The 2014 CMA Awards promised to deliver a night full of show-stopping performances, sweet acceptance speeches and yet another stellar ho...
(Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Photo)
1. The Monologue: Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood’s banter was on-point again this year, with the co-hosts poking fun at everyone from Renee Zellweger to Kaci Hickox, about whom they sang, “Quarantine,” to the tune of “Jolene.” (Sample lyric: “Quarantine, quarantine, quarantine, quarantine/What part of stay inside don’t you understand?”) They got political too: When discussing Taylor Swift’s move to the pop genre, the two admitted they were suffering from “Postpartum Taylor Swift Disorder,” a disease Paisley said President Obama doesn’t care about. “I’m pretty sure that’s why the Democrats lost the Senate,” remarked Underwood.
2. Carrie’s Baby News! Underwood flaunted a tiny baby bump under her many costume changes from the evening, and Paisley begged to know if she was expected a boy or a girl. She told him, and he told the audience: Next year, it’ll be a baby boy for Underwood!
3. Miranda Lambert’s Duet with Meghan Trainor: Miranda Lambert had a big night, winning three awards and performing twice. (Earlier in the day, she picked up an award for Musical Event of the Year too!) However, perhaps her most notable performance came early in the evening when the “Smokin’ and Drinkin’” singer joined newcomer Meghan Trainor on stage for her CMA Awards debut, singing Trainor’s single, “All About That Bass.” Their chemistry was undeniable, and it went down as one of the most talked-about duets of the night.
4. Vince Gill’s Big Honor: For the second time in CMA Awards history, a singer — this time, Vince Gill — was honored with the Irving Waugh Award of Excellence. Prior to his acceptance speech, stars from Keith Urban to Taylor Swift paid homage to the country star, and Paisley called him “the ultimate class act and class clown.” True to form, Gill accepted the honor with grace and humor, even paying homage to Waugh himself, whom he called “a gentlemen’s gentleman.”
(Wade Payne/Invision/AP Photo)
5. Loretta Lynn and Garth Brooks Made Appearances: It’s not every day that Loretta Lynn gets on stage to sing, but that’s just what she did during the CMA Awards, joining Kacey Musgraves for a duet of “You’re Lookin’ At Country.” Then, later in the show, Garth Brooks made his first CMA Awards appearance since 2005 to present Entertainer of the Year to a very grateful Luke Bryan.
