Morgan Wallen was named Entertainer of the Year at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards — he just wasn’t there to recieved it.
Wallen, 31, was given the top honor at the Wednesday, November 20, ceremony, held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Wallen competed against Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson in the category.
Wallen, however, was absent from the event so presenter Jeff Bridges accepted the award in his place. “Morgan couldn’t make it tonight so I’m going to accept this award on his behalf,” Bridges, 74, told the crowd. “Alright, let’s hear it for Morgan!” The awards show’s cohosts — Wilson, Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan — then joined the actor on stage to congratulate Wallen on his win.
Prior to the telecast, Wallen, 31, earned seven nominations — the most of any artist. In addition to Entertainer of the Year, he was up for Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “I Had Some Help” with Post Malone, Musical Event of the Year for “Man Made a Bar” and Male Vocalist of the Year.
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Stapleton, 46, came in at a close second with five nods, including Single of the Year and Song of the Year for “White Horse,” Album of the Year for Higher and Male Vocalist of the Year, while Wilson, 32, received four nominations, including Single of the Year for “Watermelon Moonshine,” Female Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.”
Combs, 34, and Jelly Roll, 39, each earned three total nods: Album of the Year for Fathers & Sons and Male Vocalist of the Year for Combs and Album of the Year for Whitsitt Chapel and Male Vocalist of the Year for Jelly Roll, in addition to their Entertainer of the Year nominations.
Of the nominees, Combs and Wilson are the only artists to win Entertainer of the Year in the past, with him securing the award in 2021 and 2022 and her taking it home in 2023.
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As for the remaining artists, Stapleton has seven previous nods in the category, while Wallen has two. Jelly Roll, meanwhile, earned his first Entertainer of the Year nomination in 2024.
Last year, Wilson tearfully accepted the award with a heartfelt speech. “This is all I’ve ever wanted to do, it’s the only thing I know how to do,” she said in November 2023. “I’ve been in this town for 12-and-a-half years, and it finally feels like country music is starting to love me back.”
After her 2023 victory, Wilson returned to the awards show in a new capacity, cohosting the 2024 ceremony alongside Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning.
