Ernest Mic Dropped When We Asked About Morgan Wallen, CMA Awards

Ahead of the 2025 CMA Awards, Ernest stopped by Taste of Country Nights, and I asked him who he thought deserved Entertainer of the Year. His response genuinely surprised me.

Ernest is best friends with Morgan Wallen, so I reluctantly asked who he was picking for the top award — fully expecting to hear Wallen’s name.

Instead, he said, "Lainey Wilson. She runs a damn-tight ship, and a great show. She's a badass powerhouse, I know she's already won it and you can see why every night."

Ernest referring to how Wilson won CMA Entertainer of the Year back in 2023.

In fact, Ernest isn’t the only artist we’ve talked to during our CMA coverage who has mentioned Lainey Wilson when asked who should take home the coveted award this year.

I then asked Ernest what will Morgan say when he sees this headline?

"He don't give a s--t. Since when is Morgan giving a s--t? Who's makin' more money doing this than Morgan Wallen, he doesn't give a f--k about this award. I wouldn't either if I was Morgan Wallen. Next Question."

Ernest was in a great mood when he stopped by to chat with us, notably sporting a homemade necklace crafted by his son, Ryman.

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Ernest’s song “Would If I Could” was a big radio hit, and “Blessed” is next up at country radio. His new album, Live From the South, arrives Friday, Nov. 21.

When Are the 59th CMA Awards?

The 59th CMA Awards are Wednesday, Nov. 19. They are live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena and will air on ABC. The show begins at 8PM EST/7PM CT.

The 20 Best Lainey Wilson Songs

Lainey Wilson's best songs are the ones that show exactly who she is: A sharp songwriter with a stubborn streak, a tender heart and a flair for '70s rock and roll.

Some of that might seem like a contradiction, but it's always made perfect sense to Wilson, who debuted on the country scene with a never-ending closet full of bell-bottoms and an unapologetically thick Louisiana drawl. Even if you flip back to some of her earliest releases, this singer-songwriter has always known who she is, and been laser-focused on her country music goals.

That self-confidence and willingness to work hard has paid off for Wilson, who has climbed the country music ladder by leaps and bounds since she released her breakout hit, "Things a Man Oughta Know," in 2021. Keep reading for a look at Wilson's catalogue, and our roundup of the 20 best country songs she has released to date.

Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak