Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood

Informative Caption says this is Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood performing "If I Didn't Love You," but this shot to ME more looks like a heart-rending song about how their house has gotten so dusty that the piano collapsed.

Darius Rucker and Luke Bryan

And they're singing MY favorite song, "Let's Drape Ourselves In Velvet And LIVE!" (I don't actually know what was happening here but it looks jovial. I do, however, feel like Luke Bryan maybe crushed a six pack over the course of the show? He got progressively congenial.)

The 55th Annual Country Music Association Awards, Show, Nashville, Tennessee, USA - 10 Nov 2021

This was -- legitimately -- a medley of "Kerosene" / "Mama's Broken Heart" / "Bluebird" /."Little Red Wagon" / "Gunpowder & Lead" and I am sorry I missed this; Miranda can sing and who doesn't love this much fringe?! (It was also her birthday; happy birthday, Miranda!)

Blake Shelton

I swear to god I didn't put Miranda and Blake back-to-back intentionally, but here we are! Informative Captions SAYS he's singing "Come Back as a Country Boy" but this photo makes it LOOK as if he's apparated from The Darkness to sing about how he sold his soul but it's been FUN!

This was sincerely awesome. Madeline Edwards, Mickey Guyton, and Brittney Spencer performed "Love My Hair," a song Mickey wrote that was inspired by Faith Fennidy, a girl who was sent home from school because her braids were deemed "against the rules." It's a great song, and that is Faith with them! She got to introduce their performance and joined them at the end. She did a really great job, and looked fantastic.

Madeline Edwards, Mickey Guyton, and Brittney Spencer

Also, they look so good here!

Thomas Rhett

Thomas Rhett performed "Country Again" in the real world, but in MY world, he's singing a song about how he should play Dansby Swanson in the musical about the 2021 Braves.

Kelsea Ballerini and Freddie Freeman

And Freddie Freeman is like, "I'LL PLAY MYSELF!" (They're both married but don't tell me you can't see them together!)

Keith Urban

Keith Urban performed his song "Wild Hearts" and Nicole ROCKED OUT in the audience and I can't blame her -- it was catchy and also Keith looks cute in his jacket.

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson (with Chris Stapleton) did a medley of "Night Life" and "You are My Sunshine" and SPOILER: Jennifer Hudson CAN SING. (Chris Stapleton can ALSO really sing.) She also looked festive and I think MAYBE shouldn't totally walk in her shoes? That, at least, was very universal.

Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Hudson

"Is this the Oscar winners table?!?!" "I think it must be."

Kane Brown and Chris Young

I think this song must have been about pointing?

Mike Henderson and Chris Stapleton

I sincerely and absolutely believe that the country music awards shows have the best beards of all the awards shows. The SAGs could LITERALLY NEVER have this level of facial hair! DO BETTER, TONYS.

Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Katy Perry

I love how Lionel here looks like he's thinking, "I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE OVER THIS WHOLE SHOW." I do not believe Lionel OR Katy sang, which seems like a bit of a waste.

Eric Church

This song is called "Heart on Fire," not "Bridgestone Arena on Fire"!

Brothers Osborne

I LOVE that coat on one of the Brothers Osborne. He's like, "I'm gonna head out right after this, so...." In more seriousness, White Jacket made a very nice statement about how he never thought he'd be able to be this successful in country music because he's gay, and he wishes the younger him had known the truth (which is sort of what their song is about?).

Gabby Barrett

Informative Caption thinks this is Zac Brown Band performing "Same Boat" but I actually saw this part and I know Gabby is singing a song called "Good Ones," and I am worried this cape is hard to walk in!

Lady A and Luke Bryan

For a second, I thought Hillary was wearing a zip-up housecoat! Which would have been amazing.

Jenee Fleenor

Informative Caption tells me that "fiddle player Jenee Fleenor" and I don't know if she performed, but if she did, I am mad I missed the fiddle-playing! I love her outfit; it seems absolutely perfect for an award-winning fiddle player and she looks great in it.

Alan Jackson

I am NOT joking when I say that watching this show made me think I need more fringe in my wardrobe.

Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde

I LOVE country songs where two women sing to each other about their no-account man!

Saycon Sengbloh and Dulé Hill

We saw them in the red carpet posts, but they're both real cute so here they are again! (I'll never forget the time I came pouring out of a bar VERY DRUNK and came face to face with Dulé Hill, who was at the time on The West Wing and I squawked AT HIM, "HEY IT'S CHARLIE!!!!" He was kind enough to have no reaction to this!)

Trace Adkins and Susan Sarandon

So! These two are presenting together because they have a new show coming out called Monarch that looks like Empire for country music, which might be fun. Trace has A VERY DEEP VOICE; Susan might have had some of Luke's beer? This show seemed fun, is what I'm saying.

Jimmie Allen

You can't really tell from this snap, but his whole jacket had teeny sequins all over it; it honestly looked GREAT on TV. He was excellent!

What Did Folks Wear During the Actual CMAs Telecast? Amazing Question!

More velvet than you might have guessed. Also FRINGE!