We Speak Country

Langley’s Lucky Seven: Ella Langley Sets an ACM Record as Cody Johnson Claims His First Entertainer Crown

Published

5 months ago

May 18, 2026

The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards took over the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 17, 2026, with Shania Twain hosting and the show streaming on Prime Video. The ACMs are the longest-running country music awards show — and this edition now belongs to Ella Langley.

Langley was the night’s dominant figure, leaving with seven trophies — reported as a new ACM record for the most wins by a single artist in one night. The seven trophies came across five categories: Female Artist of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year outright, plus a pair of double honours — Single of the Year for “Choosin’ Texas,” where she was recognized as both artist and producer, and Song of the Year for the same song, where she was recognized as both artist and songwriter — and Music Event of the Year for “Don’t Mind If I Do” with Riley Green.

The night’s top honour went to Cody Johnson, who won Entertainer of the Year for the first time in his career, alongside Male Artist of the Year, topping a field that included Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson.

Parker McCollum took Album of the Year for his self-titled album Parker McCollum, produced by Frank Liddell and Eric Masse, beating Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem, among others. The Red Clay Strays won Group of the Year, ending Old Dominion’s lengthy winning streak, and Brooks & Dunn won Duo of the Year. Avery Anna was named New Female Artist of the Year and Tucker Wetmore New Male Artist of the Year, while Stephen Wilson Jr.’s “Cuckoo” won Visual Media of the Year and Jessie Jo Dillon was named Songwriter of the Year.

Women led the nominations going in — Moroney with nine, Miranda Lambert with eight, and Langley and Wilson with seven each — though Moroney missed the show and was shut out. The broadcast featured 17 performances from 19 artists, including Kacey Musgraves’ first-ever ACM Awards performance, and Blake Shelton closed by covering Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” in tribute to its late songwriter, Don Schlitz.

We Speak Country

Miranda Lambert to Headline Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Halftime Show, Kicking Off Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign

Published

10 hours ago

October 25, 2026

We Speak Media

Miranda Lambert at AT&T Stadium ahead of the Red Kettle Kickoff. (Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army)

Multi-Platinum, three-time GRAMMY Award-winning country music superstar Miranda Lambert will perform live at AT&T Stadium during the nationally televised Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game against the Philadelphia Eagles for the 30th consecutive Salvation Army Red Kettle Kickoff halftime show. The game will air on Fox at 3:30 p.m. CST, shining a spotlight on the needs of millions during the holiday season and throughout the year.

This year marks The Salvation Army’s 136th Red Kettle Campaign. Over the last three decades, the kickoff performance has become a holiday staple, using one of the biggest national stages in sports to help the Red Kettle Campaign raise more than $3.4 billion.

“There’s something special about how music brings people together, especially when it’s to spread joy and hope to families who need it most,” said Lambert. “The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys have built an incredible tradition with the Red Kettle Kickoff, and I can’t wait to be back home in Texas this Thanksgiving to help carry it forward.”

“The Red Kettle Kickoff has become one of the Dallas Cowboys’ proudest traditions and one my family and our entire organization look forward to every Thanksgiving,” said Charlotte Jones, chief brand officer and co-owner of the Dallas Cowboys and former national advisory board chairman for The Salvation Army. “For 30 years, incredible artists have appeared on our halftime stage to help The Salvation Army bring hope to millions of people in need. We’re grateful to Miranda Lambert for joining that legacy and helping us continue this meaningful tradition.”

That tradition began with Jones herself. In the 1990s, her dad, Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones, challenged her to inspire fans to care as much about the Cowboys’ impact off the field as they did about the game itself, and the Joneses saw an opportunity to partner with an organization making a real difference in communities across the country. Charlotte envisioned turning the team’s nationally televised Thanksgiving halftime show into the launch of The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, pitched the idea to network executives, and has championed the partnership ever since.

Reba McEntire headlined the inaugural show in 1997, followed by iconic artists including Destiny’s Child, Carrie Underwood, the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Dolly Parton, Lainey Wilson, and, most recently, Post Malone. Each performance rallies viewers to support The Salvation Army’s year-round work in their own communities.

“The Red Kettle Campaign gives people a simple way to spread joy and support their neighbors in need,” said Commissioner Merle Heatwole, national commander of The Salvation Army. “The Red Kettle Kickoff has brought that spirit of giving to a national audience for the last three decades. We’re grateful to the Dallas Cowboys, the Gene and Jerry Jones family, and Miranda Lambert for helping us kick off the season by bringing attention to the needs of neighbors throughout the nation.”

Every donation stays in the community in which it’s given to provide help and hope for those in need. To learn more, give help, or get help, please visit SalvationArmyUSA.org.

About Miranda Lambert

Miranda Lambert has defined her multifaceted career as an artist, entertainer, producer, entrepreneur, advocate and businesswoman with an unflinching quest for excellence, honesty and conviction. Her latest album, Crisco, featuring current single “Snakeskin Boots” with Ella Langley, is available everywhere now via MCA and continued her unbroken streak of 11 consecutive Top 10s on the Country Albums chart. The most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history, including their top honor for Entertainer of the Year, she has also won three GRAMMYs, 14 Country Music Association Awards and was named to the TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people. Lambert has taken those standards to become a New York Times bestselling author and a label co-founder, teaming with longtime collaborator Jon Randall to launch their own imprint, Big Loud Texas, in partnership with Big Loud Records. Her passion for animals inspired the creation of MuttNation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which has raised over $15 million since inception to promote shelter pet adoption, support rescue organizations nationwide, advance spay & neuter and help shelters recover from natural disaster.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army provided more than 28 million service touchpoints to people in 2025, helping them overcome poverty, addiction, and spiritual and economic hardships by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs in His name without discrimination. From providing food, shelter, and eviction prevention assistance to emergency disaster relief, rehabilitation, youth programs, and spiritual enrichment, The Salvation Army serves communities across the United States through nearly 7,600 centers of operation. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org.