With 16 Hot Country Songs No. 1s and 21 Country Airplay No. 1s, Keith Urban has been a force in country music in the 21st century. On Thursday (May 8) night’s ACM Awards broadcast, the Aussie legend was saluted with the Triple Crown Award. That award goes to an artist who has been named new artist of the year, artist of the year and entertainer of the year, which Urban has – making him just the 12th person to do so.
Before Urban took the stage to accept the award, Megan Moroney, Chris Stapleton and Brothers Osborne hit the stage of the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, to perform three of Urban’s many hits. Moroney sang an affecting, lovely version of “Stupid Boy,” with her voice in fine form as she delivered the bittersweet song. Chris Stapleton crooned “Blue Ain’t Your Color” as Urban and his wife, Nicole Kidman, held each other and swayed; Stapleton’s signature rasp suited the song beautifully, and Urban himself couldn’t help but sing along whenever the camera was on him. “We love you, Keith,” Stapleton said after he wrapped. Concluding the Triple Crown musical salute, Brothers Osborne rocked through “Where the Blacktop Ends,” ripping up the 2001 hit and ending the tribute on an energetic note.
Accepting the award, Urban thanked the Academy of Country Music and, of course, his wife. “I love you, babygirl,” he told the Oscar winner (and Babygirl star) as she looked on and smiled. “Our girls watching at home, Sunday and Faith, I love you both. I have a massive team I couldn’t possibly thank by name,” Urban said. Still, he made a point to shout out his behind-the-scenes players, noting that “there’s no such thing as a self-made man.” Additionally, ever the gentleman, he thanked Moroney, Stapleton and Brothers Osborne, as well as the other musicians on stage. “We’re gonna be out on tour by the end of the month!” he said before leaving.
As Billboard’s Paul Grein noted in his exclusive on this year’s Triple Crown Award, Urban qualified by winning top new male vocalist in 2001, male vocalist of the year in 2005 and 2006. and entertainer of the year in 2019. Additionally, he’s the first singer to get the Triple Crown Award on the ACM Awards telecast since 2010.
The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
