Ella Langley & Riley Green were the first winners announced during Wednesday night’s 59th annual CMA Awards stemming from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for Single of the Year for the track, you look like you love me.
‘I wasn’t expecting to get up here so early tonight,’ Langley, 26, said in her acceptance speech. ‘I feel like this is a song that just keeps on giving because the fans keep on listening to it.
‘And this song wouldn’t be here without people like will Bundy and Jim Cooley working on the record, Riley doing the second verse, and man, I don’t know, I thought I had something prepared, but I get up here and I get a little confused and excited at the same time!’
Langley wrapped up in saying, ‘Wow, thank you so much for this. This means the world to all of us.’
Leading nominees for the award show – all nominated for six honors apiece – included Langley, Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson – who was also hosting the proceedings.
Ella Langley & Riley Green were the first winners announced during Wednesday night’s 59th annual CMA Awards stemming from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for Single of the Year for the track, you look like you love me
‘Welcome to the CMA Awards,’ Wilson said upon her entrance. ‘I grew up in the village of Baskin in Louisiana, population 175.
‘Ever since I was a little girl, country music has been a huge part of my world. It was more than a genre, it was a way of life.
Wilson said that ‘growing up in Baskin, there were two things my family made dang that we never missed, and that was bull riding and the CMA awards – and if we had to miss one, it wasn’t gonna be this.’
She added that ‘to have been asked to host this legendary country music event for y’all is making little Lainey – who was bright eyed and bushy tailed sitting way too close to the TV – really, really proud.’
Wilson was nominated for CMA entertainer of the year against an impressive field consisting of Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and 2024 victor Morgan Wallen.
Vince Gill was slated to be given the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award during the show from Music City.
