Watch How Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert Surprised Lainey Wilson Backstage

Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert shared an unforgettable surprise with 2024 ACM Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson.

Wilson joined McEntire and Lambert backstage during rehearsals for the milestone 60th ACM Awards, taking place on Thursday evening (May 8). The Academy of Country Music shared a look at that backstage moment on Thursday morning. McEntire revealed she and Lambert were there to surprise Wilson with the ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year honor. Wilson gushed, “that means so much.”

The Whirlwind megastar received several nominations at this year’s ACM Awards. Her fiancé, Devlin “Duck” Hodges, shared Wilson’s Artist-Songwriter of the Year nod on his Instagram story the day the Academy of Country Music announced nominees. Hodges said of all the nominations Wilson received, “this one makes me the happiest. She loves writing and is so damn good at it and finally good to see her get some recognition for being a bada** songwriter!!!!”

Wilson shared her victory on her Instagram story, and wrote: “I’ll always be a songwriter first. Thank you [Academy of Country Music]. ❤️”

The Bell Bottom Country Grammy winner will team up with McEntire and Lambert on stage to deliver the world premiere of their new collaboration, “Trailblazer,” during the ACM Awards on Thursday evening. The performance is one of many taking place on the Texas stage, along with Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Clint Black, Wynonna Judd, Dan + Shay, LeAnn Rimes, Alan Jackson, Backstreet Boys, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Eric Church, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Megan Moroney, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, Shaboozey, and Zach Top. Stapleton, Moroney and Brothers Osborne will pay tribute to Keith Urban when he receives the coveted Triple Crown Award (after earning the Top New Male Vocalist, Male Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year awards throughout his career). Urban is the first artist to receive the Triple Crown during the ACM Awards in 15 years. Carrie Underwood was the last artist to accept the award during the show in 2010. Triple Crown recipients in recent years have received the award during the ACM Honors, which takes place later in the year in Nashville, Tennessee.

On Wednesday (May 7), the Academy of Country Music announced a list of presenters joining the star-studded show. Presenters include Black, Sugarland, Judd, Shelton, Carly Pearce, Crystal Gayle, ERNEST, Gabby Barrett, Gretchen Wilson, Jordan Davis, Lee Ann Womack, Lionel Richie, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Rita Wilson, Sara Evans and The Oak Ridge Boys, plus NASCAR driver Chase Elliott and podcast hosts Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton. iHeartRadio’s Bobby Bones will interview artists throughout the 60th ACM Awards.

The 60th ACM Awards will return to the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. See the full list of nominees — and a few early winners — below. The show kicks off at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 8.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

• Kelsea Ballerini
• Luke Combs
• Cody Johnson
• Jelly Roll
• Chris Stapleton
• Morgan Wallen
• Lainey Wilson

 

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Kelsea Ballerini
• Ella Langley
• Megan Moroney
• Kacey Musgraves
• Lainey Wilson

 

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Luke Combs
• Cody Johnson
• Jelly Roll
• Chris Stapleton
• Morgan Wallen

 

DUO OF THE YEAR

• Brooks & Dunn 
• Brothers Osborne
• Dan + Shay 
• Muscadine Bloodline
• The War And Treaty

 

GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Flatland Cavalry
• Little Big Town
• Old Dominion 
• Rascal Flatts
• The Red Clay Strays

 

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Kassi Ashton
• Ashley Cooke
• Dasha
• Ella Langley — WINNER
• Jessie Murph

 

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Gavin Adcock
• Shaboozey
• Zach Top — WINNER
• Tucker Wetmore
• Bailey Zimmerman

 

NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Restless Road
• The Red Clay Strays — WINNER
• Treaty Oak Revival

 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

• Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine) - Megan Moroney

Producer: Kristian Bush

Record Company-Label: Columbia Records / Sony Music Nashville

• Beautifully Broken - Jelly Roll

Producers: BazeXX, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Devin Dawson, Charlie Handsome, Ben Johnson, mgk, The Monsters & Strangerz, Austin Nivarel, SlimXX, Ryan Tedder, Isaiah Tejada, Alysa Vanderheym

Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Republic Records

 

• Cold Beer & Country Music - Zach Top

Producer: Carson Chamberlain

Record Company-Label: Leo33

 

• F-1 Trillion - Post Malone

Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins

Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records

 

• Whirlwind - Lainey Wilson

Producer: Jay Joyce

Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville

 

SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

• A Bar Song (Tipsy) - Shaboozey

Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry

Record Company-Label: American Dogwood / EMPIRE

 

• Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson

Producer: Trent Willmon

Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville

 

• I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen

Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins

Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records

 

• White Horse - Chris Stapleton

Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton

Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville

 

• you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green

Producer: Will Bundy

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records

 

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

• 4x4xU - Lainey Wilson

Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson

Publishers: Louisiana Lady; One Tooth Productions; Reservoir 416; Songs of One Riot Music; Sony/ATV Accent

 

• The Architect - Kacey Musgraves

Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne

Publishers: Songs for Indy and Owl; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing

 

• Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson

Songwriter: Josh Phillips

Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing; Write or Die Music; Write the Lightning Publishing

 

• I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen

Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters, Ryan Vojtesak

Publishers: Bell Ear Publishing; Master of my Domain Music; Poppy’s Picks; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Universal Music Corporation

 

• you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green

Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere

Publishers: Back 40 Publishing International; Langley Publishing; One Tooth Productions; Sony/ATV Tree; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp

 

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

• Cowboys Cry Too - Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan

Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, Alysa Vanderheym

Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment

 

• I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen

Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins

Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records

 

• I’m Gonna Love You - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood

Producer: Trent Willmon

Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville

 

• we don’t fight anymore - Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton

Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce

Record Company-Label: Big Machine Records

 

• you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green

Producer: Will Bundy

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records

 

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

• 4x4xU - Lainey Wilson

Producer: Jennifer Ansell

Director: Dano Cerny

 

• Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson

Producer: Dustin Haney

Director: Dustin Haney

 

• I’m Gonna Love You - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood

Producers: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry

Director: Dustin Haney

 

• Think I’m In Love With You - Chris Stapleton

Producers: Wes Edwards, Angie Lorenz, Jamie Stratakis

Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)

 

• you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green — WINNER

Producer: Whale Tale Music

Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney

 

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

• Luke Combs
• ERNEST
• HARDY
• Morgan Wallen
• Lainey Wilson — WINNER

 

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

• Jessi Alexander
• Jessie Jo Dillon — WINNER
• Ashley Gorley
• Chase McGill
• Josh Osborne