Watch How Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert Surprised Lainey Wilson Backstage
By Kelly Fisher
May 8, 2025
Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert shared an unforgettable surprise with 2024 ACM Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson.
Wilson joined McEntire and Lambert backstage during rehearsals for the milestone 60th ACM Awards, taking place on Thursday evening (May 8). The Academy of Country Music shared a look at that backstage moment on Thursday morning. McEntire revealed she and Lambert were there to surprise Wilson with the ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year honor. Wilson gushed, “that means so much.”
The Whirlwind megastar received several nominations at this year’s ACM Awards. Her fiancé, Devlin “Duck” Hodges, shared Wilson’s Artist-Songwriter of the Year nod on his Instagram story the day the Academy of Country Music announced nominees. Hodges said of all the nominations Wilson received, “this one makes me the happiest. She loves writing and is so damn good at it and finally good to see her get some recognition for being a bada** songwriter!!!!”
Wilson shared her victory on her Instagram story, and wrote: “I’ll always b a songwriter first. Thank you [Academy of Country Music]. ❤️”
The Bell Bottom Country Grammy winner will team up with McEntire and Lambert on stage to deliver the world premiere of their new collaboration, “Trailblazer,” during the ACM Awards on Thursday evening. The performance is one of many taking place on the Texas stage, along with Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Clint Black, Wynonna Judd, Dan + Shay, LeAnn Rimes, Alan Jackson, Backstreet Boys, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Eric Church, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Megan Moroney, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, Shaboozey, and Zach Top. Stapleton, Moroney and Brothers Osborne will pay tribute to Keith Urban when he receives the coveted Triple Crown Award (after earning the Top New Male Vocalist, Male Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year awards throughout his career). Urban is the first artist to receive the Triple Crown during the ACM Awards in 15 years. Carrie Underwood was the last artist to accept the award during the show in 2010. Triple Crown recipients in recent years have received the award during the ACM Honors, which takes place later in the year in Nashville, Tennessee.
On Wednesday (May 7), the Academy of Country Music announced a list of presenters joining the star-studded show. Presenters include Black, Sugarland, Judd, Shelton, Carly Pearce, Crystal Gayle, ERNEST, Gabby Barrett, Gretchen Wilson, Jordan Davis, Lee Ann Womack, Lionel Richie, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Rita Wilson, Sara Evans and The Oak Ridge Boys, plus NASCAR driver Chase Elliott and podcast hosts Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton. iHeartRadio’s Bobby Bones will interview artists throughout the 60th ACM Awards.
The 60th ACM Awards will return to the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. See the full list of nominees — and a few early winners — below. The show kicks off at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 8.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
DUO OF THE YEAR
GROUP OF THE YEAR
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine) - Megan Moroney
Producer: Kristian Bush
Record Company-Label: Columbia Records / Sony Music Nashville
- Beautifully Broken - Jelly Roll
Producers: BazeXX, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Devin Dawson, Charlie Handsome, Ben Johnson, mgk, The Monsters & Strangerz, Austin Nivarel, SlimXX, Ryan Tedder, Isaiah Tejada, Alysa Vanderheym
Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Republic Records
- Cold Beer & Country Music - Zach Top
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Record Company-Label: Leo33
- F-1 Trillion - Post Malone
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records
- Whirlwind - Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- A Bar Song (Tipsy) - Shaboozey
Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry
Record Company-Label: American Dogwood / EMPIRE
- Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson
Producer: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville
- I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records
- White Horse - Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton
Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville
- you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Producer: Will Bundy
Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
- 4x4xU - Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
Publishers: Louisiana Lady; One Tooth Productions; Reservoir 416; Songs of One Riot Music; Sony/ATV Accent
- The Architect - Kacey Musgraves
Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne
Publishers: Songs for Indy and Owl; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing
- Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson
Songwriter: Josh Phillips
Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing; Write or Die Music; Write the Lightning Publishing
- I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters, Ryan Vojtesak
Publishers: Bell Ear Publishing; Master of my Domain Music; Poppy’s Picks; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Universal Music Corporation
- you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere
Publishers: Back 40 Publishing International; Langley Publishing; One Tooth Productions; Sony/ATV Tree; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Cowboys Cry Too - Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, Alysa Vanderheym
Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment
- I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records
- I’m Gonna Love You - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood
Producer: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville
- we don’t fight anymore - Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce
Record Company-Label: Big Machine Records
- you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green
Producer: Will Bundy
Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
- 4x4xU - Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jennifer Ansell
Director: Dano Cerny
- Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson
Producer: Dustin Haney
Director: Dustin Haney
- I’m Gonna Love You - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood
Producers: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
- Think I’m In Love With You - Chris Stapleton
Producers: Wes Edwards, Angie Lorenz, Jamie Stratakis
Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)
- you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green — WINNER
Producer: Whale Tale Music
Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Luke Combs
- ERNEST
- HARDY
- Morgan Wallen
- Lainey Wilson — WINNER
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Jessi Alexander
- Jessie Jo Dillon — WINNER
- Ashley Gorley
- Chase McGill
- Josh Osborne