Biggest winners and fieriest moments from the 58th ACM Awards in Dallas-Fort Worth

ACM Awards recap

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Dolly Parton sang rock 'n' roll, wheeled a goat on stage, and Facetime'd with Willie Nelson. The 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards - held Thursday, May 11 at the Star in Frisco - were a wild and sometimes wacky celebration of country music in 2023.

There were tributes to Texas and Dallas-Fort Worth throughout the night, including Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott and Emmitt Smith presenting awards and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders waving their silver and blue pom-poms on the red (well, black) carpet. The Star in Frisco is, after all, the Cowboys' home turf.

Keith Urban opened the show with an rousing performance of “Texas Time,” which ended with him being raised into the air on a platform while shredding on his guitar. (Wife Nicole Kidman joined him at the event, in town for her own special gig as keynote speaker for Genesis Women's Shelter's fundraising luncheon in Dallas on Friday.)

Country music icon Dolly Parton teamed up with Garth Brooksas hosts of the two-hour show, which was streamed live and nearly commercial-free on Prime Video. Things got off to a bit of a weird start when he introduced her as the "G.O.A.T." and she then wheeled a real goat onstage (poor thing!) and cracked a joke about a threesome.

“I think I speak for everybody, not just in Texas but around the world, when I say we will always love you,” a blushing Brooks replied.

The show was as much concert as it is awards presentation. The star-studded lineup of performers and special collaborations included Cole Swindell and Jo Dee Messina on their (award-winning) hit "She Had Me At Heads Carolina - REMIX.” Karaoke lyrics displayed throughout the arena urged the audience to join in, whether they knew the song from back in Messina's day or Swindell's updated version.

In another "coming together" of generations, 2022 ACM Female Artist of the Year winner Carly Pearce and Trisha Yearwood (who won the award 25 years ago) performed a special medley of Yearwood’s hits, including “Wrong Side Of Memphis,” “XXX’s And OOO’s,” and “She’s In Love With The Boy."

English pop superstar Ed Sheeranperformed “Life Goes On” from his newly-released album “-” (Subtract) and surprised the crowd when he brought Luke Combs to the stage to join him.

Texas' own Miranda Lambert performed "Carousel,” a song she described as one of her favorite songs she has ever written. (A live version will be released on Amazon Music on May 16.)

New Female Artist of the Year winner Hailey Whitters made her ACM Awards stage debut with a performance of her fan-favorite song, “Everything She Ain’t.”

The War And Treaty mesmerized the crowd with a stripped-back performance of their song “Blank Page.”

Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson performed “Save Me” in a moment that highlighted Academy philanthropic partner ACM Lifting Lives. Also, Wilson electrified the stage a performance of “Grease,” making its TV debut.

Ashley McBryde, along with Brandy Clark, Caylee Hammack, Pillbox Patti,and John Osborne, delivered an empowering performance of “Bonfire at Tina's” from McBryde's ACM Award-nominated album Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville.

It wasn't the only fiery performance.

As promised, Dolly Parton closed the show with one of her biggest performances to date with the world premiere of “World On Fire,” the lead single from her highly anticipated forthcoming rock album Rockstar. The over-the-top production included backup dancers, confetti, and lots of pyrotechnics.

But oh yes, there were awards given out, too. Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, and Cole Swindell were among the night's biggest winners.

Below, a list of the big winners at the 58th ACM Awards. Scroll through the photos above to see some of the most memorable moments from the Texas-sized show.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: Chris Stapleton

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Lainey Wilson

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Morgan Wallen (who was absent due to illness)

DUO OF THE YEAR: Brothers Osborne

GROUP OF THE YEAR: Old Dominion

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Hailey Whitters

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Zach Bryan

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Bell Bottom Country - Lainey Wilson, Jay Joyce, Broken Bow Records

SINGLE OF THE YEAR: She Had Me At Heads Carolina - Cole Swindell, Zach Crowell, Warner Music Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR: She Had Me At Heads Carolina - Cole Swindell, Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jesse Frasure, Mark D. Sanders, Thomas Rhett, Tim Nichols

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR: wait in the truck - HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Ashley Gorley

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: HARDY

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR: wait in the truck - HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson

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Host and performer Dolly Parton brought more than a little fire all by herself.

Photo courtesy of Morgan Wallen

Morgan Wallen replaced as headliner for big ACM Awards concert in North Texas

ACMs news

Morgan Wallen is out. Jason Aldean is in. That's the word on the headliner situation for "ACM Lifting Lives: LIVE concert" in The Colony on Wednesday, May 10.

Wallen had gotten top billing on "ACM Lifting Lives LIVE: Morgan Wallen & Friends," a fundraiser at Topgolf in The Colony benefiting Lifting Lives, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music.

But on Tuesday, Wallen posted to social media a video explaining that doctors had put him on vocal rest and he'd be canceling shows for six weeks - including his ACM-related appearances.

The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards are taking place at The Star in Frisco on Thursday, May 11; Wallen also was to perform on the show.

According to Country Now, Aldean - reigning ACM Entertainer of the Decade - was tapped as a last-minute replacement for Wallen at the sold-out benefit concert the night before the big awards show. Other performers include ACM Songwriter of the Year HARDY, reigning ACM New Female Artist and Song of the Year winner Lainey Wilson, ERNEST, Bailey Zimmerman, and DJ 13lackbeard.

The concert will follow the Topgolf Tee-Off and Rock On Fundraiser, presented by VGT by Aristocrat Gaming, taking place earlier that day; the concert is ticketed separately from the golf tournament.

Just what does Lifting Lives do? According to a release, "in addition to distributing more than $4 million to date through its Covid Relief Fund, ACM Lifting Lives provides critical support through the Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund, significant annual commitments to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Music Health Alliance, and the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, and individual grants to organizations that reach communities all across America."

The ACM Awards will be free to stream live for a global audience across more than 240 countries and territories exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch (it'll also stream for free the next day on Amazon Freevee).The show gets started 6 pm Thursday, May 11 at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco. There are still a limited number of tickets remaining (starting around $400) via SeatGeek, organizers say.

The Awards are being preceded by "ACM Awards Week," an entire slate of prelude parties, including:

ACM Country Kickoff at The Star, a two-day music and entertainment festival which is open to the public, free to all fans, and does not require tickets - May 9-10.
ACM Songs & Stories Powered by The Bluebird Cafe + NSAI, a private industry celebration of the top songwriters of the past year
A Dolly Parton-branded pop-up shop

The 2023 edition of the Academy of Country Music Awards will mark a return to Texas for the first time since the landmark 50th ACM Awards, which took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in 2015.

Photo by Art Streiber

Dolly Parton teams up with Garth Brooks to host 2023 ACM Awards in Dallas-Fort Worth

ACM Awards news

Country music icon Dolly Parton will grace the stage for the third time as host of the American Country Music Awards, and she's bringing along a newcomer: Garth Brooks. The two superstars will emcee the58th annual ACMstaking place, for the first time, at The Star in Frisco on Thursday, May 11. The show will stream on Prime Video.

“I am thrilled to return to host the ACM Awards, this time with my friend Garth,” Parton says in a release. “While I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with him throughout the years, I can’t believe we’ve never had the chance to work together. In addition to getting to see all this great new talent in country music, I am excited to have the chance to premiere the lead single from my upcoming rock album on the show!”

Adds Brooks, “Anyone with Dolly Parton makes a fantastic couple."

As Billboard reminds, Parton hosted the big awards show solo in 2000, and again last year with co-hosts Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett. It's Brooks' first time to take on co-hosting duties at any awards show. He's coming off a world tour that included a smash-hit show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in August 2022.

“We are elated to have beloved icon Dolly Parton return to co-host the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards alongside the legendary Garth Brooks,” says Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon and MGM Studios. “As we bring back the Emmy-nominated Academy of Country Music Awards to our global audience, we are thrilled to continue to showcase the power of Amazon to create what will be an unforgettable night of live entertainment experiences with Dolly and Garth at the helm of ‘Country Music’s Party of the Year.’”

According to Billboard, fans shouldn't expect a Parton-Brooks musical collaboration on stage. However, Parton - a recent inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - will be debuting a single from her forthcoming rock album, Rockstar, on the show.

The 2023 edition of the Academy of Country Music Awards will mark a return to Texas for the first time since the landmark 50th ACM Awards, which took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in 2015.

A limited number of tickets remain (starting around $400) via SeatGeek, organizers say.

As with any worldwide, Super Bowl-level event, there'll be many happenings leading up to it, including a benefit concert headlined by Morgan Wallen. The country music bad boy (and current superstar and reigning ACM Album of the Year winner) takes top billing on "ACM Lifting Lives LIVE: Morgan Wallen & Friends," a fundraiser for Lifting Lives, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music.

The show will be held at 7:30 pm Wednesday, May 10 on the golfing green at Topgolf in The Colony. Tickets ($350) for the benefit concert are on sale now through AXS.

Additional events plus ACM award nominees, performers, and presenters for this year’s show will be announced in coming weeks.

Photo courtesy of Morgan Wallen

Morgan Wallen's ACMs concert tops this week's 5 hottest Fort Worth headlines

This week's hot headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. Country music bad boy Morgan Wallen headlines ACM Awards benefit show in Dallas-Fort Worth. Dallas-Fort Worth will be the center of the country music universe on May 11, when the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards are broadcast from The Star in Frisco. As with any worldwide, Super Bowl-level event, there'll be many happenings leading up to it. First up: a benefit concert headlined by Morgan Wallen.

2. Fort Worth's buzzy new Koe Wetzel's Riot Room pops open beer-can chicken. Koe has arrived: Koe Wetzel's Riot Room, a new Fort Worth bar and restaurant in which famed country singer-songwriter Koe Wetzel is partnered, has softly opened in the 7th Street district at 1100 Foch St., with live music and a food menu of Southern and Texas classics.

3. Meet the 9 rising star chefs heating up Fort Worth's food scene. While we count down to the big Tastemaker Awards party, we are getting to know the nominees in an editorial series leading up to the event. Up next, the category of Rising Star Chef of the Year. While most of these talented chefs are not new to the industry, many are newer to the local culinary scene or have new ventures. Here are the nominees.

4. Big week for music fans with news of a dozen concerts coming to Dallas-Fort Worth. For summer concert lovers in Dallas-Fort Worth, last week brought a bounty of good news with a big round of tours coming through Texas in 2023. Details have been revealed for tours featuring Drake, TLC, Christopher Cross, Steve Miller Band with Cheap Trick, Willie Nelson, and many more.

5. Where to eat: Best Fort Worth restaurants for Easter 2023 dining. Brunch has become a big trend, but it has always been a thing on Easter Sunday, when it's a tradition to hit up a brunch as a reward for attending Mass. It's such a thing that some restaurants in Fort Worth that are usually closed on Sundays open for special hours on this one holy day. Here's than where to get brunch (and dinner) on Easter Sunday in Fort Worth.

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'Yellowstone' stars to greet fans at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Yellowstone news

Yellowstone fans, get your comfy shoes ready - there'll be a long line for this one. Cole Hauser a.k.a. "Rip Wheeler" on Yellowstone, and Taylor Sheridan, the show's co-creator, executive producer, and director of the series, will meet fans and sign autographs at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

The event will take place from 4:30-6:30 pm only on Friday, February 3. Location is the 6666 Ranch booth near the south end of Aisle 700 in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Hall.

According to a February 2 announcement from FWSSR, "fans will have the opportunity to snag an autograph as well as purchase some distinctive Yellowstone and 6666 Ranch merchandise while also enjoying all the features the Stock Show offers."

The event is free to attend (with paid Stock Show admission) and open to the public.

It's the second year in a row for Hauser to appear at FWSSR; in 2022, he and fellow cast mates drew huge crowds.

Sheridan, a Paschal High School graduate, is no stranger to Fort Worth; he lives in a ranch near Weatherford and filmed 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, in and around Fort Worth. Currently, another spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is filming in North Texas.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is winding up its 2023 run on Saturday, February 4.

Concerts in the Garden drones light up this week's 5 hottest Fort Worth headlines

This week's hot headlines

1. Fort Worth Symphony launches summer concerts with sparkly extra: drones. The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra returned with its annual summer concert series, Concerts in The Garden, featuring 11 concerts taking place at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, starting May 26 and running through June 11. And the coolest part of the 2023 series might be the light show: For the first time, they're replacing old-school fireworks with the use of cutting-edge drones.

2. Openings and closings head up this Fort Worth restaurant news roundup. This roundup of dining news around Fort Worth has an opening, a closing, a gofundme campaign, and loads of new menus for summer. Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news.

3. Decadent desserts in jars from celebrity Top Chef roll in to Fort Worth. Desserts in jars from a celebrity chef are coming to Fort Worth: Jars by Fabio Viviani, a fast-casual dessert brand serving popular desserts in jars, is opening a location in the Trinity Commons/Tom Thumb center, at 3000 S. Hulen St. #150. It'll open in late 2023.

4. 3 Dallas-Fort Worth entrepreneurs rank among Forbes' richest self-made women for 2023. Twelve of the country's 100 most successful female entrepreneurs live in Texas this year, and three of them call Dallas-Fort Worth home. So says Forbes in its 2023 list of America's Richest Self-Made Women, released June 1.

5. 5 tips for stunning beach sand sculptures from 2023 Texas SandFest winners. “Playing” in the sand on the beach isn’t just an activity for children, as proven by the 22 professional sand sculptors from around the world who recently competed in the 26th annual Texas SandFest. Here are five of the pros' top tips for producing a beachfront masterpiece.

Cafe with made-to-order mini-doughnuts to open near TCU in south Fort Worth

Doughnut News

Little doughnuts are rolling into south Fort Worth via a new doughnut cafe. Called Batter & Beans, it'll serve doughnuts, coffee, and more, and it's opening at 3548 South Hills Ave., south of TCU in Westcliff Center.

They'll be right around the corner from Cafe Bella [which it should be noted recently won Best Neighborhood Restauant in CultureMap's 2023 Tastemaker Awards].

Batter & Beans will be a family-owned collaboration between Matthew Whip, a partner at Ernst & Young, and his brother-in-law, who worked for a restaurant group in Michigan and brings the food knowhow.

They'll be doing miniature doughnuts, similar to the Pittsburgh-based Peace, Love, and Little Donuts chain (which has one location in Texas, in Southlake).

They're aiming to be open by early fall.

"We'll be doing fresh, made-to-order mini cake doughnuts plus premium coffee we're sourcing out of Chicago, from Metropolis, a small-batch artisan roaster," Whip says. "We're originally from the Chicago area, and that's always been my favorite roaster, and they also roast coffee for Yolk, which has a location in Sundance Square."

The cafe will also offer fresh lemonade, iced tea, and ice cream, for neighbors who want to stop in for a treat at night.

Whip and his family first relocated from the Chicago area to North Texas in 2018, then moved down the street from the shop last year. It's a small storefront, about 920 square feet, and they're currently in the final stages of design and permitting.

"There's lots of kids in this neighborhood, and I think a place with mini doughnuts would do well," Whip says.

It was only after they signed on to do the shop that they learned from a neighbor that the space they're taking had good doughnut karma, with a longtime history as a doughnut shop, most recently a place called Donut Palace. Sadly, it closed during the pandemic. Now the doughnuts will return.

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