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I’d have bet money on Lainey Wilson winning her second CMA Entertainer of the Year Award on Wednesday night (Nov. 19) — maybe even a lot of money.
Awards show gambling is hardly advisable, but in this case, the bettor’s favorite was clear. Every classification of voter loves this woman. Heck, she may win two or three more before she’s through.
- Wilson became the third woman to win multiple CMA Entertainer of the Year awards, joining Taylor Swift and Barbara Mandrell.
- With three wins last night, she now has 12 — two short of Miranda Lambert, who (with 14) has the record for most CMAs by a female solo artist.
- Wilson and Lambert are now the only two women to win CMA Album of the Year twice.
Why Lainey Wilson Won CMA Entertainer of the Year
Taste of Country was part of CMA Radio Row once again, and this year, we asked most of the 40+ artists who visited who’d they would pick for Entertainer of the Year.
A couple of people dodged the question, but an overwhelming majority chose Wilson.
Luke Combs, Jon Pardi, Marty Raybon from Shenandoah and more liked her odds. Even fellow nominee Cody Johnson praised her:
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
These answers were never a dig at another artist, and to be fair, others made a good case for Johnson and Combs.
Wallen’s case was a clean solution to a math problem (best sales, best streaming, most hits, etc.), but even his good friend Ernest went with Wilson first, in part because he knows where Morgan stands.
“He don’t give a s–t,” the “Blessed” singer told Evan Paul.
Related: 9 Country Stars Who Skipped the CMA Awards
This kind of robust community support hasn’t been felt at radio row for about a decade. Just prior to the 2015 CMA Awards, artists began talking about a little-known songwriter who somehow notched some important nominations. That night, the world met Chris Stapleton.
Like Stapleton, Wilson rises up when challenged. On big stages, she gets bigger (i.e. her “Ring Finger” performance) when others shrink. Of course, she was a natural hosting because she’s talented enough to do the job and — this is important — humble enough to know her limitations.
That’s what made her monologue so brilliant. Her team helped her give fans what they came for — good country music, not topical jokes with corny punchlines.
Radio talent, programmers, streaming operators, label and management and more all vote for the CMAs, so to a certain degree, an artist will need to have done the work to convince each category. Wilson continues to do the local radio interviews, give radio hit singles, boost streaming playlists and raise up younger artists.
She is not missing any line on her resume. Then, you add community support to that enticing Dagwood sandwich?
Voting totals are never released, but I’d bet it wasn’t even close.
Worth noting: Wilson wasn’t the only artist that others heaped praise on this week. Johnson and Ella Langley were two more referred to frequently enough to notice. They also won major awards on Wednesday night.
9 Country Stars Who Skipped the 2025 CMA Awards
We knew Blake Shelton would miss the CMA Awards, and weren’t surprised to not see Morgan Wallen. However, the list of stars who skipped in 2025 is much longer than anyone expected.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
2025 CMA Awards Red Carpet Pictures
See country music’s best dressed from the 2025 CMA Awards. These red carpet pictures feature CMA performers, presenters and more, plus country music’s hottest couples.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
