With 53 years of shows in the books, the CMA Awards have boasted some pretty memorable moments; from epic onstage performances to hilarious host monologues, viewers never quite know what surprises are in store on Country Music’s Biggest Night. But of course, the biggest surprises always come when the winners are announced — the CMAs are about the awards after all — and country’s biggest stars never disappoint when they take the stage to accept their statues.
Whether it’s Dolly Parton busting out of her dress (literally!), Blake Shelton paying homage to his late father or Willie Nelson just happy to be alive to see his award, CMA winners’ acceptance speeches are often the highlights in a show that’s full of them.
Flip through the photo gallery below to look back at some of the most unforgettable acceptance speeches from throughout the years. Some made us laugh so hard we cried, while others brought real tears to our eyes:
The 2022 CMA Awards are scheduled to take place on Nov. 9 and will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on ABC and via live stream on Hulu beginning at 8PM ET. The 56th annual ceremony will be co-hosted by Luke Bryan and former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.
The Boot will be staying up late covering the most buzzed-about winners, fashion and moments at the 2022 CMA Awards. Readers can watch along with us by checking back to TheBoot.com for the latest CMAs headlines, liking The Boot on Facebook and following The Boot on Twitter and Instagram.
This story was originally written by Deborah Evans-Price, and revised by Carrie Horton.
WATCH: Carrie Underwood + Brad Paisley’s Best CMA Awards One-Liners