FILE - Signage for the 51st annual CMA Awards appears in lights at the Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. The CMA Awards are back Wednesday to honor the top artists in country music, with Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Ashley McBryde and Morgan Wallen among the performers. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
NASHVILLE – Luke Combs took home the CMA Award for single of the year Wednesday night for his cover of “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman, who became the unlikely winner of song of the year for a tune she wrote in 1988.
“I want to thank Tracy Chapman for writing one of the greatest songs of all time,” the 33-year-old North Carolina singer said as he accepted the first trophy handed out during the ABC telecast. “It’s the first favorite song I ever had.”
Chapman, who won two Grammys for “Fast Car” in 1989, was not at the ceremony at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, but said in a statement that it’s “truly an honor for my song to be recognized 35 years after its debut.”
Combs later took the stage to perform “Where the Wild Things Are.”
Rapper-turned-singer Jelly Roll, who earlier this year topped the CMT Music Awards, opened Wednesday night’s telecast with a performance of his hit “Need a Favor,” along with surprise guest Wynonna Judd.
Jelly Roll came into the night with five nominations, including best new artist.
Lainey Wilson is the leading nominee for the second year in a row with nine nods, competing for entertainer of the year along with Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and Combs.
Wilson walked in already a winner. Ahead of the telecast, she and HARDY were named as winners in the musical event of the year category, for “Wait in the Truck.” She’s up for eight other awards.
Stapleton, Dan + Shay and the War and Treaty are among the performers scheduled to take the stage.
Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning are hosting the ceremony, which will feature a musical tribute to the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett.
In what is becoming a CMA tradition, Brothers Osborne won duo of the year for the sixth time.
“We’re shocked, honestly, every year this happens,” T.J. Osborne said.
