won big at the Sunday night, taking home three awards at the annual event celebrating the best in country music videos.
His accolades began with the CMT performance of the year award for his gospel-assisted rendition of 鈥淣eed a Favor鈥� at the 2023 CMT Music Awards nearly a year ago to the day. It also was his first-ever .
鈥淚n that last year you changed my life in every way I never thought my life could be changed,鈥� the tattooed rapper-turned-country breakout star said in an emotional acceptance speech live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The show was broadcast live on CBS and Paramount+.
The music video for 鈥淣eed A Favor鈥� earned him male video of the year and the biggest award of the night, video of the year.
鈥淚鈥檓 having one of the best nights of my life,鈥� he said, before focusing his speech on people who are looking for 鈥渟econd chances,鈥� specifically those in juvenile detention facilities. 鈥淚 once heard a man say that 鈥榶ou don鈥檛 change until the pain to remain the same is greater than the pain it takes to change,鈥� and that鈥檚 what it takes. I love you, Texas.鈥�
In some ways, it was d茅j脿 vu from , where Jelly Roll also took home three awards, winning over audiences for his larger-than-life personality and outsider songs.
hosted the awards for fourth time in a row, opening with a comedic sketch about reading the minds of country music鈥檚 biggest names that ended with Keith Urban hugging the beaver mascot of beloved .
Her many outfit changes were only the first of a few surprises, which also included Melissa Etheridge appearing on a duet of 鈥淐ome to My Window鈥� with Ballerini.
Early on, Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton won collaborative video of the year for their song, 鈥淲e Don鈥檛 Fight Anymore.鈥� She thanked Stapleton, who wasn鈥檛 in attendance, and 鈥淔ans, fans, fans, fans, fans!鈥�
Ashley Cooke won breakthrough female video of the year for 鈥淵our Place,鈥� her first-ever award. 鈥淚 just won a CMT award, oh my god, good night!鈥� she cheered as she headed off stage. Warren Zeiders took home the male equivalent for 鈥淧retty Little Poison,鈥� thanking God and his best friend: his dad.
Live performances were fast and furious. Three-time CMT award winner and Texas native Cody Johnson opened the 2024 show with his ode to the lone star state, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 Texas.鈥� Jason Aldean performed 鈥淟et Your Boys Be Country鈥� in front of the University of Texas at Austin, a less controversial choice than 鈥淭ry That in a Small Town.鈥� Its music video was .
brought her breakup anthem, 鈥淣o Caller ID,鈥� to the CMT stage and Parker McCollum teamed with Brittney Spencer for 鈥淏urn It Down.鈥� NEEDTOBREATHE and Jordan Davis teased 鈥淐MT Crossroads鈥� by tackling each other鈥檚 鈥淏rother鈥� and 鈥淣ext Thing You Know,鈥� respectively.
Lainey Wilson reminded the audience that 鈥淐ountry鈥檚 Cool Again,鈥� leading into an outdoor performance of 鈥淲here It Ends鈥� by Bailey Zimmerman. Veteran Keith Urban brought the first single of his forthcoming album, 鈥淪traight Line.鈥�
Wilson spent a lot time on stage, taking home female video of the year for 鈥淲atermelon Moonshine.鈥� 鈥淭hank you for supporting women in country,鈥� she told the audience.
Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of Sugarland reunited on the CMT stage for the first time since 2011 in a collaborative performance with Little Big Town. The six voices teamed up for a cover of Phil Collins鈥� 鈥淭ake Me Home.鈥�
Trisha Yearwood was awarded the inaugural June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award, which honors musicians or industry veterans who demonstrate 鈥渁n exceptional dedication to community and their fellow artists, embodying June鈥檚 spirit as a fierce advocate and initiator in paying it forward,鈥� a statement said.
The country star was honored for her charitable contributions, including longstanding work and the annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Week Project.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anyone who鈥檚 ever gotten a humanitarian award has thought they deserve it,鈥� she began, agreeing with the sentiment before turning her attention to the woman the award is named after.
鈥淛une Carter Cash was a force, and she was married to a force. I know a little bit about that,鈥� she said, in reference to her , before applauding Carter Cash鈥檚 ability to keep shining a light on her own successes. 鈥淪he was strong in a very human way,鈥� Yearwood said.
Later in the night, she debuted a new song from her forthcoming album, the acoustic ballad, 鈥淧ut It in a Song.鈥�
The emotional center of the award show no doubt came later, in an all-star tribute to , with Brooks & Dunn tackling Keith鈥檚 1993 breakout hit, 鈥淪hould鈥檝e Been A Cowboy,鈥� Sammy Hagar doing 鈥淚 Love This Bar鈥� and Lainey Wilson covering 鈥淗ow Do You Like Me Now.鈥� They all were backed by Keith鈥檚 longtime band.
Keith, a who riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans, died in February at 62 after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.
In the crowd, artists including Ashley McBryde and Jelly Roll raised their red solo cups in a cheerful tribute to the singer, who immortalized the humble plastic cups in his
After the musical tributes on stage, Keith鈥檚 longtime friend and baseball star Roger Clemens, his eyes watering, thanked Keith鈥檚 wife and children in the audience for sharing their husband and father with the world.
Clemens led a toast to those on stage, in the crowd, and at home: 鈥淩epeat after me. 鈥榃hiskey for my men, and beer for my horses,鈥欌�� a reference to a comedic song by Keith featuring Willie Nelson.
It was a fitting homage: a little funny, with a whole lot of country heart.
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