2021 Academy of Country Music Awards: Winners, performers and star attendees

The awards ceremony was hosted at a number of venues around Nashville

Maren Morris wins Song of the Year for her single, 'The Bones', at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Reuters

Blake Shelton performs at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville for a taped appearance ahead of the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards show. Reuters

Mickey Guyton performs at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. AP Photo

Carrie Underwood and CeCe Winans perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville for a taped appearance ahead of the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards show. Reuters

Miranda Lambert performs 'In His Arms' at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. AP Photo

Keith Urban performs at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, for a taped appearance ahead of the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards. Reuters

Lady A performs 'Like a Lady' at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. Reuters

Chris Young and Kayne Brown perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for a taped appearance ahead of the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards show. Reuters

Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for a taped appearance ahead of the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards show. Reuters

Brothers Osborne perform 'Dead Man's Curve' during the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Reuters

Miranda Lambert and Elle King perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville for a taped appearance ahead of the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards show. Reuters

Leslie Jordan speaks at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. AP Photo

Chris Stapleton wins Album of the Year for 'Starting Over' at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards in Nashville. Reuters

Male Artist of the Year winner Thomas Rhett celebrates with his award at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Reuters

Luke Bryan appears on screen accepting the award for Entertainer of the Year at the 56th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. AP Photo

Broadcasting before live audiences from country music's home town, Nashville, Tennessee, the 56th Academy of Country Music awards show made for a star-studded Sunday night.

For the second year, the ACM awards took place in several smaller sites around Nashville, including the emblematic Grand Ole Opry House, rather than at the usual Las Vegas venue.

More than two dozen performers, including co-hosts Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton, as well as genre stars Kenny Chesney and Maren Morris, who won two awards, took part in the three-hour show. A number of performances were pre-recorded ahead of the Sunday night screening.

Luke Bryan took the top prize for Entertainer of the Year, while Chris Stapleton won Album of the Year for Starting Over. Morris was awarded Female Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for The Bones, and Thomas Rhett was named Male Artist of the Year.

The award nominees sat spaced out in the mostly empty front rows of the Opry, all wearing masks, as the audience applauded and cheered from the higher floors.

Bryan was scheduled to perform at the award show, but had to bow out after recently testing positive for Covid-19.

"I'm so sorry I could not be there," he said in a video message from Los Angeles, promising his fans he would be back soon.

Morris thanked the talented artists she competed with for inspiring her, saying, "I have heard some of the best music out of you all this past year".

Miranda Lambert, the most nominated female artist in the Academy's history with 35 ACM wins, kicked off the show alongside Elle King with a duet.

Among the performances, Carrie Underwood and Cece Winans stood out for a medley of gospel songs including Amazing Grace and Great is Thy Faithfulness.

Guyton, a nominee for new Female Artist of the Year, and the first Black woman to host the ACM awards, performed her song Hold On with a gospel choir accompaniment.

Urban, the 2019 Entertainer of the Year winner, who returned this year after hosting the 2020 ACM show, thrilled the audience with his new song Tumbleweed.

Full list of winners at the 2021 Academy of Country Music Awards:

Entertainer of the Year: Luke Bryan

Female artist of the Year: Maren Morris

Male artist of the Year: Thomas Rhett

Album of the Year: Starting Over, Chris Stapleton

Song of the Year: The Bones, Maren Morris, Laura Veltz, Jimmy Robbins

Single of the Year: I Hope You're Happy Now, Carly Pearce and Lee Brice

Duo of the Year: Dan + Shay

Group of the Year: Old Dominion

New Female Artist of the Year: Gabby Barrett

New Male Artist of the Year: Jimmie Allen

Musical Event of the Year: I Hope You're Happy Now, Carly Pearce and Lee Brice

Video of the Year: Worldwide Beautiful, Kane Brown