The winners of the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards was finally revealed on the night of April 3 at the Grand MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The star-studded event was hosted by Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley.
The music awards ceremony was also broadcast live via CBS Television Network so it was watched by millions of people worldwide. The night was considered as Chris Stapleton's big day as he dominated the event by winning four trophies.
The 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards presented the "Tennessee Whiskey" singer with the Best Male Vocalist, New Male Vocalist, Song of the Year and Album of the Year awards. His multiple awards also made Stapleton the most talked about personality during the program as several stars tried to get the credit for his phenomenal success.
Hosts Bryan and Bentley started the argument by commenting on how the country and bluegrass musician rose to fame. The former said Stapleton has become "a huge superstar, which means everyone in Nashville is trying to take credit for his success."
But Bentley cut in and said that it was a ridiculous claim since everyone knows it was him who brought Stapleton to stardom. Just then another country singer Jason Aldean joined in and said he was a fan even before "he had the beard, and was playing in a rock 'n' roll band."
For Thomas Rhett, he felt that he gave the singer the help he needed when he cut his track entitled "Crash and Burn" while Carrie Underwood joked that she had been a walking billboard for Stapleton when she bought a shirt with his name on it.
In the midst of credit-grabbing for his success, the country singer finally offered the real answer. In an interview, he said that his career started to soar following his collaborative performance with Justin Timberlake in November 2015 at the Country Music Association Awards.
"He helped shine a light, and the CMAs helped shine a light, and the ACMs will help shine a light, and the more lights that are shining, the better it is for me," he told the Tennessean.
At any rate, here are this year's winners at the 2016 ACM:
Entertainer of the Year
Jason Aldean
Male Vocalist of the Year
Chris Stapleton
Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert
Vocal Duo of the Year
Florida Georgia Line
Vocal Group of the Year
Little Big Town
New Male Vocalist of the Year
Chris Stapleton
New Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year
Old Dominion
Album of the Year
Chris Stapleton - "Traveller"
Song of the Year
Chris Stapleton - "Nobody to Blame"
Single Record of the Year
Thomas Rhett - "Die a Happy Man"
Video of the Year
Eric Church - "Mr. Misunderstood"
Vocal Event of the Year
Miranda Lambert feat. Little Big Town - "Smokin' and Drinkin"
Watch the collaboration stage with Timberlake which Stapleton said paved the way to his success