Celebrities ranging from husband Blake Shelton to entertainment icon Beyonce threw support behind Miranda Lambert in the race for Entertainer of the Year.
But when presenter Steven Tyler revealed the winner of the fan-voted honor, he did not call out Lambert’s name. He instead welcomed Luke Bryan to the stage.
After losing the race to George Strait this year, Luke Bryan won the Entertainer of the Year honor at the 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
Given the celebrity power behind Lambert’s cause, Bryan’s victory is a legitimate testament to the passion of his fanbase. Of course, given his impressive success selling concert tickets, singles and albums, few would have doubted that passion even if he came up short.
Beyond Bryan and Lambert, other nominees included Florida Georgia Line, Garth Brooks and Jason Aldean.