Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, Trisha Yearwood & More Named Special Award Honorees For 17th ACM Honors

The Academy of Country Music has announced this year’s recipients of the Special Awards for the 59^th Academy of Country Music Awards. 

Walt Aldridge, Tony Brown, Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson, Shannon Sanders, Lainey Wilson, and Trisha Yearwood are among the esteemed list of honorees who be celebrated during the 17^th Academy of Country Music Honors.

“Country Music Industry’s favorite night,” will take place Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Four-time ACM Award winner Carly Pearce is returning to host for the fourth straight year alongside reigning ACM Song of the Year winner Jordan Davis.

“I’m thrilled to return to host ACM Honors for the fourth year in a row. It’s always an unforgettable night that I look forward to, and I’m excited to have Jordan joining me this year!”  Pearce said.

Davis added, “I’ve performed at ACM Honors for the past two years and love that the show celebrates the behind-the-scenes titans in this industry, as well as so many of the artists I’ve looked up to for years. I’m really honored to join Carly as host this year and excited for what will be a great night.”

In addition to the just-revealed honorees, previously announced Artist-Songwriter of the Year winner Chris Stapleton, Songwriter of the year Jessie Jo Dillon, as well as Studio Recording Award and Industry Award winners, will be honored at the highly anticipated event. 

Plus, eleven-time ACM Award winner Tyler Hubbard will be on hand to present the ACM Studio Recording and Industry Awards portion of ACM Honors. Examples of categories from Studio Recording and Industry Awards include Audio Engineer of the Year, Bass Player of the Year, Casino of the Year, Drummer of the Year, Electric Guitar Player of the Year, Fair/Rodeo of the Year, Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year, Producer of the Year, Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year, and Theater of the Year.

“It was such a thrill and a privilege to call this year’s ACM Special Awards honorees to let them know how much we appreciate their work and share the news of this well-deserved recognition! From the Country Music icons to the incredible songwriters and powerhouse executives, we can’t wait to celebrate you in August at one of my favorite nights of the year – ACM Honors,” said Kerri Edwards, Chair of the ACM Special Awards Committee. “Our committee members did a fantastic job selecting this year’s class of honorees, and I thank them for their participation and join them in congratulating all of the recipients!”

Tickets for ACM Honors will be available to ACM A-List email newsletter subscribers and Academy members through an exclusive pre-sale beginning Thursday, June 20. The general on-sale will begin Friday, June 21, through AXS. Fans can subscribe now to the A-List here to gain access to Thursday’s pre-sale. Stay tunes for upcoming announcements regarding performers for this year’s event. 

Special Award Honorees:

ACM TRIPLE CROWN AWARD – Lainey Wilson will receive the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award following her win for ACM Entertainer of the Year at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2024. Wilson qualified for the Triple Crown Award after winning ACM New Female Artist of the Year, ACM Female Artist of the Year, and ACM Entertainer of the Year, an honor only nine other artists have been awarded. Wilson is the first solo woman to achieve the ACM Triple Crown Award in a three-year span and the first artist since The Chicks (1998-2000) to qualify for the ACM Triple Crown in that timeframe.

Lainey Wilson won ACM New Female Artist of the Year and ACM Song of the Year at the 57th ACM Awards, following up those wins with numerous others, including ACM Female Artist of the Year at the 58th ACM Awards and ACM Entertainer of the Year at the 59th ACM Awards, qualifying her for the ACM Triple Crown Award and bringing her ACM Awards count to ten trophies.

Previous recipients of the ACM Triple Crown Award include Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn,Kenny Chesney,Mickey Gilley,Merle Haggard, Miranda Lambert, Barbara Mandrell,Chris Stapleton, and Carrie Underwood.

ACM ICON AWARD – Tony Brown and Trisha Yearwood have both been chosen to receive the ACM Icon Award, honoring the contributions of Cliffie Stone, who was known for his producing work along with his Country Music career. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group or industry leader who, throughout their career, has advanced the popularity of the genre through their contributions in multiple facets of the industry, such as songwriting, recording, production, touring, film, television, literary works, philanthropic contributions, and other goodwill efforts.  

Tony Brown has a storied career in the music industry, from playing piano with Elvis Presley, as part of the TCB Band, and Emmylou Harris, to producingover 100 number one Country songs, including hits for Reba McEntire, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, and more, and serving as president of MCA Records Nashville. He has previously won seven ACM Awards, including Producer of the Year.

Trisha Yearwood emerged as one of the top voices in Country Music in the 90s, winning ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year in 1991 and winning ACM Female Vocalist of the Year in 1997. Along with a win for ACM Video of the Year in 2016, Yearwood has taken home three ACM Awards in her career.

Past recipients of the ACM Icon Award include Alabama, Connie Bradley, Brooks & Dunn,Garth Brooks, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, CharlieDaniels, Mike Dungan, Joe Galante, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Alan Jackson, George Jones, The Judds,Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw,Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton,Charley Pride,Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams,Hank Williams Jr., and Dwight Yoakam, among others. 

ACM LIFT EVERY VOICE AWARD – Shannon Sanders has been chosen to receive the ACM Lift Every Voice Award. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group, industry leader or affiliate/partner who plays a pivotal role in elevating underrepresented voices throughout the Country Music genre, transcending demographics and geography. The nominee for this category is proposed by the rising leaders in the Academy’s LEVel UP: Lift Every Voice professional development and enrichment program, a two-year curriculum designed to empower participants to play a pivotal role in expanding the horizons of Country Music into new audiences that transcend demographics and geography.

Shannon Sanders is a respected member of Nashville’s music industry with multiple awards under his belt as a songwriter, producer, and musician. He currently serves as Executive Director, Creative at BMI, and he is an advocate for music creators, serving on the Academy of Country Music Board of Directors and as well as chairing the ACM Lifting Voices Council.

BRELAND received the first-ever ACM Lift Every Voice Award in 2023. 

ACM LIFTING LIVES AWARD–Luke Bryan has been chosen to receive the ACM Lifting Lives Award, honoring the contributions of Gary Haber, known as a business manager and past president of ACM Lifting Lives. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group, or industry professional who is devoted to improving lives through the power of music, has a generosity of spirit, and is committed to serving others. It is voted on by the ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors.  

Luke Bryan has placed 30 singles at #1, winning ACM Entertainer of the Year three times and taking home a total of ten ACM Awards to date. While Bryan’s music has brought him worldwide acclaim, he’s also well-known through his philanthropy, especially through his Farm Tour, which is entering into its 15th year. The son of a peanut farmer, Bryan brings his shows to farms across the country. Since the tour’s inception in 2009, he has awarded more than 80 scholarships, and the Farm Tour has raised enough money to, along with sponsors, donate more than 8 million meals.

Past recipients of the ACM Lifting Lives Award include Paul Barnabee, Ross Copperman,Gayle Holcomb, Lady A, Dolly Parton, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Troy Vollhoffer, and Dwight Wiles.  

ACM MILESTONEAWARD–Lainey Wilson has been chosen as the recipient of the ACM Milestone Award, honoring the contributions of Gene Weed, who directed and produced the ACM Awards for more than 30 years. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group or industry leader for a specific, unprecedented or outstanding achievement in the field of Country Music during the preceding calendar year.   

Past recipients of the ACM Milestone Award include Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, George Burns, Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Merle Haggard, Sam Hunt, Miranda Lambert, Loretta Lynn, Little Big Town, Willie Nelson, Jennifer Nettles, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Morgan Wallen.   

ACM POET’S AWARD – Walt Aldridge and Alan Jackson have each been chosen as recipients of the ACM Poet’s Award. This award is presented to a Country Music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of Country Music.  

Walt Aldridge is the recipient of more than 20 gold and platinum RIAA certifications and wrote or co-wrote 56 top-40 songs on the Billboard Country charts. He was twice named one of Billboard’s top writers of the year and has written songs for everyone from Lou Reed to Reba McEntire, including #1 hits for Ronnie Milsap, Earl Thomas Conley, Travis Tritt, and Heartland. Aldridge spent nearly 20 years in Muscle Shoals working at Fame Recording Studio and is also an accomplished musician, singer, and producer.

Alan Jackson is a 20-time ACM Award winner, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and one of the most successful singer-songwriters in music. During his career, Jackson has sold nearly 60 million albums worldwide and has charted 50 top-ten hits and 35 No. 1s.

Previous recipients of the ACM Poet’s Award include Bill Anderson, Clint Black, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rodney Crowell, Dean Dillon,Kye Fleming, Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, K.T. Oslin, Buck Owens,Eddie Rabbitt, Fred Rose, Don Schlitz, Billy Joe Shaver,Shel Silverstein,Sonny Throckmorton, Shania Twain, Cindy Walker,and Hank Williams, among others.  

ACM ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD –As previously announced, Chris Stapleton was awarded the 59th ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year Award, his fourth ACM Award this year and his 20th ACM Award to date. This award is presented to an individual known both as an artist and a songwriter, selected by a Professional Panel of judges whose members composed of songwriters, publishers, producers, and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. The Panel submits five nominees, at which time ACM members in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Songwriter, Music Publisher/PRO and Record Company categories vote for the winner.

HARDY received the first-ever ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year Award in 2023.

ACM SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD –As previously announced, Jessie Jo Dillon was awarded the 59th ACM Songwriter of the Year Award. This award is presented to an individual known predominately as a songwriter, selected by a professional panel of judges composed of songwriters, publishers, producers, and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. The Panelsubmits five nominees, at which time ACM members in the Artist/Musician/Producer/Engineer, Songwriter, Music Publisher/PRO and Record Company categories vote for the winner. This is Jessie Jo Dillon’s first ACM Award.

Past recipients of the ACM Songwriter of the Year Award include Ross Copperman, Dallas Davidson, Ashley Gorley, HARDY, Luke Laird, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally, Lori McKenna,and Roger Miller.