Alabama acts take top Academy of Country Music awards

If you thought Ella Langley was dominant at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards, her performance at Sunday night’s 2026 ceremony proved she was just getting started. The Hope Hull native turned in a perfect night, converting all seven of her nominations into wins.

A Clean Sweep

Langley’s 2026 performance was a masterclass in efficiency. After leading all artists with eight nominations and five wins in 2025, she returned to the stage this year to go seven-for-seven. Among the highlights was her capture of Female Artist of the Year—a category she had narrowly missed to Miranda Lambert just one year prior.

The success was fueled by the meteoric rise of her hit, “Choosin’ Texas,” a track that has shattered chart records throughout the year. Langley was joined onstage by co-writers Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, and Joybeth Taylor to accept the Song of the Year award. “Thank you, God, for putting me in a room with these three people right here,” Langley said during her acceptance, clearly overwhelmed while also struggling for words during her Female Artist of the Year win.

Alabama’s Big Night

Langley wasn't the only Yellowhammer State star to shine in Las Vegas. Riley Green, hailing from Jacksonville, walked away with Male Artist of the Year. He also teamed up with Langley once again to claim Music Event of the Year, marking their second consecutive win in the category following last year’s victory for “You Look Like You Love Me.”

Green shared the humble origins of their latest collaboration, recalling how he wrote the song alone in a green room in Fayetteville, Arkansas. When he needed a partner for the track, he called Langley, who Green jokingly claimed showed up to the studio in her pajamas. Langley quickly countered, insisting she was sporting jeans and a T-shirt.

Rounding out the Alabama success, the Red Clay Strays took home the trophy for Group of the Year. The Mobile-area roots-rockers, who previously won New Duo or Group of the Year in 2025, expressed deep gratitude for their journey from local bars to the national stage. “We’re just some rednecks from Mobile, Alabama,” lead singer Brandon Coleman noted. “We never thought it would go this far.”

While other Alabama acts like Muscadine Bloodline earned a nomination for Duo of the Year, the night belonged to the state's heavy hitters as they commanded the spotlight on the Prime Video and Amazon Music stream.