Gabby Barrett Stuns 2021 CMT Artists of the Year With ‘The Good Ones’

Watch one of country's new vocal stars shine!

Written by Chris Parton
Gabby Barrett Stuns 2021 CMT Artists of the Year With ‘The Good Ones’
Gabby Barrett performs "The Good Ones" at the 2021 CMT Artists of the Year special.

Gabby Barrett lived up to her new title at the 2021 CMT Artists of the Year special Wednesday night (October 13), stunning the audience with both her talent and her humble charm.

Putting her powerhouse vocal in the spotlight — with no musical safety net to speak of — she delivered a gorgeously crafted rendition of her Platinum-certified 2020 hit, “The Good Ones.”

Singing the heartfelt tune with a bare minimum of musical backup, Barrett’s “The Good Ones” performance was a showcase for her emerging vocal dominance. With her voice ranging from whisper soft to bold (but never shouty), the rising star delivered one of the night’s dynamic standouts — made all the more powerful with some tasteful, gospel-style harmony singing, and her husband Cade Foehner playing acoustic guitar behind her.

But as confident as she looked on that tender tribute to all the good guys of the world, accepting her Artists of the Year trophy showed a star who’s still getting used to her status.

Nervously admitting she doesn’t quite feel like she belongs in the same league as her fellow honoreesChris Stapleton, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Mickey Guyton and Randy Travis — Barrett said she’s grateful for all the support she’s gotten, especially in the last few years.

“Thank you so much CMT, I do not feel like I deserve to be here in this room with all these amazing names,” she said. “It’s been a dream come true.”

A dream that is still coming true. She may feel out of place, but with two massive hits and awards piling up not just from CMT, but also the ACM Awards, Billboard Music Awards and more — including her four nominations at the upcoming CMA Awards — fans already know Gabby Barrett is one of “The Good Ones.”