Winners From the 49th Annual CMA Awards [VIDEO]

Even though he has had a #1 hit with Kenny Chesney ("Down The Road), MacAnally is the musician every one calls on for a Nashville session, but most outside of Music City haven't heard of. The 2007 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and Jimmy Buffett colaborator cemented that reputation by winning his 8th straight CMA Musician of the Year award.

Launched the young singer/songwriters into the middle of the "anti bro-country" movement and introduced Nashville to two young and very talented singers and songwriters. Right performers, right song, right video, right time.

A good pairing of two performers who obviously had some fun together, bringing the rest of us along for the ride.

Little Big Town set a record for the longest run at #1 by a group with this tune. Songwriters Liz Rose, Lori McKenna and Hillary Lindsey were as surprised as anyone in Nashville at the awards, and that's a good thing.

The true acknowledgement of a good single...great song, great performance. Little Big Town took and incredibly crafted song and added its unparalleled performance to take home both halves of the best single/song titles.

Let the surprises begin!! Up against favorites Thomas Rhett and Kelsey Ballerini, the veteran songwriter who has penned #1 hits for artists like Josh Turner, Tim McGraw, George Strait and Luke Bryan, Stapleton's surprising night and long deserved acknowledgement as a performer was underway.

The surprises continue as Stapleton's Traveller album gets the nod over favorites Little Big Town, Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean, a true masterpiece album gets it's due.

No surprise here. The top selling duo in country music today wins it's third straight "Brooks and Dunn" award.

A group is different than a duo because it has more members. But in this category, the dominance is the same as Little Big Town takes home its 4th straight award in this category.

Maybe the most shocking of the Stapleton upsets, he completes the trifecta. The best part of the evening as while he seemed completely shocked by the win, the look on the other four nominees faces showed they were all as happy (if not more happy) for his win, than if they had won it themselves. Complete respect by the other artists.

Sanity returns in one of the few categories where the nominees weren't worried about the Stapleton landslide, Miranda Lambert took home her 5th consecutive Female Vocalist win. With all that has gone on in Miranda's life this year, it was nice to see something positive.

Its been a good couple of years for Luke Bryan. 8 consecutive #1 albums and 11 straight #1 singles, coupled with his second straight Entertainer of the Year award...yeah, its good to be the king.