae

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR 
Award goes to Artists and Producer(s) 

  • “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
    Producer: Dan Smyers
  • “Be A Light” – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban
    Producer: Dann Huff
  • “The Bones” – Maren Morris with Hozier
    Producer: Greg Kurstin
  • “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” – Miranda Lambert (feat. Maren Morris, Elle King, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes & Caylee Hammack)
    Producer: Jay Joyce
  • WINNER: “I Hope You're Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice
    Producer: busbee

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR 

  • WINNER: Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle
  • Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar
  • Rob McNelley, Guitar
  • Ilya Toshinskiy, Guitar
  • Derek Wells, Guitar

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR 
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director 

  • “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
    Director: Patrick Tracy
  • WINNER: “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
    Director: Trey Fanjoy
  • “Homemade” – Jake Owen
    Director: Justin Clough
  • “I Hope You're Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice
    Director: Sam Siske
  • “Second One To Know” – Chris Stapleton
    Director: David Coleman

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

  • Jimmie Allen
  • Ingrid Andress
  • Gabby Barrett
  • Carly Pearce
  • WINNER: Morgan Wallen

RELATED: Reba McEntire, Darius Rucker take over as CMA Awards hosts

RELATED: Miranda Lambert leads CMA nominations, Luke Combs' streak continues

RELATED: 2019 CMA Awards: Winners list

Credit: AP
This combination photo shows Miranda Lambert performing at the 2017 CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tenn. on June 8, 2017, from left, Darius Rucker performing at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tenn., on June 14, 2015 and Luke Combs performing at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on April 7, 2019. CMT is saluting heroes on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic with a star filled TV special featuring Combs, Lambert, Rucker, Florida Georgia Line and others. (AP Photo)

The Associated Press contributed.

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