Luke Bryan was recently sidelined from “American Idol” after testing positive for COVID-19 and now he’s opening up about his experience.

Luke tells “People” he was “fortunate” that he didn’t have a “long, long set of symptoms,” although he admits, “it was still quite challenging for a couple of days,” and now he feels “blessed” to be on the “other side” of his diagnosis.

Luke adds that he was lucky to get through it easily with the help of his wife Caroline, sharing, “There were times when Caroline was nursing me back to health, so I was certainly amazed to move through that.”

Meanwhile Luke also talked to Extra about his bout with COVID, telling them “I had two or three days. … It was really, really tough and the boys were, I went to a whole different section of the house. I didn’t see the boys for 10 days. … That was tough,” adding, “I got just a little fatigue — everybody says expect that. I’m just really, really happy to be back doing Idol. I was heartbroke to miss last week.”

Source: People

The 56^th Annual ACM Awards went down last night in Nashville, taking place mainly in iconic Nashville locations – The Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, Bluebird Cafe, The Station Inn and more- with the show watched by an in-person audience made up of healthcare workers from Vanderbilt Hospital.

The night’s big award, Entertainer of the Year, went to Luke Bryan, who was not in house after testing positive for COVID, but did accept his award via Zoom. This was Luke’s third time winning the big trophy.

The night’s other big winner was Maren Morris, who won two trophies, Female Artist of the Year (for a second year in a row) and Song of the Year for “The Bones.” Carly Pearce and Lee Brice also took home two awards, Song of the Year and Music Event of the Year for “I Hope You’re Happy Now.”

Other winners included: Chris Stapleton’s “Starting Over,” named Album of the Year (his third Album of the Year win), Thomas Rhett, who won Male Artist of the Year (his third), Old Dominion, nabbed Group of the Year (for a fourth straight year), and Dan + Shay  won Duo of the Year for the third straight year. (click here for a complete winner’s list)

Of course, what everyone tunes into the ACM for are the performances, and there certainly were a ton of them.

• The show kicked off with Miranda Lambert and Ell King, decked out in fringed leather jackets, performing the world television premiere of “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).”
• Thomas Rhett treated fans to a pair of songs from his upcoming album, the title track, “Country Again,” and his latest number one, “What’s Your Country Song.”
• Chris Stapleton performed “Maggie’s Song,” about his late dog, at the Bluebird Café. Dog lover Miranda Lambert filled in on background vocals because Chris’ wife Morgane had a “prior doula commitment.”
• Maren Morris and hubby Ryan Hurd brought the heat for their collab “Chasing After You,” ending the performance with a kiss.
• Dierks Bentley performed U2’s “Pride (In The Name of Love), with War and Treaty at the Station Inn, dedicating it to the club’s owner JT Gray, who passed away last month.
• Carrie Underwood performed a “My Savior” medley, including “Amazing Grace,” “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” with guest CeCe Winans, and “How Great Thou Art.”
• Miranda Lambert returned for a third time to perform her “Marfa Tapes” song “In His Arms,” with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall.
• Dan + Shay performed “Glad You Exist,” although there seemed to be something really wrong with their feed because their lips didn’t match up with what they were singing. They later addressed the issue on Twitter.
• New Artist winner Jimmie Allen performed “Freedom Was A Highway,” and was surprised mid-song by his collaboration partner Brad Paisley.
• Kenny Chesney performed “Knowing You,” as the In Memoriam video of stars who passed in the last year played in the background.
• Carly Pearce and Lee Brice performed their Single of the Year winner “I Hope You’re Happy Now.”
• Alan Jackson performed a medley featuring his classic “Drive (For Daddy Gene),” and his new single “You’ll Always Be My Baby (Written For Daughter).”
• Blake Shelton kicked off his performance with his debut single “Austin,” which is celebrating its 20^th anniversary, and then followed that with his latest track “Minimum Wage.”
• Host Mickey Guyton once again showed off her pipes during her performance of “Hold On,” backed by a chorus who sang from the audience.
• Host Keith Urban reunited with his band to perform “Tumbleweed,” the first time he’s gotten to perform the track with them.
• Little Big Town, who was without Philip Sweet who tested COVID positive (although there was a cutout of him), performed “Wine Beer Whiskey” from the streets of downtown Nashville, backed be a horn and drum section.
• Brothers Osborne performed “I’m Not For Everyone,” and then wrapped the show with “Dead Man’s Curve.”

• The night’s performances included: Chris Young and Kane Brown performed “Famous Friends” at the Ryman, Lady A performed “Like A Lady” on an outside stage in Nashville; New Artist winner Gabby Barrett performed “One Of The Good Ones,” Eric Church debuted the brand new song “A Bunch of Nothing,” Luke Combs performed “Forever After All,” Ashley McBryde performed “Martha Devine” on the boardwalk in Nashville, and Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney performed a beautiful rendition of “half of my home town.”

The 56^th Annual ACM Awards go down Sunday in Nashville, and it’s shaping up to be quite the evening. This years show will be hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton, and will take place in three iconic Music City venues – the Grand Ole Opry House, the historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Café (as well as some other spots in Nashville) with the whole thing telecast on CBS (8 pm).

Of course, the ACMs will be chock-full of performances, including TV world premieres, exciting collaborations and more.

Miranda Lambert and Ell King are kicking off the show with the world television premiere of “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).” But that’s far from the night’s only performance.

Other collaborations planned for the evening include: Dierks Bentley and The War and Treaty, who’ll perform a cover of U2’s “Pride (In The Name of Love),” Miranda will team with her “Marfa Tapes” partners Jack Ingram and Jon Randall on “In His Arms,” Chris Young and Kane Brown will perform “Famous Friends,” Maren Morris and hubby Ryan Hurd will perform “Chasing After You,” Carly Pearce and Lee Brice will sing “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney will team up for “half of my home town,” and Carrie Underwood will sing a “My Savior” medley with guest CeCe Winans.

Blake Shelton is also set for a special performance, performing his first hit single “Austin,” in honor of its 20^th anniversary, along with his latest track “Minimum Wave.”

• But that’s not all. The show will also feature performances by: Brothers Osborne (“I’m Not For Everyone”), Kenny Chesney (“Knowing You”), Eric Church (“Bunch Of Nothing”), Luke Combs (“Forever After All”), Dan + Shay (“Glad You Exist”), Mickey Guyton (“Hold On”), Alan Jackson (“You’ll Always Be My Baby” and “Drive (For Daddy Gene),”) Thomas Rhett (“What’s Your Country Song” and “Country Again”), Chris Stapleton (“Maggie’s Song”), and Chris Young and Kane Brown (“Famous Friends”), as well as performances by Keith Urban, Ashley McBryde, Little Big Town, Lady A, and New Artist of the Year winners Gabby Barrett and Jimmie Allen.

One person who’s no longer set to perform is Luke Bryan, who pulled out of the show after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

• As for the nominees, Maren Morris and Chris Stapleton lead this year’s pack with six nods a piece, with Miranda Lambert close behind with five, bringing her overall total to 68 lifetime nominations, the most of any female artist in ACM history. In addition, Miranda is up for her 15^th Female Artist of the Year nod. (She’s won nine times).

• As for Entertainer of The Year, this year’s category is all male, with nominees Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and Chris Stapleton.

 NOMINEES FOR THE 56TH ANNUAL ACM AWARDS

Entertainer of the Year

• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church
• Luke Combs
• Thomas Rhett
• Chris Stapleton

Female Artist of the Year

• Kelsea Ballerini
• Miranda Lambert
• Ashley McBryde
• Maren Morris
• Carly Pearce

Male Artist of the Year

• Dierks Bentley
• Luke Combs
• Eric Church
• Thomas Rhett
• Chris Stapleton

Duo of the Year

• Brooks & Dunn
• Brothers Osborne
• Dan + Shay
• Florida Georgia Line
• Maddie & Tae

Group of the Year

• Lady A
• Little Big Town
• Old Dominion
• The Cadillac Three
• The Highwomen

New Female Artist of the Year

• Ingrid Andress
• Tenille Arts
• Gabby Barrett
• Mickey Guyton
• Caylee Hammack

New Male Artist of the Year

• Jimmie Allen
• Travis Denning
• HARDY
• Cody Johnson
• Parker McCollum

Album of the Year

• Born Here Live Here Die Here – Luke Bryan
• Mixtape Vol. 1 – Kane Brown
• Never Will – Ashley McBryde
• Skeletons – Brothers Osborne
• Starting Over – Chris Stapleton

Single of the Year

• “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
• “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett
• “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce & Lee Brice
• “More Hearts Than Mine”– Ingrid Andress
• “The Bones” – Maren Morris

Song of the Year

• “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
• “One Night Standards” – Ashley McBryde
• “Some People Do” – Old Dominion
• “Starting Over” – Chris Stapleton
• “The Bones” – Maren Morris

Video of the Year

• “Better Than We Found It” – Maren Morris
• “Bluebird”– Miranda Lambert
• “Gone” – Dierks Bentley
• “Hallelujah” – Carrie Underwood and John Legend
• “Worldwide Beautiful” – Kane Brown

Songwriter of the Year

• Ashley Gorley
• Michael Hardy
• Hillary Lindsey
• Shane McAnally
• Josh Osborne

Music Event of the Year

• “Be A Light” – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban
• “Does To Me” – Luke Combs feat. Eric Church
• “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce & Lee Brice
• “Nobody But You” – Blake Shelton ft. Gwen Stefani
• “One Beer” – HARDY ft. Lauren Alaina & Devin Dawson
• “One Too Many” – Keith Urban, P!nk

Source: ACM

Reba McEntire is the latest artist to push her tour to 2022 due to the pandemic. Her “Reba: Live In Concert” will now kick off January 13^th in Evansville, Indiana.

“We’ve waited as long as we possibly could to make a decision, but unfortunately we’re not going to be able to play our 2021 Reba: Live In Concert dates,” she shares. “As much as I wish we could get back out on the road, it’s just not possible yet. However, don’t worry…we are going to reschedule the dates for 2022.”

She adds, “We cannot wait to get back out on the road and bring you our brand new show!” Current ticket holders will be able to hold on to their tickets, with the exception of one show in St. Paul, Minnesota, which has been canceled, and fans will get refunds.

• But that’s not all. Reba noted, “I’ve got some big news coming later this year that I hope will be worth the wait for all of us! Stay tuned for some exciting announcements on tour, music and more coming soon.”