BREAKING: Luke Combs Crowned CMA Entertainer of the Year For Second Consecutive Year: ‘This Is A Dream Come True’
Luke Combs was named CMA Entertainer Of The Year for the second consecutive year during the 56th Annual CMA Awards. …
Luke Combs; Photo by ABC
Luke Combs was named CMA Entertainer Of The Year for the second consecutive year during the 56th Annual CMA Awards.
The country superstar took home the most prestigious honor of the evening at the conclusion of the 2022 CMA Awards on Wednesday (Nov. 9) in Nashville, Tennessee.
After much-anticipation, the “Doin’ This” singer was announced as the winner of the coveted award and kissed his wife, Nicole Combs, on the cheek as he made his way to the stage to accept the honor.
“Oh my goodness, I never, ever know what to say. I want to thank country music for making my dreams come true, my beautiful, beautiful wife, Nicole, our beautiful four and a half month old son Tex is at home right now and this is a dream come true,” Combs began.
He went on to thank his team and acknowledged his fellow CMA Entertainer Of The Year nominees.
“There is nobody in this category that doesn’t deserve to be standing up here and I am just so thankful – my team, Cappy, Sony records, everybody that’s been a part of this journey, everybody in this room, I owe so much to you,” Combs continued. ”I love you so much, I just cannot believe this. Thank you for country music!”
Combs praised the broadcast for celebrating Country music.
“Let me tell you one more thing about tonight, this is my fifth or sixth year being at this award show and country has sounded more country than it has in a long time tonight,” he concluded. ”And I think we all wanted that, I love y’all!”
Combs was nominated for Entertainer of the Year alongside with Carrie Underwood, Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton.
The North Carolina native took home the trophy for CMA Album of the Year for his latest release, Growin’ Up, earlier in the show.
He also took the stage to perform his chart-topping hit, “The Kind Of Love We Make,” during the broadcast.
The 56th Annual CMA Awards featured performances from Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell, Cody Johnson, and Carly Pearce.
The show opened with an all-star tribute to the late Loretta Lynn from Underwood, Reba McEntire and Lambert.
Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, and Lainey Wilson joined together to honor the 2022 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Alan Jackson.
Additionally, the show included star-studded collaborations from Kelsea Ballerini, Kelly Clarkson and Carly Pearce, HARDY and Lainey Wilson, Elle King with The Black Keys, Brothers featuring The War and Treaty, Thomas Rhett and Katy Perry, Chris Stapleton with Patty Loveless, Zac Brown Band, Jimmie Allen and Marcus King as well as Ashley McBryde with Pillbox Patti, Brandy Clark, Caylee Hammack and John Osborne.
Mookie Betts, BRELAND, Jessica Chastain, Jordan Davis, Sarah Drew, Cole Hauser, Tyler Hubbard, Wynonna Judd, Lady A, Rex Linn, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Reba McEntire, Ben and Erin Napier, Jeannie Seely, Michael Shannon, and Lainey Wilson were on hand to present during the ceremony.
Co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, the 2022 CMA Awards broadcasted live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and aired on ABC (8:00-11:00 PM/ET).
The CMA Awards will also be available for viewing on Hulu beginning Thursday, Nov. 10.
The 56th Annual CMA Awards was a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton served as the Executive Producer, Alan Carter as the Director, and Jon Macks as the Head Writer.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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