Celebrities
ACM Awards 2021: Maren Morris, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert shine at country awards
USA TODAY
![Miranda Lambert performs " In His Arms " at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashvhille. See all the photos from country ' s biggest night!](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/e275e95e-b65e-4551-8492-51f79b270d13-AP_2021_Academy_of_Country_Music_Awards_5.jpg?width=660&height=485&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Miranda Lambert performs "In His Arms" at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashvhille. See all the photos from country's biggest night!
Amy Harris, InvisionYep, she was happy. Carly Pearce and Lee Brice accept their award for Single of the Year for "I Hope You're Happy Now.
Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com![The surprised Carly Pearce was eventually able to find words to accept the award with a speech.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/44dae583-7d8f-4769-a3f5-c138e967d492-AP_2021_Academy_of_Country_Music_Awards.jpg?width=660&height=451&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
The surprised Carly Pearce was eventually able to find words to accept the award with a speech.
Mark Humphrey, APPearce exited the stage and took to Twitter to thank the fans. "THANK YOU!!! You have made my country music dreams come true with this little apology I wrote to an ex," she wrote.
Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.comCarly Pearce and Lee Brice perform at the Opry during the 56th ACM awards.
Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com![Alan Jackson performs onstage at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/1b1a7167-4d05-4e0d-be46-dfebee3ccda7-GTY_1313205174.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Alan Jackson performs onstage at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards.
Jason Kempin, Getty Images For ACM![Marren Morris and Ryan Hurd get close during their performance at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/e0d7d0b3-3073-4dff-bada-9038d5c3a5da-GTY_1313196108.jpg?width=440&height=660&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Marren Morris and Ryan Hurd get close during their performance at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards.
Jason Kempin, Getty Images For ACM![Hurd, left, congratulates Morris as he escorts her to the stage to accept the award for song of the year for " The Bones. " ( Check out the full list of winners here .)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/aadc33de-e217-480e-b000-ff8c6e37ab49-AP_2021_Academy_of_Country_Music_Awards_1.jpg?width=660&height=488&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Hurd, left, congratulates Morris as he escorts her to the stage to accept the award for song of the year for "The Bones." (Check out the full list of winners here.)
Mark Humphrey, AP![Host Mickey Guyton speaks at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/c2ba4c51-de44-4b60-ad59-2b78f1bb51b9-AP_2021_Academy_of_Country_Music_Awards_3.jpg?width=660&height=465&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Host Mickey Guyton speaks at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday.
Amy Harris, Invision![Blake Shelton performs at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/dbac2e6b-e36f-4dab-bbbe-9953f3238349-AP_2021_Academy_of_Country_Music_Awards_2.jpg?width=440&height=660&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Blake Shelton performs at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
Mark Humphrey, AP![(L-R) John Osborne and T.J. Osborne of Brothers Osborne perform onstage at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/00ba3f24-fc7b-4600-a98d-6f5fd499a8cb-GTY_1313208938.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
(L-R) John Osborne and T.J. Osborne of Brothers Osborne perform onstage at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards.
Jason Kempin, Getty Images For ACM![John Osborne of Brothers Osborne performs onstage at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/4623e029-6d97-4ade-a553-a87e28b90c81-GTY_1313209631.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
John Osborne of Brothers Osborne performs onstage at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards.
Jason Kempin, Getty Images For ACM![Chris Stapleton accepts the award for album of the year for "Starting Over."](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/cbbaf6f4-5e50-434b-82ff-40dbfa6cbd06-AP_2021_Academy_of_Country_Music_Awards_8.jpg?width=660&height=370&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Chris Stapleton accepts the award for album of the year for "Starting Over."
AP![Maren Morris accepts the award for female artist of the year.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/5122326c-585e-4f12-bc86-563a1793dc70-AP_2021_Academy_of_Country_Music_Awards_7.jpg?width=660&height=512&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Maren Morris accepts the award for female artist of the year.
Mark Humphrey, AP![Keith Urban performed his hit "Tumbleweeds" at the awards show.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/81e93b1d-8c4e-4974-92d7-cc09a08e8060-AP_2021_Academy_of_Country_Music_Awards_9.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Keith Urban performed his hit "Tumbleweeds" at the awards show.
Mark Humphrey, AP![Award hosts Mickey Guyton, left, and Keith Urban shared some onstage banter after Urban performed.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/19/USAT/ff61778b-3ff8-43cc-91d7-cdc061910933-AP_2021_Academy_of_Country_Music_Awards_6.jpg?width=660&height=468&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Award hosts Mickey Guyton, left, and Keith Urban shared some onstage banter after Urban performed.
Mark Humphrey, APFeatured Weekly Ad