Carrie Underwood was a double winner at last night’s (11) CMT Music Awards 2022, taking the top honor for video of the year with Jason Aldean for “If I Didn’t Love You.” That extended Underwood’s record number of wins in that category to ten, and the clip also won for collaborative video of the year, to take her total of victories at the awards to 25.
The glittering event at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium also included victories for Maddie & Tae, who took group/duo video of the year with “Woman You Got,” and Parker McCollum, who won breakthrough video with “To Be Loved By You.” George Strait won CMT performance of the year for his tribute version of Charley Pride’s “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” as featured in the CMT Giants: Charley Pride special.
Miranda Lambert’s “If I Was a Cowboy” was named female video of the year, and the corresponding male award went to Cody Johnson for “Til You Can’t.” It was one of two awards for Johnson, who also landed the CMT digital first award for “Dear Rodeo,” from CMT Campfire Sessions.
The new socially-voted trending comeback song of the year award saw Taylor Swift’s “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” win ahead of other songs showing great durability in the digital era by Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, and others.
Notable moments at the awards included a reunion performance by country mother-daughter duo the Judds, who sang their anthem “Love Can Build A Bridge” outside the Country Music Hall of Fame in their first televised performance for over 20 years. Introduced by Kacey Musgraves, the appearance came ahead of their newly announced 10-stop tour.
Other collaborations included Jimmie Allen, Monica, and Little Big Town’s first performance of their song “Pray”; Mickey Guyton and Black Pumas’ world premiere of “Colors”; and Jason Aldean and Bryan Adams teaming for the Canadian rock star’s hit “Heaven.”
Underwood gave an airbound performance of her current “Ghost Story” from the Resorts World Theatre, where she is appearing with Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency. Keith Urban delivered “Wild Hearts” and Kenny Chesney closed the show, in his first time on the CMT stage in seven years, with “Beer In Mexico.” Other performers included Johnson, Kane Brown, and Kelsea Ballerini.
CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King was also on stage to announce the CMT Equal Access Development Program in partnership with mtheory, the next step in the new diversity initiative in country music, CMT Equal Play.