Chris Stapleton at the CMA Awards. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Chris Stapleton's grip on best male vocalist at the CMA Awards remains intact. He took the trophy home last night, marking the eighth time he won in that category.
Stapleton also took home the awards for single and song of the year for "White Horse."
The big picture: Morgan Wallen won entertainer of the year, the top honor of the night. It was only his second career win at the CMAs.
Wallen has been one of the biggest stars in any genre for years, churning out hits that dominated the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023 and 2024.
He bested a strong group of nominees that included Stapleton, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll and last year's winner Lainey Wilson.
Yes, but: Wallen's history at the CMA Awards has been rocky.
In 2021, he was blocked from nominations in individual categories and banned from attending that year's awards ceremony after he was caught on video using a racial slur.
