Even though Taylor Swift thought she did (and then didn't) take home Album of the Year last night at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, the "biggest night in music" was still a huge celebratory fest for country music's most popular acts. Though the genre failed to take home any of the night's major awards, country was represented quite well with five (and a half) performances.
Country night at the Grammys kicked off before CBS even flipped the switch on at the telecast. During the pre-show awards, which were adorably hosted by Cydni Lauper, Darius Rucker shocked country fans by taking home the award for Best Country Solo Performance for his take on the classic Old Crow Medicine Show (by way of Bob Dylan) song "Wagon Wheel."
Other awards given out pre-telecast included Best Country Duo/Group Performance, which went to the now defunct The Civil Wars for its glorious song "From This Valley" from The Civil Wars. Band member John Paul White was there to accept the award and among thanks to his family and the record label, he failed to mention his singing partner Joy Williams. The duo famously split before their second studio album was released, citing massive tension in the band.
The third pre-telecast award deservingly went to Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne for Best Country Song for "Merry Go Round." Though newcomer (and Best New Artist) nominee Musgraves was a bit of a dark horse in this category, "Merry Go Round" deservedly won the golden gramophone, and she even showed up to accept the award after walking the red carpet!
Once the telecast began, country music had a huge showing in live performances. Rising star Hunter Hayes gave country music a slow Grammy start with a new song from his upcoming 2014 album, entitled "Invisible." As inspirational quotes from the likes of John Lennon and Lady Gaga were projected onto his piano and in the background, the 22-year-old sang about isolation and failing to fit in, bringing in some of the night's first round of tears.
Also taking to a piano, Taylor Swift performed Red favorite "All To Well." Of course, she delivered, and her intense hair flips during the song have now become a thing of .gif legend.
Keith Urban and Gary Clark, Jr. helped to pick things up with a twangy take on "Cop Car." The real star of this show was the dueling guitars between Urban and Clark, who have such an underrated hold on the instrument. The moment was just as rock as anything else on the telecast.
After a rousing performance from Daft Punk, Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves picked things up a bit more with a plucky version of her standout new single "Follow Your Arrow." Rocking some old-fashioned country garb and backed by glorious men in light up suits, Musgraves gave a straightforward but fun show, as she is apt to do.
Arguably, the biggest country music moment of the night was when genre greats Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson joined forces with Blake Shelton for a trio of songs including "The Highwayman," "Mammas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" and "Okie from Muskogee." Set in front of some old barn staging, the performance helped to bring a little of old school soul back into the new-fangled award show. Plus, you can't hate look at Nelson's braided pigtails and not smile.
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