See The Singers Who’ve Made CMA Awards History Through The Years
Country artists’ wildest dreams have come true over the CMA Awards‘ nearly six-decade history. Those who’ve won trophies on “Country Music’s Biggest Night” have found themselves in the middle of genre-defining moments.
Such moments will surely be part of the 58th CMA Awards on November 20. Just last year (2023), Lainey Wilson celebrated a history-making event when she won the CMA’s coveted Entertainer of the Year award.
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Wilson followed in the footsteps of many other artists who’ve been the “first” to accomplish something at the CMA Awards. Others have set seemingly unbeatable records…and continue to add to them.
Keep reading for a list of country stars who set a major precedent with their nominations and victories at the CMA Awards.
Brooks & Dunn
Legendary duo Brooks & Dunn hold a major CMA Awards record. They’re tied for the highest number of wins in the ceremony’s history, with a total of 18.
Additionally, Brooks & Dunn hold the record for the highest number of wins in the Vocal Duo of the Year category, with 14 wins in total. They also have the highest number of nominations in the category, earning their 24th nomination in 2024.
Vince Gill
Like Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill has won 18 trophies at the CMA Awards. So he and the “Neon Moon” singers are tied for the highest number of wins in CMA Awards history.
Also, Gill is one of only two singers to win the four major CMA Awards in the same year. Those awards are Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Male Vocalist/Female Vocalist/Group/Duo of the Year, and Song of the Year. Gill achieved this feat in 1993 at the 27th CMA Awards.
Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson is the only other artist to win all four major categories at the CMA Awards in a given year. He reached that milestone in 2002 at the 36th CMA Awards.
Additionally, Jackson has the second-most nominations (81) and the third-highest total of wins (16) in CMA Awards history.
Jackson received the CMA’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.
George Strait
It only makes sense that “The King of Country” is the most-nominated artist in CMA Awards history. He holds that record with a total of 83 nominations.
Strait also has the second-highest total of wins in CMA Awards history, with 17. He’ll soon become the ninth artist to receive the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert holds the record for the most wins in the CMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year category, totaling seven. She’s also the most-nominated female artist in CMA Awards history, with 62 total nods.
Additionally, Lambert has won more CMA Awards than any other female artist, securing 14 wins overall.
The Judds
The Judds became the first female duo to win the CMA’s Vocal Duo of the Year Award in 1988. To date, they are the only female duo to win the award.
Charley Pride
Charley Pride became the first black artist to win Entertainer of the Year in 1971. He was nominated in the category a total of six times.
To this date, Pride is the only black artist to be named the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year.
Pride was later honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2020 CMA Awards. He delivered his final televised performance during the ceremony and passed away a month later, on December 12, 2020.
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn made history in 1972 as the first female artist to win Entertainer of the Year. She set a precedent for other female winners to follow, including Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and Lainey Wilson.
Lynn received the CMA’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell first won Entertainer of the Year at the 1980 CMA Awards. She made history with a repeat win in 1981, making her the first artist to ever win Entertainer of the Year in back-to-back years.
To date, Mandrell and Taylor Swift are the only female artists to win Entertainer of the Year twice.
Tracy Chapman
Just last year (2023), Tracy Chapman made CMA Awards history as the first black songwriter to win the CMA’s Song of the Year Award. Her win came after Luke Combs covered her classic song, “Fast Car,” and experienced overwhelming success with his rendition.
Adding to her history-making moment, Chapman became the first black female artist to ever win a CMA Award.
Alabama
Alabama made history in 1982 when they became the first group to win Entertainer of the Year. They followed up with two consecutive wins at the 1983 and 1984 CMA Awards.
Only one other group, The Chicks, has ever won Entertainer of the Year.
Lainey Wilson
Lainey Wilson earned nine nominations at the 2023 CMA Awards, making her the most-nominated artist that year. Plus, she was only the fourth artist in the ceremony’s history to earn nine or more nominations.
She won several awards at the 2023 ceremony, including Entertainer of the Year. She was a first-time nominee in the category, making her win even more remarkable. Counting Wilson, only 11 artists have won Entertainer of the Year in their first year of being nominated.
Additionally, Wilson became the first female artist to win Entertainer of the Year since Taylor Swift in 2011. She and Swift are two of only seven female artists who’ve won the coveted award.
We’ll see which country stars will add their names to this list after the 2024 CMA Awards on November 20!