NASHVILLE, Tenn. • Chris Stapleton was the big winner with five trophies and the Brothers Osborne and Jimmie Allen brought big emotion to their victories at the 55th annual Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday night. Stapleton won song of the year and single of the year for “Starting Over” and took album of the year for his record of the same name. And he gets two more trophies as producer on the single and album.

“I want to say thank you to everybody that listened to the record, and everybody that listens to music,” the always soft-spoken Stapleton said from the stage.

And the night’s not over yet for Stapleton, who is still nominated for male vocalist, an award he’s won four times before, and entertainer of the year. He came into the night the top nominee along with Eric Church, who has yet to win an award.

Church is also nominated for entertainer of the year along with Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, who opened the ABC telecast with a medley of her hits, including “Kerosene,” “Mama’s Broken Heart” and “Gunpowder & Lead.”

The Brothers Osborne won vocal duo of the year for the fourth time. Lead singer T.J. Osborne, who came out as gay this year, appeared to be holding back tears as he accepted.

“It’s been a roller coaster of a year, it’s been incredible,” he said from the stage. Allen was openly tearful as he became the second Black performer to win new artist of the year. “I want to thank my father who’s no longer with us for introducing me to country music,” Allen said.

He recalled spending the last of his money to be able to see Black country artist Charley Pride at the CMAs in 2016, then getting to perform with Pride on last year’s show. Pride died of COVID-19 a month later. Darius Rucker in 2009 was the first Black artist to win the award.