The 2025 CMA Awards are here.
Luke Combs kicked off country music’s biggest night with a performance of “Back in the Saddle.”
Lainey Wilson is hosting the show on Wednesday night. The “Heart Like a Truck” singer took the stage after Combs’ performance in a white and gold, bell-bottom look. She tied the look together with a white cowboy hat and a large CMA Awards belt buckle.
Wilson walked up to country music stars in the audience and got the icons to sing their songs along with her. Lainey approached Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley and Shaboozey, among others, before Keith Urban took the stage for a performance with her.
LAINEY WILSON SPILLS DETAILS OF INTIMATE PROPOSAL, EYES ‘VERY SIMPLE’ WEDDING
The 59th annual CMA Awards are being held on Nov. 19, 2025, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Billy Ray Cyrus took the stage with Elizabeth Hurley to present the single of the year award to Ella Langley and Riley Green for “You Look Like You Love Me.”
Megan Moroney then took the stage in a very pink performance of “6 Months Later.”
19-time CMA Award winner and this year’s entertainer of the year nominee, Chris Stapleton, took the stage and performed “Bad As I Want to Be.” Hurley and Cyrus were seen grooving to Stapleton, clapping their hands.
Wednesday night’s show marks the first time Lainey Wilson has hosted the CMA Awards solo. Last year, she was joined by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning. She is one of three women to host the CMA Awards alone.
Wilson joins Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire as she makes history on Wednesday night.
During a bit, Wilson joked on stage that she received texts from Bryan and Manning.
“Lainey, you’re doing great. Love the show,” she said Manning texted her. Then said she received this text from Bryan, “Lainey, what night is the show?”
Zach Top won the CMA for best new artist of the year. He accidently brought his can of beer up on stage with him.
Wilson was joined by Billy Bob Thorton to present the musician of the year award. Thornton joked with Wilson that he has to get to church on Sundays, so he makes sure to go to bed early on Saturday night after starring in Carter Faith’s “Bar Star” music video.
Dustin Lynch told Fox News Digital on the red carpet that Wilson is the “best one” to host the award show. “Lainey is such a natural and so fun. She’s funny and confident and she’s going to represent us well tonight,” Lynch said.
WATCH: Brantley Gilbert calls CMA Awards ‘date night’
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Brantley Gilbert and his wife, Amber, celebrated a date night on the CMA red carpet. Brantley told Fox News Digital that their kids are usually “attached” to their hips, so he was very excited to get his wife to himself on Wednesday night.
“I’m kinda eating it up a little bit tonight. Daddy’s trying to cuddle,” Brantley said, which got a laugh out of his wife.
LeAnn Rimes spoke to Fox News Digital prior to the big show and called returning to CMAs a “full circle moment” after she first attended the awards show as a teenager in the late 1990s.
WATCH: LeAnn Rimes reflects on her first CMA Awards appearance
The award show will be honoring country music artists and will feature performances from Megan Moroney, Kelsea Ballerini, Ella Langley, Chris Stapleton, Kenny Chesney and Miranda Lambert.
Chesney rocked the stage with his hits, including “American Kids.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Country music star Vince Gill will be honored at the CMA Awards. He will receive the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Country Music Association, which recognizes his career and influence.
Gill spoke to Fox News Digital on the red carpet, ahead of his legendary honor. The country star hopes his legacy will be in his music.
“The songs seem to be what will live forever. The rest of us won’t. Artists will come and go, but the songs are forever,” Gill said.
