PEOPLE'S CHOICE COUNTRY AWARDS HIGHLIGHTS

Matt Case - September 29th - 7:17am PST 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards on Thursday saw country music veterans and rising stars alike receiving fan-determined accolades.

Toby Keith, marking his first major awards show since 2017, delivered a heartfelt rendition of "Don’t Let The Old Man In", capturing the audience's attention.

Toby Keith; Photo by Katherine Bomboy/NBC

Jelly Roll, having an exceptional year, took home four awards, with Male Artist of 2023 being among them. Though he was away on tour in Cincinnati, Ohio, Elle King made a surprise appearance on stage at Riverbend Music Center to present the awards to him.

Jelly Roll; Photo by: Mickey Bernal/NBC

Lainey Wilson, known as the Bell Bottom Country queen, expressed gratitude to her fans after securing three awards. She clinched The Female Artist of 2023, The Collaboration of 2023 for her work on “Save Me” with Jelly Roll, and The Music Video of 2023 for “Wait in the Truck” featuring HARDY.

Lainey Wilson; Photos by NBC

Morgan Wallen also had a triumphant night, securing three major awards. However, his wins for People’s Artist, Album, and Concert Tour of 2023 went unaired. Notably, fan votes were the driving force behind all award decisions.