George Strait performs on stage at the 49th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 6, 2014, in Las Vegas.A select list of winners from Sunday night’s Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas:Entertainer of the year: George StraitAlbum of the year: Kacey Musgraves, “Same Trailer Different Park”Female vocalist of the year: Miranda LambertMale vocalist of the year: Jason AldeanVocal group of the year: The Band PerrySong of the year: “I Drive Your Truck”: Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Jimmy YearySingle record of the year: Miranda Lambert, “Mama’s Broken Heart”New artist of the year: Justin MooreVocal duo of the year: Florida Georgia LineMusic video of the year: Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, “Highway Don’t Care”Vocal event of the year: Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert, “We Were Us”
George Strait won his second entertainer of the year – 25 years after he won his first – and Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban teamed up to earn top honors Sunday night at a jam-packed Academy of Country Music Awards that had a little something for everyone.
Strait’s victory was not unexpected. He’s a few months from retiring from the road and won the same trophy at the rival Country Music Association Awards five months ago. But the ACMs entertainer award is fan-voted and some wondered if Strait’s older fan base might vote.
“I’ve always said I have the best fans in the world,” Strait told the crowd. “I heard this was a fan-voted thing, so I rest my case.”
No one will begrudge Strait the win, including co-hosts Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, who were also nominated in the category with Lambert and Taylor Swift.