NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — “Son of a Sinner” singer Jelly Roll was the big winner at the CMT Music Awards, as the rapper-turned-country singer took home three awards on Sunday as an outsider who won over fans with his confessional songs.
The tattooed singer got emotional during the show in Austin, Texas, which aired on CBS, as he thanked the country radio industry for its acceptance and shouted out to those who felt like him.
Jelly Roll accepts the award for male video of the year for "Son of a Sinner" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
“You can be whatever you want to be. I promise you that. I told them that I wanted to be a country singer and I am standing here at the CMT Awards with the male video of the year, baby,” he shouted.
Some highlights from the show:
- The show started off with a somber tone as country singer and co-host Kelsea Ballerini read off the names of six victims of a school shooting killed last week in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Country superstar and five-time Grammy winner Shania Twain was given the Equal Play Award, recognizing her for being a “visible and vocal advocate” for diverse voices in country music.
- Kelsea Ballerini took to the stage flanked by drag artists, as states across the country consider legally limiting drag show performances.
- Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd were honored with a tribute performance following the death in March of the last original member, Gary Rossington.
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THE WINNERS
A complete list of winners from the 2023 CMT Music Awards:
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"
Female breakthrough video of the year: Megan Moroney, "Tennessee Orange"
Male breakthrough 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")
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PHOTO GALLERY
Photos: Highlights from the 2023 CMT Music Awards
Keith Urban performs at the CMT Music Awards, airing on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)
Lainey Wilson, left, and HARDY accept the award for collaborative video of the year for "wait in the truck" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Megan Moroney accepts the award for breakthrough female video of the year for "Tennessee Orange" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Gary Clark Jr. performs a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Blake Shelton performs a medley at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Carly Pearce performs "What He Didn't Do" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Cody Johnson performs "Human" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Lainey Wilson performs at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Kane Brown, left, and Katelyn Jae Brown perform at the CMT Music Awards, airing on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)
Avery Anna performs at the CMT Music Awards, airing on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Lainey Wilson accepts the award for female video of the year for "Heart Like a Truck" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Kelsea Ballerini, center, performs "If You Go Down (I'm Going Down Too) accompanied by drag queens Kennedy Davenport, left, and Olivia Lux at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Cody Johnson accepts the award for performance of the year for "'Til You Can't" from the 2022 CMT Music Awards at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
LeAnn Rimes presents the award for male video of the year at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Jelly Roll, center, and The Whitsitt Chapel Choir perform "Need A Favor" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Carrie Underwood performs at the CMT Music Awards, airing on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)
Carrie Underwood performs at the CMT Music Awards, airing on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)
Jelly Roll reacts as he accepts the award for male video of the year for "Son of a Sinner" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Ashley McBryde, left, and Wynonna Judd perform "I Want To Know What Love Is" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Shania Twain, left, accepts the equal play award at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Megan Thee Stallion cheers from right. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Hosts Kelsea Ballerini, left, and Kane Brown speak at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Carly Pearce, left, and Gwen Stefani perform "Just A Girl" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Kelsea Ballerini, center, performs "If You Go Down (I'm Going Down Too) accompanied by drag queens Manila Luzon, from left, Jan Sport, Olivia Lux and Kennedy Davenport at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Jelly Roll performs "Need A Favor" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Darius Rucker, left, and Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes perform at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Lainey Wilson, from left, Morgan Wade, Alanis Morissette, Ingrid Andress and Madeline Edwards perform at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Trea Swindle, left, Danica Hart and Devynn Hart of Chapel Hart perform at the CMT Music Awards, airing on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Kane Brown, left, and Katelyn Brown accept the award for video of the year for "Thank God" at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
LeAnn Rimes, left, and Wynonna Judd perform during a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Cody Johnson, from left, Slash and Billy Gibbons perform during a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
