On Wednesday night, country music took and rocked the stage. The annual awards show, the CMA’s, was hosted by country superstars Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley.

The beginning was a medley of sorts that included Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum.  The energy was high as they sang “Hold My Hand.”  A  gospel choir supplied extra vocals and enthusiasm.

The outfits were interesting.  The pretty Carrie Underwood wore an all-red shawl-esque dress while Paisley had a purple tux and a white hat–cowboy of course.  The duo, who have now hosted 10 CMAs, were funny and kept the rowdy Nashville crowd entertained.

After a monologue with subtle political overtones (and Barbies?), the show began. The first award, “Single of the Year,” went to Keith Urban for “Blue Ain’t Your Color.”

Thomas Rhett performed “Unforgettable,” which was followed by Taylor Swift winning “Song of the Year” for “Better Man.”  This award actually went to the writer of the song, not the actual singer.

The singing was impressive, and was even better when the audience sang too.  Although the CMAs followed the format of typical award shows,  every singer seemed to know each other.  That feeling of brotherhood distinguishes the country music community from other music genres.

Kelsea Ballerini and Reba McEntire sang “Legends” together, who were followed by Luke Bryan.  By this point, I noticed Underwood and Paisley changed outfits. Personally, I felt their apparel choices were  definitely not what I would wear. Just saying.

Typically, award shows don’t always hold my interest. After all, why not look up the winners later? Thankfully, I was enjoying the show,  especially for not loving the country genre.

Other singers included Miranda Lambert, Garth Brooks, Brothers Osborne, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Pink, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley.  Underwood beautifully sang “Come Home” during the “In memoriam” segment,  For a full list of performers (and winners), check out http://www.cmaworld.com/cma-awards/.

Underwood’s song also served as a tribute to the Las Vegas shooting.  Near the end of the clip, the  victims were projected on the big screen which created a emotional and chilling atmosphere . This was easily the best part of the show.

The biggest winners though were the fans.  With a unifying theme of togetherness, the awards helped lighten the mood of recent tragedies and natural disasters.  The power of music is truly immeasurable.

When it comes to music choices, I admit that I don’t often listen to country music. Yet I found myself enjoying the songs.  I recommend that if you hate country right now, give it another listen.  You might be surprised.

As for the show itself, I’d rate it a 7/10.  The music was great, but a show that ran for 180 minutes (with commercials!) barely kept my interest near the end.  And is it a rule that a country singer  needs to sport a cowboy hat with wild west tuxedos ? The answer is no.

The 2017 CMA Awards were broadcast live yesterday (7;00 CT)  from Nashville TN on ABC .