The CMT Music Awards aired live from Austin, Texas, on Sunday, with Jelly Roll the night’s big winner. He took home three awards, including Video of the Year and Male Video of the Year for “Need a Favor,” marking the second year in a row he’s nabbed Male Video of the Year.
Another repeat winner from last year was Lainey Wilson, who once again won Female Video of the Year, this time for “Watermelon Moonshine.”
Appropriate for the location of this year’s show, the CMTs opened with Cody Johnson performing his tune “That’s Texas” before host Kelsea Ballerini took the stage. Tackling duties for a fourth, and final, time, Kelsea got a chance to don several outfits, duet with Melissa Etheridge on “Come To My Window,” perform a reimagined version of her debut single “Love Me Like You Mean It” and more.
The show featured loads of performances from stars like Jason Aldean, Megan Moroney, Keith Urban and Sam Hunt. There was also a collaboration between Little Big Town and Sugarland on Phil Collins’ “Take Me Home,” giving fans a preview of their upcoming joint tour.
Trisha Yearwood was honored with the inaugural June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award, which honors, among other things, an artist who uses “their platform to inspire and uplift others.” She also performed a new tune, “Put It In A Song.”
The most emotional moment of the night featured a special tribute to the late Toby Keith, who passed away in February. It included performances by Brooks & Dunn on “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” Sammy Hagar on “I Love This Bar” and Lainey on “How Do You Like Me Now?”
And Jelly Roll got a chance to show everyone why he’s so loved, bringing the house down with his closing performance, “Halfway to Hell.”
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