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Swift, who performed a somber, acoustic version of her hit "Red" with Vince Gill, Alison Krauss and Sam Bush, won her eighth and ninth CMA trophies before being honored with the association's Pinnacle Award, given to an artist who has taken country to a worldwide audience. The CMA brought a star-studded welcoming group out on stage for Swift that included Strait, Rascal Flatts, McGraw and Hill, Urban and Brad Paisley
-- all of whom gave Swift a chance to open for them on the road a teenager. A video salute followed with appearances by Justin Timberlake, Julia Roberts, Carly Simon, Ethel Kennedy and Mick Jagger
-- whose appearance made Swift shout. "You've made me feel so special right now, thank you," Swift said. Voters also cast an eye to the future, handing trophies to young stars Florida Georgia Line and Kacey Musgraves, who was a top nominee with Swift. Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley scored single and vocal duo of the year. Their quick wins early in the show was more proof the so-called bro country movement is the sound of the moment in mainstream country. FGL kicked off the show performing a fist-pumping medley with Luke Bryan, and very quickly returned to the stage to take the trophy for single of the year for their "Cruise" remix featuring Nelly. They also played the new song "Round Here." "It's been a constant thing all year -- we've been trying to wrap our minds around what's going on," Hubbard said of the band's platinum success backstage. "It's been a dream come true for us and a huge blessing for us and something we could have never imagined." Musgraves won the new artist trophy, besting a field that included Florida Georgia Line. With smart songwriting, a progressive bent and a strong sense of self like country's other top women, Musgraves made an auspicious mainstream country debut this year with her album "Same Trailer Different Park." She attended with her grandmother. "It's amazing what 52 weeks can do to a person," Musgraves said backstage. "... Last year I had really crappy seats. You know, I was just sitting back with my roommate just as a fan. And here I am holding this thing." Lee Brice's "I'd Drive Your Truck," about a fallen soldier whose father still drives his truck, won song of the year, and Little Big Town took its second straight vocal group of the year. Collaboration was the theme of the night as Strait and Alan Jackson joined together to salute the late George Jones with a rendition of "She Stopped Loving Him Today." Hunter Hayes and Jason Mraz took a tour of the Bridgestone Arena while performing "Everybody's Got Somebody But Me." And Zac Brown and his band joined in on a growing hard-rock trend in country as Foo Fighter Dave Grohl played drums for new high-powered song "Day for the Dead." Eric Church earlier turned things up to 11 with his new song "The Outsiders." And in one of the night's most anticipated moments, Kenny Rogers received the CMA's Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award and was saluted by Jennifer Nettles, Rucker and Rascal Flatts. ___
[Associated
Press;
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