11th Annual ACM Honors Highlights

(dcp) Earlier this week, the Academy of Country Music held their 11th Annual ACM Honors with highlights of the event set to be the focus of a network television special next month.

The two hour TV special will be broadcast on the CBS network on on Friday, September 15 (9:00 � 11:00 PM ET/PT). The producers of the ACM honors dick clark productions sent over these details and some of the highlights from the event which took place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville:

Hillary Scott opened the evening with a performance of �The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia� and was then joined by Little Big Town�s Karen Fairchild for a powerful duet performance of �Does He Love You� for which they received a standing ovation. The duo then welcomed Little Big Town�s Kimberly Schlapman for a special performance of �Little Rock� in tribute to Reba McEntire. Fairchild, Schlapman, and Scott then presented McEntire with the Mae Boren Axton Service Award.

Kelsea Ballerini performed �Legends� before receiving her award, which was presented to her by Lady Antebellum. Following her acceptance speech, Ballerini performed a medley of #1 hits including �Dibs,� �Love Me Like You Mean It,� and �Peter Pan.�

Chris Stapleton performed �When Did You Stop Loving Me,� and Alan Jackson performed a medley of �Marina Del Rey� and �The Fireman� in tribute to George Strait before he accepted his award to a standing ovation. Following his acceptance speech, Strait took the stage and performed �Here For A Good Time� to a dancing audience to close out the evening. Reigning Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean presented the award to Strait.

Chris Janson performed �A Boy Named Sue� and �Cover of the Rolling Stone� in tribute to Shel Silverstein, who received his award posthumously. Silverstein�s family friend Susan Nadler accepted the award from Janson on Silverstein�s behalf.

Toby Keith performed �Should�ve Been A Cowboy� and �Who�s Your Daddy?� after songwriter Jimmy Webb presented him with his award.

Maren Morris performed �Galveston� in tribute to the late Glen Campbell.

Brad Paisley performed �My Tennessee Mountain Home� in tribute to Dolly Parton.

Bobby Bones presented Bob Kingsley with his award, after which Thomas Rhett sang a medley of his hits �Die A Happy Man� and �Craving You.�

Songwriter Ross Copperman introduced Little Big Town, who performed �When Someone Stops Loving You,� written by Lori McKenna, before presenting McKenna with the award.