Luke's win was certainly a highlight of the evening–he went knocked-over surprised to practically bawling on stage, and finally came round enough to give a speech thanking fans that was probably as genuine as anything an award winner has given to date. This kind of raw emotional reaction is of course exactly what country fans adore in their artists–and what sets this genre apart.

But Luke wasn't the only one to show that degree of tearful sincerity during the show. Both Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert battled emotions as they accepted Record and Song of the Year awards for "Over You," a song they wrote together and that Miranda recorded and turned into a Number One hit. The photo of them embracing on stage is one of the night's most memorable.

As for the award, Miranda noted that "having your songs and lyrics be recognized by your peers is as good as it gets." And she also made sure to give a shout out to country music as a whole, saying that she loves being a part of the genre because "every time someone gets nominated, I just cheer."