The most sought-after recognition of the CMT Music Awards, Video of the Year, went to Kane Brown and his wife Katelyn Brown for their performance of “Thank God.” Emotional and admittingly nervous, she thanked her husband and gave him a kiss. The category started out with 16 nominees and fan voting was narrowed down to three, just hours before the winner was announced. Kane also served as co-host alongside Kelsea Ballerini.
Jelly Roll was the night’s big winner as he seemed to be, not only a fan favorite, but well respected among his peers. He took home Best Male Video, Digital-First Performance, and Breakthrough Male Video for “Son of a Sinner.” Joined by a choir of 16 people, his performance of “Need A Favor (I Only Talk To God)” had most of the audience standing.
Lainey Wilson, who started the evening with four nominations, won Female Video for “Heart Like A Truck” and shared Best Collaboration with HARDY for “Wait in The Truck”. Megan Moroney won Female Breakthrough Video for “Tennessee Orange.”
Along with performances by some of country music’s biggest stars, the night consisted of artists from several genres of music, including a tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd, a performance my Alanis Morissette, and a presentation by Megan Thee Stallion to Shania Twain for her Equal Play Award.
After being held in Music City for decades, this year’s show had a new home in Austin, Texas.
WINNERS
Video Of The Year
- Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
Female Video Of The Year
- Lainey Wilson – “Heart Like A Truck”
Male Video Of The Year
- Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
Group/Duo Video Of The Year
- Zac Brown Band – “Out In The Middle”
Breakthrough Female Video Of The Year
- Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange”
Breakthrough Male Video Of The Year
- Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
Collaborative Video Of The Year
- HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “Wait In The Truck”
CMT Performance Of The Year
- Cody Johnson – “‘Til You Can’t” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
CMT Digital-First Performance Of The Year
- Jelly Roll – “Son of A Sinner” (from CMT All Access)
CMT Audio
Shania Twain accepts Equal Play Award
- “Let me start by saying let's go, girls. Listen, when I wrote the phrase “Man, I feel like a woman,” I had no idea it would become an undercurrent of a decades long career. It's amazing how just one statemet can empower so many. “Man! I feel like a woman” has been adopted by an array of fantastic communities all around the world and become a genuine path of power and progress for women. Women in country music. Which brings me so much joy. Thank you to CMT for pushing the equal play agenda and thank you for always supporting me. In fact, you know what, you may not know this. But the CMT rising star award was my very first award ever. 30 years ago. That was in 1993. CMT holds a very special place in my heart. And I promise I will continue to champion the many outstanding country artists who are not currently played. They are not streamed, tours signed or awarded at the level they deserve so I believe in an all-inclusive country music. We are a family. This is a genre of music with a rich history that raised and nurtured my own songwriting and performance and recording career from childhood. Currently the industry standard does a real disservice to this. Let us, the country music industry, do our part to close work space for all talent. This year, I'm takinmany amazing artists on my queen of knee tour robin, Priscilla, several more. My hope is that this opportunity and spotlight impresses you mu much. And lifts up the careers of these very talented people on their journey. I will continue to do my best as a trailblazer and together, let's ensure that all our fellow artists get equal play regardless of gender, age, or race. Thank you again for honoring me. Special thank you to all my fans. I am truly touched by this moment. Thank you. Cheers and applause” 3:35 OC…moment thank you Cheers and applause
Lainey Wilson accepts for Female Video of the Year
- “Whoo! My heart is about to be tried out of my chest, I'll be honest with y'all. This song is about finding freedom and strength. It's about not being afraid of the scratches and the dents on the bumps along the way we've all got a story to tell and I'm so proud of this music video. It was filmed, produced, written and directed by all women. Can I get to “Come on now let's roll.” Cheers and applause” :30 OC…now let's roll Cheers and applause
Cody Johnson accepts for Performance of the Year for “Til You Can’t”
- “I will say this. Tonight it's great to be in my home state of Texas. Cheers and applause Before I thank Warner music Nashville, before I think my band, my crew, this is performance of the year. My band and my crew, they have worked to their tail off for this. What I personally would like before I do the same old speech most people do is what I would like is for everybody in here all at once, are you having fun at the CMT awards? Make some noise. That's what performance is about and that's what my performance is about, your pleasure. Thank you so much. God bless you. Cheers and applause” :48 OC…god bless you Cheers and applause
Jelly Roll accepts for Male Video of the Year
- “I hope y'all give me a second here. I'm a little emotional. I started drinking. I didn't think I was going to win again. It may have looked like it was only 30 yards, but it took me 39 years to walk from over there to write here. In I want you to know that I don't know what you're going through and I don't know what you've been through but I know you can overcome it. I promise you you can. And you can be whatever you want to be. I promise you that. I told them I wanted to be a country music singer and I've seen here at the CMT awards with the male video of the year, baby! When god has got something for you, nothing can get in your way. Mama, I know you're watching. Mama, look at your baby boy. I'm fixing to get drunk do downtown. Cheers and applause” 1:10 OC…drunk do downtown Cheers and applause
Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown accept for Video of the Year
- “Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. First off, I am so nervous. This is so new to me. When we recorded the song a year ago, I never in my life would ever think that this was ever going to happen. But I just want to say thank you so much to my amazing husband. I love you. This is a special that we get to share this together every night and I love you so much. I'll be quick. I want to say thank you to the fans that voted. Thank you to Sony, my awesome manager, this is Alex. He moved here from Barcelona. He wanted to be a video director. He has done all of my music videos. He is making the American dream come true. I love you! Cheers and applause” :53 OC…I love you Cheers and applause
