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ACM Awards 1981: George Jones Thanks His “Ex-Wife & New Husband-In-Law” After Top Male Vocalist Win


George Jones country music ACM

With the ACM Awards less than weeks away, we're going to take the opportunity took back at some great ACM moments from years past. And to kick it off, we're taking it back even farther... back to 1981. George Jones' career-defining hit "He Stopped Loving Her Today" took home the ACM Award for Song of the Year and he also won Top Male Vocalist at the 16th Annual ACM Awards. For the latter, Jim Stafford and Susan Anton presented him with the award, but during his acceptance speech, he hilariously took the opportunity to thank his ex-wife Tammy Wynette and her new husband.

"This is the greatest thrill of my life... you know, everybody says that but the things that have happened so good for me in the past few months, all you people made it happen for me.

And we love you and we appreciate it, we thank Columbia Records and Epic, and we thank all our fans, especially.

And I thank my ex-wife and new husband-in-law... Tammy Wynette... Thank you so much."

Classic. And while that might sound like a dig, it sounds like a sincere, light-hearted, humorous thank you to his ex-wife for inspiring one of his greatest hits. The hit that turned his career around when it seemed like he was on his way to fading out of the country music spotlight for good. Of course, George had battled alcoholism and drug abuse which ultimately led to his divorce from Tammy in 1975. And then Tammy married songwriter George Richey (who allegedly had his own issues with abuse) in 1978. George would go on to win the Academy of Country Music's Pioneer Award in 1993. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu5BCuEox8o He also accepted the award for Song of the Year, but that speech wasn't nearly as eventful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDOKGdJnPCs

2024 ACM Awards Nominees

And the nominees are… The ACM Awards will stream exclusively on Prime Video on Thursday, May 16th at 8 p.m. EST from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR Kane Brown Luke Combs Jelly Roll Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen Lainey Wilson FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Kelsea Ballerini Ashley McBryde Megan Moroney Kacey Musgraves Lainey Wilson MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Luke Combs Jelly Roll Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen DUO OF THE YEAR Brooks & Dunn Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Maddie & Tae The War And Treaty GROUP OF THE YEAR Flatland Cavalry Lady A Little Big Town Old Dominion Zac Brown Band NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Kassi Ashton Ashley Cooke Hannah Ellis Kylie Morgan Megan Moroney NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR ERNEST Kameron Marlowe Dylan Scott Conner Smith Nate Smith NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR Neon Union Restless Road Tigirlily Gold ALBUM OF THE YEAR Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs (Producer: Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton, Luke Combs) Higher – Chris Stapleton (Producer: Chris Stapleton, Dave Cobb, Morgane Stapleton) Leather – Cody Johnson (Producers: Trent Willmon) One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen (Producers: Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett) Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) – Kelsea Ballerini (Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym) SINGLE OF THE YEAR Burn It Down – Parker McCollum (Producer: Jon Randall) Fast Car – Luke Combs (Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton) Last Night – Morgan Wallen (Producer: Joey Moi, Charlie Handsome) Need A Favor – Jelly Roll (Producer: Austin Nivarel) Next Thing You Know – Jordan Davis (Producer: Paul DiGiovanni) SONG OF THE YEAR Fast Car – Luke Combs, Songwriters: Tracy Chapman Heart Like A Truck – Lainey Wilson, Songwriters: Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson Next Thing You Know – Jordan Davis, Songwriters: Chase McGill, Greylan James, Jordan Davis, Josh Osborne The Painter – Cody Johnson, Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins Tennessee Orange – Megan Moroney, Songwriters: Ben Williams, David Fanning, Megan Moroney, Paul Jenkins MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR Can’t Break Up Now – Old Dominion, Megan Moroney Different ‘Round Here – Riley Green (Ft. Luke Combs) I Remember Everything – Zach Bryan (feat. Kacey Musgraves) Man Made A Bar – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church) Save Me – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson) VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR Burn It Down – Parker McCollum Human – Cody Johnson In Your Love – Tyler Childers Next Thing You Know – Jordan Davis Tennessee Orange – Megan Moroney SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR Jessie Jo Dillon Ashley Gorley Hillary Lindsey Chase McGill Josh Thompson ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR Zach Bryan ERNEST HARDY Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen

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By: Wes Langeler
Title: ACM Awards 1981: George Jones Thanks His “Ex-Wife & New Husband-In-Law” After Top Male Vocalist Win
Sourced From: www.whiskeyriff.com/2024/05/12/acm-awards-1981-george-jones-thanks-his-ex-wife-new-husband-in-law-after-top-male-vocalist-win/
Published Date: Sun, 12 May 2024 16:31:22 +0000

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