The 17th Academy of Country Music Honors

NASHVILLE, TN (September 24, 2024) – The 17th Academy of Country Music Honors aired on Merit Street, marking the first time the special will air on the network. To view Merit Street, audiences accessed the prominently featured channel-finder link by entering zip codes at www.meritstreetmedia.com. Merit Street can be found on DirecTV, Dish, U-Verse, Samsung TV Plus and additional broadcast, basic cable, national satellites, and FAST channels, as well as the free streaming app, Merit+, available to download via iPhone & Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, and Roku.   ACM Honors hosts Jordan Davis and Carly Pearce opened the show with a special performance in honour of ACM Poet’s Award recipient Alan Jackson.  The show honoured the achievements of Walt Aldridge, Tony Brown, Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson, Shannon Sanders, Lainey Wilson, and Trisha Yearwood, as well as Artist-Songwriter of the Year winner Chris Stapleton and Songwriter of the Year winner Jessie Jo Dillon will feature performances and presentations from Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Terri Clark, Jordan Davis, Jackson Dean, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Tyler Hubbard, Jamey Johnson, Post Malone, Kameron Marlowe, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, Keith Urban, and Lee Ann Womack with the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Watch the 17th Academy of Country Music Honors Highlights below:

 ****   USE the Playlist play control 2nd left from top of the screen to see the playlisted..tracks and select one to play from the drop down menu  ***  👇

Lainey Wilson was honoured with TWO prestigious awards at ACMhonors!

🏆 ACM Milestone Award

🏆 ACM Triple Crown Award

The ACM Triple Crown is the most prestigious award bestowed upon an artist by the Academy. Lainey Wilson joins a small, yet elite group of artists who share the ACM Triple Crown title, including Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, and Merle Haggard.

Country Music just wouldn't be the same without the brilliant Walt Aldridge! His songwriting has shaped our genre and we are so glad to present him with the ACM Poet's Award. ✍️❤️ #ACMhonors

We will ALWAYS remember this performance! 🫶 @Lauren_Alaina @EmmylouSongbird @trishayearwood

Jessie Jo Dillon wins Songwriter of the Year

You can name almost any #CountryMusic song from the past decade and @JessieJoDillon has probably helped write it!

Jessie Jo Dillon is a songwriter with Big Machine Records. She is the daughter of country musician and songwriter Dean Dillon. She has received five Grammy Award nominations and two Academy of Country Music Awards nominations.

Notable songs

"Crazy Women" (2010) performed by LeAnn Rimes co-written with Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally

"The Breath You Take" (2010) performed by George Strait co-written with Casey 

Beathard and Dean Dillon

"Break Up in the End" (2018) performed by Cole Swindell co-written with Chase McGill and Jon Nite

"Rich" (2018) performed by Maren Morris; co-written with Maren Morris and Laura Veltz

"10,000 Hours" (2019) performed by Dan + Shay featuring Justin Bieber; co-written with Justin Bieber, Jason Boyd, Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, and Dan Smyers

"To Hell & Back" (2020) performed by Maren Morris; co-written with Maren Morris and Laura Veltz

"Memory Lane" (2023) performed by Old Dominion; co-written with Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, and Brad Tursi

"Messed Up as Me" (2024) performed by Keith Urban; co-written with Shane McAnally, Michael Lotten, and Rodney Clawson

Others include:

2024 Nashville, Tennessee ERNEST (Composer)

2024 Cowboys and Dreamers George Strait (Composer)

2024 Am I Okay? Megan Moroney (Composer, Lyricist)

2023 Whitsitt Chapel Jelly Roll (Composer)

Tony Brown receives the ACM - Academy of Country Music Icon Award.

"I am honored to receive the ACM Icon Award," said Tony Brown. "This recognition from the Academy of Country Music is incredibly meaningful to me. I've been fortunate to work with some of the most talented artists and musicians throughout my career, and this award is humbling to me.” - Tony Brown

Tony Brown's illustrious career spans decades and includes significant contributions as a keys player, iconic music producer, and record label executive. His career is marked by his early days playing piano with Elvis Presley as part of the TCB Band and performing alongside Emmylou Harris. Transitioning into production, Tony has produced over 100 number one Country songs, producing hits for iconic artists such as Reba McEntire, George Strait, and Trisha Yearwood.

SOCIALS: You can like Academy of Country Music on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @ACMawards and Instagram @ACMAwards for more immediate updates.   About the Academy of Country Music   Founded in Southern California in 1964 as a regional trade organization, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC (ACM) has grown to become a leading association for the Country Music industry over the last 60 years. Now headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., and boasting record-high membership of more than 5,000 worldwide, the Academy serves as a powerhouse advocate for Country fans, artists, and all facets of the business, as well as a supporter of philanthropic work through charitable partner ACM LIFTING LIVES, dedicated to improving lives through the power of music and providing aid in times of need, with a focus on health initiatives. 2024 has been another monumental year for the Academy, with the 59th ACM Awards, hosted by entertainment icon Reba McEntire, broadcast live from Texas for a second consecutive year on Prime Video. The Academy also remains relentlessly committed to creating a more inclusive environment for underrepresented groups in Country Music, from the boardroom to the stage, and proudly presents both ACM LEVel Up, a two-year professional development and enrichment curriculum for rising leaders, and OnRamp, a guaranteed income program for Black members of the Nashville music community, in partnership with the Black Music Action Coalition. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com or ACMLiftingLives.org.  About Merit Street Media Merit Street Media is a premier multi-platform destination media brand spearheaded by Dr. Phil McGraw, the esteemed best-selling author and award-winning television host. Launched April 2024, Merit Street creates and distributes compelling content across diverse platforms, reaching audiences nationwide. This fully distributed, cable, satellite, and free over-the-air broadcast media brand extends its reach to over 80 million homes.