The 54th ACM Awards on Sunday night felt like a tug of war between country’s old-school traditions and its progressive future, resulting in some truly engaging performances. Others, however, struggled to find their footing, while some moments left us with head-scratching questions — like why were two of country and Americana’s most talented musicians performing in near obscurity? And why wasn’t Kacey Musgraves’ music heard, either live or on tape? Here’s the 13 best, worst and WTF things we witnessed. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock Best: Luke Combs Is Mr. Versatile Luke Combs was one of just a select few performers (George Strait, Ashley McBryde, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood) to perform multiple times on Sunday evening. In both instances, Combs showed why he’s one of the genre’s most promising young voices, displaying his versatility as he alternated between sensitive balladry during his stripped down, Amanda Shires-assisted rendition of “Beautiful Crazy” shortly before belting out a loose, thrilling take of 1991’s “Brand New Man” alongside Brooks & Dunn. Though he didn’t win any on-screen awards, Combs’ two-for-two success left him with one of the impressions of the night. J.B. Kevin Winter/Getty Images Worst: Charlie Worsham, Amanda Shires Are Heard, Barely Seen It was a superb treat to have two of Nashville’s finest artists — Amanda Shires and Charlie Worsham — unexpectedly take the stage last night, alongside Luke Combs and Keith Urban, respectively. Playing fiddle for Combs’ performance of “Beautiful Crazy,” Shires helped transform the song with her lyrical playing while Worsham, fresh from filling out the house band at last week’s Loretta Lynn birthday tribute, added some masterful guitar to Urban’s rendition of Foy Vance’s “Burden.” It was a perfect opportunity to introduce both Shires and Worsham to even larger audiences, but there was just one problem: the ACMs didn’t bother to announce either of them. As a member of the Highwomen with performers Brandi Carlile and Maren Morris (and ACM winner Natalie Hemby) and winner of 2017’s Emerging Artist of the Year at 2017’s Americana Honors & Awards, it is an understatement to say that Shires deserved to be introduced right alongside Combs. Same for Worsham, who should have been nominated for an ACM himself for 2017’s Beginning of Things. It was thrilling to see and hear them in the fold last night (well, almost see them — Worsham was mostly in the shadows), but the ACMs should have given them the acknowledgement they deserve. M.M. Kevin Winter/Getty Images WTF: Eric Church’s Hooded Choir Eric Church and Ashley McBryde teaming up to sing-speak Church’s political allegory “The Snake” was one of the ballsiest and best performances of the ACMs. Here were two of country music’s most important songwriters trading lines about deceit, divisiveness and temptation in a typically safe-as-milk forum, with Church relishing the devilish delivery of his Garden of Eden line: “I bet you my rattle against your copper that the bitch takes the apple again.” Still, we couldn’t help but purge visions of Spinal Tap when a hooded choir (Were they druids? Monks? Sorcerers?) materialized to lend some ominous backing vocals at song’s end. To quote Tap’s “Stonehenge,” no one knows who they were or what they were doing. J.H. Kevin Winter/Getty Images Best: Brandi Carlile Makes Her ACMs Debut It’s already been a triumphant year for Brandi Carlile, who wowed viewers with her performance of “The Joke” at the 61st annual Grammy Awards back in February. No stranger to unorthodox performances, Dierks Bentley seemed to want to prolong Carlile’s victory lap, inviting her to join him for a performance of their 2018 The Mountain deep cut “Travelin’ Light.” Carlile — who was also spotted joyfully singing along to Brooks & Dunn’s “Brand New Man” — served as the perfect counterpoint to Bentley, framing his gruff drawl with her flawless vocal acrobatics. With forthcoming projects like the Highwomen and production work for Tanya Tucker, this could be Carlile’s first ACM Awards of many. B.M. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock Best: Dan + Shay Win Big, Play Nice Sometimes, the nice, hard-working guys win one. Or, in this case, three. Following a monster year that contained at least one monster hit in “Tequila,” the duo of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney cleaned up in the first half of the ACM Awards. “Tequila,” which is still hovering near the top of the Hot Country Songs chart a full year later, was named Song and Single of the Year, while Dan + Shay managed to edge out their friendly competition Brothers Osborne to win their first ACM Vocal Duo of the Year honor. Not to belabor the whole “nice” thing, but Smyers actually took time during one of his speeches to thank by name all the session musicians who helped make “Tequila” sound so potent. Now tell us the last time you heard another performer do that. J.F. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock Worst: Luke Bryan’s Oversized “Boots” Despite simpleton lyrics like “doors need shutting,” Luke Bryan’s latest single “Knockin’ Boots” isn’t terrible. In fact, it’s rather appealing, thanks to its inherent goofiness. The same can be said of Bryan’s charm, but his performance went overboard with Wayne Newton-like smarm. Drawing the unfortunate slot of following Miranda Lambert’s exciting medley of her hits, Bryan mugged his way through “Knockin’ Boots,” embracing a performing style that seemed to consist of “sing line, smile big, repeat.” Or as Woody Allen preached in Broadway Danny Rose: “Star Smile Strong.” Such grand grins and gestures usually work for TV, but in this case, Bryan’s “Boots” were too big. J.H. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock Best: Little Big Town Champion the Daughters Nashville has made some puddle-deep attempts to offer their own version of the “female empowerment” anthem and, so far, generally missed the mark, Keith Urban’s “Female” and Florida Georgia Line’s “Women” among the worst offenders. But that tide is changing: first with Maren Morris’ “Girl” and now Little Big Town’s “Daughters,” which the quartet performed for the first time last night surrounded by a young girl’s dance troupe.<doc-sep>Miranda Lambert changed the lyrics during her performance of “Little Red Wagon” at the 2019 Academy of Country Music awards Sunday. Lambert showed up to the ACM awards with her new husband Brendan McLoughlin and some shade for ex husband Blake Shelton. While performing her hit “Little Red Wagon,” Lambert sang “I got the hell out of Oklahoma” instead of singing “I live in Oklahoma.” Shelton is from Oklahoma and that is where the two lived after they married in 2011. The two divorced June of 2015 amid reports of cheating. Both of them have since moved on. Shelton and “The Voice” co-host Gwen Stefani began dating around November of 2015. (RELATED: Miranda Lambert Teases Upcoming Tour In Instagram Post) Lambert more recently got secretly married to McLoughlin in January of 2019. All four were in attendance of the ACM awards, however some are not sure if Shelton and Stefani were still in the audience during the performance, according to Entertainment Tonight. Fans on Twitter brought the subtle shade to everyone’s attention. One user wrote, “HAHAHAHAHA MIRANDA LAMBERT SINGING ‘I got the hell out of Oklahoma’ AT THE ACMS IS A MOOD.” Another added, “Sooo tickled at @mirandalambert’s performance. She changed her lyrics to, ‘I got the hell out of Oklahoma. '” I think I’m on the other side of this though. Some Twitter users were unimpressed with the lyrics change. Once you’ve moved on in the way that Lambert has supposedly moved on, you don’t need to throw shade at your ex like that. I mean, she’s in a whole new marriage.<doc-sep>Carrie Underwood performed at the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards. The live rendition of her hit "Southbound" took a unique approach by starting outside the auditorium next to a pool, which prompted mixed feelings from viewers. The queen of country music, Carrie Underwood, just made a triumphant live comeback. Two months after welcoming son Jacob, the "Cry Pretty" singer took the stage at this year's ACM Awards. Host Reba McEntire introduced the seven-time-award winner and prefaced that this performance would be a bit different from most. Sure enough, the camera instantly panned to an outdoor pool party scene, where Carrie belted out in a shimmery blouse and mini skirt by AMEN. She and her backup dancers twirled around the space before heading into the auditorium. From there, the 36-year-old vocalist continued to sing her way to the stage (even pausing to give husband Mike Fisher a smooch) for the big finale. Kevin Winter Getty Images We commend Carrie for taking her live production to the next level (and making us all ready for summer), but viewer reactions were all across the board. The pool opening turned some fans off. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. @carrieunderwood nope. You just lost a lot of fans 😕#amcawards — Patty Collins-King (@pcollinsking) April 8, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Carrie Underwood just had the most awkward pool party in Vegas' history. #ACMawards — Barry Gadbois (@BarryGadbois) April 8, 2019 One concerned fan even had Carrie's safety at heart. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. I worried when @carrieunderwood danced around the pool at the @ACMawards. At least wear flats! #ACMAwards — Bruce R. Miller (@siouxbruce) April 8, 2019 On the other hand, though, the positive feedback was also resounding. From requests to make this her music video to supportive Dirty Dancing references, plenty of people hopped on the Carrie bandwagon. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Carrie Underwood just Patrick Swayze’d us and I AM HERE FOR IT. #ACMawards pic.twitter.com/PRe1eMYFOZ — 𝙰𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝙻𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚎 (@AmesLorraine) April 8, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Can we talk about @carrieunderwood performance?! From the pool to the arena. Slay queen! #Southbound — Sue 👩‍⚕️ (@NashLandD_RN) April 8, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The mother of two had a second shot to make an impression later in the evening, as she joined Chrissy Metz, Lauren Alaina, Maddie & Tae, and Mickey Guyton for an incredibly moving act. The talented female crew, all sporting blue gowns, belted out "I’m Standing with You" from Chrissy's upcoming movie Breakthrough. This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. One thing's for sure—there's no party like a Carrie Underwood pool party. And, based on what we've seen from tonight's award show, her upcoming Cry Pretty tour is bound to be one for the books. Blair Donovan Blair Donovan is a staff writer for CountryLiving.com, where she covers everything from the latest Joanna Gaines and “The Voice” news to home décor, gardening, DIY, and entertaining. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>Carrie Underwood's marriage to husband Mike Fisher seems like a fairy tale, and their behavior at the Academy of Country Music awards on Sunday night only reminded us why. In the middle of her colorful, glitzy performance of "Southbound" at the Las Vegas-based event, Underwood took a break from singing the party hit to plant a sweet kiss on her hubby of eight years, with whom she shares two adorable kids. Although we were already loving how she took the upbeat song from a pool party outside straight into the Las Vegas venue, her unexpected kiss with the hockey player was definitely a highlight. Watch the cute moment Underwood and Fisher shared in the audience before she hit the stage, as well as footage from Underwood's flawless set, ahead!<doc-sep>
25. Chrissy Metz, featuring Lauren Alaina, Mickey Guyton, Maddie & Tae, and Carrie Underwood, "I'm Standing With You" The star wattage of Metz's collaborators wasn't enough to make up for the lead singer's inexperience -- this was her singing debut -- or her clear nervousness onstage. 24. Blake Shelton, "God's Country" 23. George Strait, "God and Country Music" While the title of the two songs may be similar, even if their themes aren't, what truly brought them together in many minds tonight was in their onstage productions making many wonder if they were watching ads for Ford trucks. 22. Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line, "Can't Hide Red" 21. Luke Bryan, "Knockin' Boots" Both songs are almost guaranteed to be two of the biggest country hits of 2019, but the lackluster lyrics paired with the lackluster performances gave hints to why the acts involved may need to worry about the newer talents starting to emerge on the country scene, and all are hungry for the spots that the veterans currently hold. 20. Brooks & Dunn and Luke Combs, "Brand New Man" 19. Maren Morris and Brothers Osborne, "All My Favorite People" Both of these performances shared a common trait with many of the special duets featured on Sunday night, in that - whether there wasn't enough time to rehearse as needed, or there were technical difficulties that only appeared once live - all offered poor sound mixes or missed cues that soured moments that may have otherwise been winners. 18. Jason Aldean, "Lights Come On"/"Don't You Wanna Stay" (with Kelly Clarkson)/ "Dirt Road Anthem" Medley A medley of hits to celebrate Aldean's being named the ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade, the segment largely felt flat. Whether this was due to how long the show had been on by the time this segment aired, or just the fact that better performances surrounded it, who can say? 17. Miranda Lambert, "Kerosene"/"Gunpowder & Lead"/"Mama's Broken Heart"/"White Liar"/"Little Red Wagon" Medley 16. Dan + Shay with Kelly Clarkson, "Keeping Score" The next two entries all managed to do one aspect of Aldean's segment better, in that Lambert's electrifying performance encapsulates what one hopes for in an awards show medley, and Clarkson's appearance beside the young duo of Dan + Shay featured the vocalists all connecting with each other in a way that uplifted the entire moment. 15. George Strait and Miranda Lambert, "Run" 14. George Strait, "Every Little Honky Tonk Bar" The legendary Strait was all over tonight's ACM Awards, a welcome presence for those in the audience who may have wanted for a more traditional country feel to the night's proceedings. While the duet with Lambert was fantastic, both it and the telecast's closing number had a sense of safety to them, in that perhaps better song choices were left behind in favor of a pair that would end up being just fine. 13. Reba McEntire, "Freedom" Tonight's host shifted into performer gear for a rendition of "Freedom," and in doing so became the anti-Strait of the evening, in that she captivated the audience with both a performance and its production. The number featured the lyrics displayed behind McEntire while she sang, and a guitar solo that nodded toward the Hall of Famer not relying on the same sound that she found success harnessing throughout the 80s and 90s. 12. Keith Urban, "Burden" 11. Luke Combs, "Beautiful Crazy" Both performers broke the mold of the average awards show performance by taking the opportunity the night afforded them to create something new out of the familiar. Whereas many use the show to debut a new single, Urban performed a stirring cover of Foy Vance's "Burden," which he stated he isn't sure will even appear on any upcoming releases; instead, he just felt compelled to perform it for anyone facing a particularly hard burden that may have needed the message. For "Crazy," Combs peeled away any overproduction that many would have felt tempted to add for entertainment purposes, and instead performed a stirring version of the hit single. Featuring Amanda Shires accompanying on fiddle, the arrangement breathed a second life into a song that many would have stated was perfect as is beforehand. 10. Old Dominion, "Make It Sweet" 9.