Luke Bryan, Alabama, Loretta Lynn & More Celebrated at 9th Annual ACM Honors

Written by Lauren Jo Black
Luke Bryan, Alabama, Loretta Lynn & More Celebrated at 9th Annual ACM Honors
Jake Owen - ACM Honors 2015

Jake Owen

The 9th Annual ACM Honors event took place Tuesday evening at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium. Hosted for the second year by Jake Owen, the ceremony celebrated the non-televised special honorees and winners from the 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

It was a special night filled with one-of-a-kind musical tribute performances. Highlights of the evening included Owen’s opening performance of Alabama’s “Feels So Right,” Luke Bryan’s emotional acceptance speech, Restless Heart’s harmony-filled performance for music executive Tim DuBois, Holly Williams’ rendition of Eric Church’s “Like Jesus Does,” and Roy Clark’s performance of “Yesterday When I was Young” for writer Barry Adelman.

Luke Bryan - ACM Honors 2015

Luke Bryan

Bryan, who is also the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year, was honored with the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award. Although event organizers asked everyone to keep their speeches short, Bryan took his time when accepting the honor.

“Sept. 1, 2001, I moved to Nashville with a dream,” Bryan said. “This day 14 years ago, I never thought I’d get let into the Ryman, much less accept an award like this. In this room, it’s family. And it’s family because we’ve got two things on our mind. We’ve got music we want to make and we want to give to some awesome, awesome people, the fans out there.”

Jason Aldean honored Alabama with a medley of some of their biggest hits. The group received the Career Achievement Award at the ceremony.

Eric Church and Wife ACM Honors 2015

Eric Church and wife, Katherine

Church reflected on his time spent overseas on his 2014 The Outsiders World Tour.

“I remember being in (Germany), and it was the most scared I’ve ever been,” Church said. “I looked out through the curtain and I saw people who don’t speak English. They sang every song. They held their boots up. They smoked marijuana. I learned that night that you don’t have to speak English to speak music fluently.”

Loretta Lynn, Miranda Lambert

Loretta Lynn and Miranda Lambert

Miranda Lambert was on hand to honor her dear friend Loretta Lynn. She took the stage for the final performance of the evening and sang Lynn’s “Rated X,” which includes lyrics like “Well if you’ve been a married woman and things didn’t seem to work out/Divorce is the key to bein’ loose and free so you’re gonna be talked about.”

Lambert acknowledged what everyone was probably thinking before she presented Lynn with the Crystal Milestone Award. “She sang songs that were not necessarily appropriate to sing at times, like this for me, so I am so thankful for women empowerment.”

Others honorees included special Awards recipients Felice and Boudleaux Bryant (awarded posthumously) and Bob McDill. Studio Recording Awards (formerly MBI Awards) recipients included Chuck Ainlay, Tom Bukovac, Dan Dugmore, Jay Joyce, Greg Morrow, Michael Rojas, Ilya Toshinsky and Glenn Worf. Industry Award winners included Ed Warm of Joe’s Live, Sally Williams of Ryman Auditorium, Country Thunder USA: East in Twin Lakes, WI, Hard Rock Live in Biloxi, MS, Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, CA, Joe’s Bar in Chicago, IL, MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas, NV, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO and Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Luke Laird was honored as Songwriter of the Year.

Check out additional photos from the event below.

Jake Owen, Kelsea Ballerini ACM Honors 2015

Jake Owen with Kelsea Ballerini

Luke Bryan Miranda Lambert ACM Honors 2015

Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert

Cam - ACM Honors 2015

Cam

Holly Williams  - ACM Honors 2015

Holly Williams

Alabama -

Alabama

Jason Aldean  - ACM Honors 2015

Jason Aldean and wife, Brittany

Kelsea Ballerini - ACM Honors 2015

Kelsea Ballerini

The Swon Brothers - ACM Honors 2015

The Swon Brothers