From Start To Finish

Kenny Chesney kicked off the 42nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards with his hit “Beer in Mexico,” a tune that revolves around being at a crossroads in life.

Three hours later, Chesney capped the evening by winning entertainer of the year for the third time in a row, joining Garth Brooks, Alabama and Hank Williams Jr. as the only artists to earn the award three times.

“All three of those acts played a big part in the path of my life,” Chesney said after the show. “The very first concert I saw was an Alabama concert, and it went from there. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to put my name on that wall with those three.”

The other big winners of the night were Brooks and Dunn, who in addition to landing the Home Deport humanitarian award, also won for best vocal duo and vocal event of the year, earning them a record 23 ACM Awards.

Not to be outdone, George Strait scored a pair of trophies for song of the year and single record of the year, bringing his running tally of awards to 18.

For the ninth time, the ceremonies were hosted by Reba McEntire, who carpet-bombed the crowd with groan-worthy punch lines that went over like a lead pipe to the kneecaps.

“I just got word that Britney Spears started a new country group,” she quipped after Rascal Flatts was named top vocal group. “It’s called Rascal Flat Top.”

That one actually garnered boos.

But there were plenty of reasons to cheer, namely Carrie Underwood, who won for top female vocalist, album of the year and video of the year, and Brad Paisley, who was named top male vocalist.

Of course, the night wasn’t without its curiosities.

Rodney Atkins was inexplicably named top new male vocalist, even though his first record came out 10 years ago.

“It kind of makes it all seem real all of a sudden,” Atkins said after winning the award. “We’re actually here. We were chasing something that wasn’t in vain.”

There was a similar, though less slightly egregious, time lapse for best top new duo or vocal group winner Little Big Town, whose debut album was released five years ago.

Miranda Lambert, who was named top new female vocalist, was nominated for the same award last year.

Huh?

“I’m so glad I’m actually able to hold an award this time,” Lambert beamed backstage. “I told my parents that I wanted to win this award some day. I’m sure Mom and Dad are crying right now.”

All of this just goes to show that in Nashville, you don’t really count until you start earning hits, no matter how long you’ve actually been around.

Another motif of this year’s ACM Awards were some unlikely pairings, such as McEntire dueting with Kelly Clarkson on the latter’s hit single “Because of You” and Big and Rich performing their starry-eyed ballad “Lost In This Moment” with R&B piano man John Legend, who added some silken crooning to the number.

“This is fun,” Legend said after the performance. “I didn’t really grow up listening to this kind of music, but I’m learning.

“I think country and R&B are cousins anyway,” he added.

Perhaps the evening’s most endearing moment came when fresh-scrubbed 17-year-old Taylor Swift serenaded the namesake of her hit “Tim McGraw,” who was sitting in the front row of the arena directly in front of the stage with his wife, Faith Hill, who shook her fist menacingly at Swift throughout her performance (just kidding about that last part).

“Hi, I’m Taylor,” Swift introduced herself to McGraw after the song, shaking his hand as she met him for the first time, eyes as wide as hubcaps, smile as big as the show itself.