CMA Awards 2025 Backstage Reactions: Red Clay Strays, Cody Johnson Surprise Country Veterans (EXCLUSIVE)
See candid backstage reactions as the rising stars sweep the 2025 CMAs
It almost felt like a changing of the guard as many of country music’s most exciting new faces delivered stellar performances and took top honors at the 59th Annual CMA Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The event was hosted by Lainey Wilson, who did an exceptional job shepherding the festivities and also took home three awards—Female Vocalist, Album of the Year for Whirlwind and her second Entertainer of the Year honor, after first claiming the prize in 2023.
New faces earned recognition at the 2025 CMA Awards
Up and coming band The Red Clay Strays took home their first CMA Award for Vocal Group of the Year, a category that had been won the past seven years by Old Dominion. “Not giving up, first of all, that’s really the main secret. Just don’t quit. It’s as simple as that,” lead vocalist Brandon Coleman said backstage following the group’s win. “And we just trusted God a lot through all of it even when we should have quit and it would have made sense to, we never did. We trusted God that it was gonna work out and that’s what kept us going.”
Formed in Mobile, AL in 2016, The Red Clay Strays have built an enthusiastic audience and they showcased their edgy country rock sound on the ABC broadcast, delivering a riveting performance of “People Hatin.’”
Cody Johnson shocked to beat out Chris Stapleton
Another upset in a major category was Cody Johnson winning Male Vocalist, an award Chris Stapleton has won eight times (2015-2018 and again 2021-2014). “If you’re ever in any category with a person like Chris Stapleton, the talent, the genius and you wind up on top, you’ve accomplished something. You’ve beat Dale Earnhardt at that point,” said Johnson, who took home Album of the Year in 2024 for Leather. “I want to make sure everyone knows how much respect I have for Chris Stapleton.”
During the 10 years he spent as an independent artist before signing with a major record label, Johnson endured a lot of rejection. “I got told no so much. No to the cowboy hat. No to the fiddle. No to the steel guitar. There was a lot of cowboy hats, fiddles and steel guitars here at the CMAs tonight,” he shared backstage. “At this point in my career, I don’t know where I’m supposed to be. I’m really trying my best to trust God and trust his path for me. . .To have this in my hand was something I never really thought was possible because of all the nos. So for all the kids listening or watching, no is never the answer. It may be the answer right now, but not for the long run.”
Ella Langley and Riley Green took home 3 CMAs
Rising young stars Ella Langley and Riley Green took home three awards, tying with Wilson for most wins of the night. “This song is the gift that keeps on giving,” Langley said as she picked up the trophy for Song of the Year for the hit duet “You Look Like You Love Me.”
“Being nominated for four awards and winning three is a pretty special night, so I’m just soaking this in,” Green told reporters backstage after he and Langley won for Single, Song and Music Video for “You Look Like You Love Me.” “I never thought I’d have a song on the radio or a record deal. It’s still crazy to get to come to these things, to see all the performers and all these people that I’m a huge fan of, and to get the recognition we got tonight is a really big deal and probably more than anything, it’s motivating. It makes you want to keep playing 100+ shows a year and writing as many songs as you can.”
Zach Top on Best New Artist: ‘I didn’t think it was possible’
Traditional country hitmaker Zach Top took home his first CMA Award in the Best New Artist category. “I didn’t even think this was possible. People that sang country music on my radio and on my cassette tapes were like mythical creatures. It wasn’t a real-life thing to me. No one in my world had any connection to anything in this world,” the Sunnyside, WA native said backstage. “I had a string of heroes that I wanted to play guitar like and sing like and that hit me at a very, very early age. So I hope there are some young kids out there, guys or gals, who see me playing and want to do the same thing and get inspired by me.”
Old favorites also took the stage this year
Among the sea of new faces, some beloved veterans also took their place centerstage to pick up CMA honors. Legendary steel guitar player Paul Franklin, who has worked with everyone from Vince Gill to Dire Straits, took home the Musician of the Year honor. Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn received Vocal Duo of the Year, their 20th CMA win. They now hold the record for the most CMA Award wins of all time. “We’re the luckiest people in the world to get to do what we dreamed of doing and doing it this long,” Dunn said.
In one of the most emotional moments of the show, Gill was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. He was saluted during a special segment that featured Brandi Carlile and Patty Loveless performing and George Strait taking the stage to present Gill with the honor.
“The name that’s on it means everything. This man is 92 years old. Willie Nelson is still making records all the time, still writing songs all the time and teaching us all how important songs are. When you look at that catalog of songs Willie Nelson has accomplished, it’s staggering. He’s a great role model.”
During the evening, there were multiple standout performances by new artists, including numbers by Top, The Red Clay Strays, Tucker Wetmore and Steven Wilson Jr. “My favorite moment of the night was Steven Wilson Jr. by himself with his guitar. I leaned over to Vince Gill and said, ‘This is incredible,’” Johnson said of Wilson’s performance of “Stand By Me.” “I’ve sold out two nights here at Bridgestone this year. When you can walk up with a guitar by yourself and just make the entire Bridgestone Arena shut up, that’s a real great moment.”
Here’s a complete list of the 2025 CMA Award winners:
Entertainer of the Year
Lainey Wilson
Male Vocalist of the Year
Cody Johnson
Female Vocalist of the Year
Lainey Wilson
Album of the Year
“Whirlwind” Lainey Wilson
Single of the Year
“You Look Like You Love Me” Ella Langley and Riley Green
Song of the Year
“You Look Like You Love Me” Ella Langley and Riley Green (written by Langley, Green and Aaron Raitiere)
Vocal Group of the Year
The Red Clay Strays
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
New Artist of the Year
Zach Top
Musical Event of the Year
“Pour Me a Drink” Post Malone feat. Blake Shelton
Music Video of the Year
“You Look Like You Love Me” Ella Langley and Riley Green
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
