Highlights during the evening included Trisha Yearwood's moving cover of Linda Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou," Jake Owen's powerful new single "What We Ain't Got" and Brad Paisley's impressive cover of Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher," with guitar licks that inspired a standing ovation from the largely industry crowd.

Once Paisley finished "Hot for Teacher" he went into another familiar cover, this time Cheap Trick's "I Want You To Want Me." Midway through the song, Cheap Trick's Robin Zander walked out on stage to critique Paisley's guitar playing.