Eight women plus all-woman trio The Chicks have won Entertainer of the Year since the Academy of Country Music (ACM) introduced its most coveted award in 1970.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The exclusive list begins with some of the biggest names of the 1970s and incorporates foundational artists from the past 30 years, from '90s country gamechanger Shania Twain to American Idol winner and generational talent Carrie Underwood.
Read on to revisit career-affirming accolades for eight groundbreaking acts.
Loretta Lynn (1975)
A 1978 portrait of American country music singer and musician Loretta Lynn sitting outdoors in a lace dress. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)
Lynn made history in 1971 when she became the first woman nominated for Entertainer of the Year. Four years later, she won the ACM's top prize, joining the same rare air as prior winners Merle Haggard (1970), Freddie Hart (1971), Roy Clark (1972, 1973) and Mac Davis (1974).
She's also the first woman nominee (1971) and winner (1972) of the Country Music Association (CMA) Entertainer of the Year award.
In 1979, the ACM named Lynn its Artist of the Decade for the 1970s. She's the only woman to win a comparable prize, with the other Artist of the Decade honors going to Marty Robbins (1960s), Alabama (1980s), Garth Brooks (1990s), George Strait (2000s) and Jason Aldean (2010s).
Dolly Parton (1977)
CIRCA 1977: Country singer Dolly Parton performs onstage, circa 1977. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
The quintessential country music ambassador won the ACM's top prize in her first try. Parton made the final ballot five more times in her illustrious career: 1978, 1980, 1981, 1989 and 1990.
Barbara Mandrell (1980)
Photo of Barbara Mandrell from the 1970s. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Mandrell dominated the television airwaves, award shows included, at the turn of the 1980s. Her momentum at the time positioned her to become the third woman to take home an ACM Entertainer of the Year trophy and the first two-time winner (1980, 1981) of the CMA's top prize.
Reba McEntire (1994)
Reba McEntire tearfully accepts the award for "Entertainer of the Year" during Country Music Association awards presentations 10/13 night. (Bettmann/ Contributor)
A decade-plus drought for women as Entertainer of the Year followed Lynn, Parton and Mandrell's shared run of three trophies in six years. McEntire won Entertainer of the Year in a span during which she made the final ballot nine times in 12 years (1986-1997). McEntire's lone CMA Entertainer of the Year victory came in 1986.
Shania Twain (1999)
Photo of Shania Twain from the 1990s. (Photo by Mick Hutson/Redferns)
Twain capped off a decade she helped define by winning Entertainer of the Year from both the CMA and ACM. The Canadian-born country superstar was the first artist born outside of the United States to win either trophy. Her first ACM Entertainer of the Year nomination came the prior year.
The Chicks (2000)
The Chicks singers Emily (L), Natalie (C) and Martha (R) pose as they arrive at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards 23 February 2000 in Los Angeles 23 February 2000. The Chicks won a Best Country Album Grammy for 'Fly'. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/LUCY NICHOLSON (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images)
The Chicks rode the momentum of crucial 1999 release Fly to the trio's first and only ACM and CMA Entertainer of the Year wins. Bandmates Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer made the ACM's final ballot three times (1999, 2000, 2002) in four years.
The Chicks, Alabama and Brooks & Dunn are the only multi-person groups to win the ACM's top honor.
Carrie Underwood (2009, 2010, 2020)
Singer Carrie Underwood arrives on the red carpet at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/ACM2009/Getty Images for ACM)
Underwood made history in 2020 when she shared the evening's top award with Thomas Rhett. She joined Alabama, Hank Williams Jr., Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan as the only acts to win Entertainer of the Year three or more times.
Read More: All 5 ACM New Female Artist of the Year Hopefuls on a Career-Affirming Nomination
Taylor Swift (2011, 2012)
Musician Taylor Swift arrives on the red carpet at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/ACM2009/Getty Images for ACM)
Before conquering pop music, Swift's ace lyricism and star power earned her consecutive Entertainer of the Year honors by age 22. Indeed, she was the youngest artist to win the ACM and CMA's top awards (she's won both twice, earning the CMA's most coveted prize in 2009 and 2011).
Miranda Lambert (2022)
In this screengrab, Miranda Lambert accepts the ' onstage during the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards at Allegiant Stadium on March 07, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/ACMA2022/Getty Images for ACM)
A decade-long drought for women ended in 2022 when the most decorated artist in ACM history donned her rightful crown as Entertainer of the Year.
Lambert accepted the award via video from London, days before a headlining appearance at the Country 2 Country festival.
"This is my first time missing the ACMs in 17 years," she said during the broadcast. "My heart is a little broken, but I'm happy to be where I am. I've been waiting for this for a really, really long time. I actually never thought it would happen. But thank you so much to the country music family for embracing me all these years and continuing to support me."
