Disappointment for Carrie Underwood as Garth Brooks wins CMA title

Garth Brooks has been named entertainer of the year at the Country Music Association Awards.

The American singer-songwriter picked up the prize – the biggest on the night – for a record-extending seventh time during a star-studded ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee.

Brooks, wearing a cowboy hat while accepting the award from Oscar-winning actress and presenter Reese Witherspoon, thanked his team after winning.

He won ahead of Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood.

Underwood had widely been expected to pick up the honour and would have been the first female winner since Taylor Swift in 2011.

Earlier, Underwood kicked the evening off with a performance alongside country music stars Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire.

They performed Until The Day They Lay Me Down, with other medleys by performers including Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker and Maren Morris.

Morris led the way in nominations at the start of the night, with six nods including for song and album of the year.

She won the latter, for her album Girl. Kacey Musgraves won both female vocalist of the year and music video for her song Rainbow.

Accepting her award for female vocalist of the year, Musgraves said: “I feel that the female creative spirit, female energy, it’s really needed right now, it’s really important.

“And I feel like it’s something Earth needs. So whether it’s me that’s up here or any of the other women in this category, I just think it’s a beautiful thing and I’m very appreciative.”

Other winners included Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, who won musical event of the year for their remix of Old Town Road.

Luke Combs was named male vocalist of the year, having earlier picked up song of the year for the hit Beautiful Crazy.

Single of the year went to Blake Shelton for God’s Country while Ashley McBryde was named new artist of the year.

Vocal duo of the year was won by Dan and Shay.