ACM Awards Highlighted by Killer Ed Sheeran/Luke Combs Duet, as Lainey Wilson, Hardy, Chris Stapleton Take Top Honors

variety.com:

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic At the 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, the top prize, entertainer of the year, was handed out to Chris Stapleton, even as Lainey Wilson and Hardy won in the the greatest number of categories, with four each — two of which they shared for the duet “Wait in the Truck.” Technically, Hardy walked away with six trophies, since the ACMs offer double awards for artists who co-write their nominated songs.

Accepting for album of the year, Wilson said, “I wrote 300 songs during the pandemic.” Noting that some fans have said listening to her “Bell Bottom Country” album helped save their lives, Wilson said, “Writing these songs saved mine.” She quoted one of her own lines: “Be who you are, ’cause everybody else is taken.” The two categories where Wilson and Hardy shared a win were visual media of the year and music event of the year.

Separately, Wilson won female artist of the year, and Hardy won best artist-songwriter. (Scroll down for a photo gallery of winners, nominees and performers.) The unofficial award for the most buzz-worthy collaboration of the night, meanwhile, might have gone to Ed Sheeran and Luke Combs, who traded verses on Sheeran’s latest single, “Life Goes On,” a ballad about the acceptance of death as a part of life.

The pop star’s appearance had been teased a few days in advance, but not who he would be singing with, or which song. Fans of either or both immediately began clamoring for a duet version to be officially released.