Dolly, Garth, Chris and Lainey: Six unforgettable moments from the 2023 ACM Awards

Chris Stapleton finally achieved Entertainer of the Year status at 2023's Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards on Thursday night at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Lainey Wilson, meanwhile, achieved back-to-back ACM award victories. And a revival for Cole Swindell -- now both a Single and Song of the Year winner for his 90s throwback anthem "She Had Me At Heads Carolina" -- were among many noteworthy events of the evening.

As for event co-hosts Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton? Their on-stage banter proved legitimately entertaining and, at points, uproariously funny.

HARDY, whose singer-songwriter credibility grew by leaps and bounds with four award victories, showcased the vibrant rock energy surging in the genre. Here are the night's biggest takeaways.

Chris Stapleton finally wins the big one, ACM's Entertainer of the Year

"It's a stunning, completely unexpected surprise to be Entertainer of the Year," Stapleton told The Tennessean about his inaugural win after five nominations. "At a time in the country music industry when there are so many entertaining artists past and present, I'm glad people voted for me."

Stapleton continued his five-year-long "All-American Road Show" tour in 2022 in support of his second through fourth studio albums, "From A Room" Volumes 1 and 2, plus 2020's "Starting Over."

He is as much a winner of the award because of the consistency of his ability to deliver an earnest, raw and still entirely soul-stirring performance as it is the unbridled reverence fans and fellow artists alike have for his vocal instrument.

Lainey Wilson, back-to-back success at ACM awards

Over the past three years, few artists — male or female, regardless of genre — have been as consistently able to sustain growing acclaim as Baskin, Louisiana native Lainey Wilson. On Thursday night, that acclaim turned into a superstardom-cementing night with wins for Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (for "Bell Bottom Country") and Musical Event and Visual Media of The Year (for HARDY collaboration "wait in the truck.")

Wilson paused for roughly ten seconds and shed a few tears before answering The Tennessean's query about the weight of a night wherein not only did she win four ACM Awards, but for Female Artist of the Year — and the latter was awarded by her greatest musical inspiration, Dolly Parton.

"Sure there's pressure in this moment, but I'm also very motivated now to keep on going. The award wins this year have increased my confidence in who I am, why I write, how I perform and how much I appreciate those who support me" she said. "I also met Dolly tonight while winning an award . It's incredible -- one of the greatest dreams of my life came true."

HARDY continues having 'the best year of [his] life'

When asked by The Tennessean about his four ACM Award wins out of seven nominations on Thursday evening, HARDY — for the first time all evening — seemed undaunted by the muggy suburban Dallas air and also not filled with the bravado required to scream and thrash through a performance on his "the mockingbird and THE CROW" album track "TRUCK BED."

"This truly feels like my year, and I'm just thankful that the industry would consider me as one of the top songwriters and artists in this town, stated HARDY after being nominated seven times for ACM awards. This follows a January Tennessean interview in which he said he sincerely hoped to "leave it all on that stage and change the trajectory of my life."

On May 11, he accomplished his greatest moment to date in that trajectory.

"For the past five years, I've been in the best headspace of my creative life," he noted to The Tennessean while reflecting on his successful night. "Minimizing struggles by resisting more than I accept as an artist dialed into being self-aware of the goodness of the moment I'm having is important. I feel like I'm helping set a blueprint for artists getting to be artists again. Leaving that as a part of the legacy of my success is as important as being a singer and songwriter winning multiple awards."

Jelly Roll saves with Lainey Wilson

Jelly Roll's latest stop on his fast-rising ride to country music stardom? The ACMs stage.

The independent rapper-turned-crooner — born Jason DeFord — brought his fan-favorite ballad "Save Me" to the ACM Awards stage Thursday night in Frisco, Texas. DeFord's eyes swelled with tears as he sang the chorus to his wrenching tale of self-reflection, "I'm so damaged beyond repair/ Life has shattered my hopes and my dreams."

And he wouldn't be alone during his ACMs debut. DeFord surprised viewers by inviting fellow breakout singer — and 2023 ACMs Female Artist of the Year winner — Lainey Wilson on stage for a duet of the song.

The performance marks the second major television appearance in as many months for DeFord, an ex-convict from Nashville borough Antioch who began a music career by selling CDs out of his car trunk. He made his primetime country debut last month with a blazing performance of "Need a Favor" at the CMT Music Awards in Austin, Texas.

The ... goats?

The show started with a goat. No, not the GOAT — as in greatest of all time. An actual farm animal took the stage with co-hosts Parton and Brooks during the odd couple's opening monologue.

As Brooks introduced his co-host as one of the greatest country singers to ever write a tune, Parton popped on stage with a pink wheelbarrow and "Clare," a brown-and-white goat. It was the first in a rolling list of bedroom punchlines and b-a-a-a-a-d puns from the first-time hosting duo.

"This is Garth's very first time ever hosting an award show," Parton told the crowd. "You know what they say, you never forget your first time."

Parton proceeded to make Brooks blush with her one-liners.

"I just had a thought, I know why you're doing that GOAT thing. I think that stands for Garth Organize A Threesome," Parton jested, noting a mutual appreciation for Brooks' wife and country singer Trisha Yearwood.

With a laugh, Brooks replied, "I thought I couldn't love you anymore."

Parton followed the joke by sending an on-stage "thank you" to Yearwood for letting Brooks join her in co-hosting.

"She did say I could love you and hung on ya, which is easy to do because he's so sweet," Parton said.

And the opening monologue wouldn't be Parton's only time to shine on stage, of course. Later in the night — while saluting late sings Naomi Judd and Loretta Lynn — she moved Brooks to tears by singing an impromptu chorus of traditional song "Precious Memories." Parton returned to close the show with her new single "World On Fire," a four-and-a-half minute rock epic off her forthcoming all-star album "Rockstar."

Trisha Yearwood and Carly Pearce hit the medley

Two generations of leading women in country music took center stage early in Thursday's show.

Trisha Yearwood — a three-time ACM Award winner who earned Female Artist of the Year in 1998 — teamed with 2022 Female Artist winner Carly Pearce for a duet medley of big-time hits. The memorable appearance included fan-favorite Yearwood cuts "Wrong Side of Memphis," "XXX's and OOO's (An American Girl)" and "She's In Love With The Boy."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: ACM awards 2023: Six unforgettable moments