Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson, Lainey Wilson & More to Be Feted at 2024 ACM Music Honors

Wilson will receive this award following her win for ACM entertainer of the year at the 59th ACM 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.

This award brings Wilson’s ACM Awards count to 10 trophies.

Wilson, 32, has notched four No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart – “Things a Man Oughta Know,” “Never Say Never (collab with Cole Swindell), “Watermelon Moonshine” and Save Me” (collab with Jelly Roll).

Previous recipients: Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Mickey Gilley, Merle Haggard, Miranda Lambert, Barbara Mandrell, Chris Stapleton and Carrie Underwood.

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. The award honors the contributions of Gene Weed, who directed and produced the ACM Awards for more than 30 years.

Previous recipients: 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.  

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. The award  honors the contributions of Gary Haber, a business manager and past president of ACM Lifting Lives.

Bryan, 47, has placed 26 songs at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and has won 10 ACM Awards to date, including three for entertainer of the year. Bryan is 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. The Farm Tour has raised enough money to, along with sponsors, donate more than 8 million meals.

Previous recipients: Paul Barnabee, Ross Copperman, Gayle Holcomb, Lady A, Dolly Parton, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Troy Vollhoffer and Dwight Wiles. 

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. 

Aldridge, 68, has written songs for everyone from Lou Reed to Reba McEntire, including 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.

Jackson, 65, 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 charted 51 top 10 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, including 26 No. 1s.

Previous recipients 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. 

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. The award honors the contributions of Cliffie Stone, who was known for his producing work along with his country music career.

Brown, 77, has had a storied career in the music industry, from playing piano with Elvis Presley and Emmylou Harris, to producing innumerable hits for such artists as Reba McEntire, George Strait and Trisha Yearwood, and serving as president of MCA Records Nashville. He has previously won seven ACM Awards, including producer of the year.

Yearwood, 59, 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. She has notched five No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart – “She’s in Love With the Boy,” “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl),” “Thinkin’ About You,” “Believe Me Baby (I Lied)” and “Perfect Love.”

Previous recipients include: Alabama, Connie Bradley, Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, 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.

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.

Sanders has 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 ACM board of directors and as well as chairing the ACM Lifting Voices Council.

Previous recipient: Breland received the first-ever ACM Lift Every Voice Award in 2023.

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.

This is Stapleton’s fourth ACM Award this year and his 20th to date. Stapleton, 46, has had two No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart – “Broken Halos” and “You Should Probably Leave.”

Previous recipient: Hardy received the first-ever ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year Award in 2023.

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 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.

This is Dillon’s first ACM Award. Dillon, 36, is a second-generation songwriter. Her father, Dean Dillon, won the ACM Poets Award in 2013.

Previous recipients: Ross Copperman, Dallas Davidson, Ashley Gorley, Hardy, Luke Laird, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally, Lori McKenna and Roger Miller.