Chris Stapleton Dedicates Entertainer of the Year Win to His Kids at the 2023 ACM Awards: 'This Is for Them'

"I never thought of myself as somebody who'd win this award," said Stapleton during his acceptance speech

FRISCO, TEXAS - MAY 11: Chris Stapleton accepts the Entertainer of the Year award onstage during the 58th Academy Of Country Music Awards at The Ford Center at The Star on May 11, 2023 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Chris Stapleton. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty

Entertainer of year at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards goes to Chris Stapleton!

The "You Should Probably Leave" singer-songwriter took home the coveted honor at the annual country music awards show, beating out fellow nominees Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Morgan Wallen.

"Well, I'm shocked — truly. By any imaginable metric I don't deserve this, but thank you," said Stapleton, 45, during his acceptance speech. "There's so many other great people in this category. I stand up, and I play music. That's what I try to do every night. I write songs, and I make records."

Check out PEOPLE's full ACM Awards coverage to get the latest news on country's big night.

He continued, "I never thought of myself as somebody who'd win this award. I'm so grateful for each and every person who works so hard to make us able to do what we do — my wife Morgane, thank you."

Stapleton then thanked his record label, management company and "all the guys on the road, touring."

"I"m really at a loss of what to say, but I want to say, my kids sitting at home, they give up a lot of my time, a lot of my wife's time so we can do this," he concluded, dedicating the award to his and Morgane's five kids: Ada, Waylon, Macon, Samuel and another son, whose name has not been revealed. "This is for them."

Morgane Stapleton, Ada Stapleton, Wayland Stapleton and Chris Stapleton attends the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards at Allegiant Stadium on March 07, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada
Denise Truscello/Getty

The Grammy winner was also up for male artist of the year and song of the year for "You Should Probably Leave" at this year's show.

Stapleton has previously been nominated for entertainer of the year at the ACM Awards four times — in 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2018. His latest album Starting Over was released in 2020 and has spawned two No. 1 Billboard Hot Country Songs chart singles: "Starting Over" and "You Should Probably Leave."

The 2023 ACM Awards, co-hosted by Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton, aired live on Prime Video from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The ceremony will stream for free on Amazon Freevee on Friday.

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