2022 ACM Awards: The Biggest Performances and Most Memorable Moments of the Night!

The 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards aired live from Las Vegas this year at the Allegiant Stadium for a celebration of the biggest names in country music.

Hosted by an impressive trio including Country queen Dolly Parton as well as talented rising stars Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett, Monday's show featured a slew of incredible performances, some surprising victories and truly touching acceptance speeches.

Here's a look at all the highlights from Monday's big show that you'll still be thinking about tomorrow.

Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett Pay Tribute to Sin City

With the ACM Awards returning to Las Vegas, it only made sense that Allen and Barrett would kick things off with a celebration of the party city. Jimmie started things with a cover of "Viva Las Vegas," and Barrett followed that up with a rendition of Faith Hill's "Let's Go to Vegas."

Jason Aldean Introduces Chris Stapleton

Aldean took the stage for one of the night's few somber moments to introduce Stapleton's performance of "Watch You Burn." Aldean reflected on the horrific Route 91 shooting in 2017, which served as the motivation and inspiration for Stapleton's powerful tune. While the song itself is dark, his incredible performance proved to be one of the most memorable of the night.

Breland and Thomas Rhett Take Us to Church

The country stars came together to perform their new collaboration -- the country soul tune "Praise the Lord" -- and it was a jolt of energy that kept the night going strong.

Jimmie Allen Honors His Late Father

On top of his co-hosting duties and opening the show, Allen also took to the stage for a personal performance of his new single, "Down Home." The track is something of a tribute to his late father, who died in 2019, and Allen made sure to thank his dad after the performance -- as well as his mom, who was in the audience at Monday's show, celebrating her birthday.

Kelly Clarkson's High Note-Filled Tribute to Dolly Parton 

A dressed-in-black Clarkson kicked off the tribute with a rendition of Parton's hit, "I Will Always Love You," made super famous by Whitney Houston for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard. The performance brought the crowd to their feet and nearly brought Parton to tears. The "Jolene" singer, who also served as the night's host, came to the stage after the tribute, where she was greeted with a big hug from Clarkson.

Miranda Lambert's Big Win

While she might be the record holder for winning most ACM Awards, Lambert had never won the top prize, Entertainer of the Year, until now. However, this also happened to be the first ACM Awards in 17 years that she was unable to attend. She did, however, pre-tape an acceptance speech in case she won, and she dedicated it to "all the singer-songwriter girls out there who are putting their blood, sweat and tears into their guitar strings. We did it! This is for us!"

Brothers Osborne & Brittney Spencer Close Things Out

What better way is there to close out the night with a truly epic performance of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," performed by the incomparable Brittney Spencer and Brothers Osbourne? Truly, there isn't a better way. The show arguably saved the best for last and went out on a real high note.

For more on this year's ACM Awards, see the video below. Check out the full winners list here!

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