Still hard to believe he’s never won an Entertainer of the Year award here. With the 61st ACM Awards coming up next Sunday, May 17th, I thought it would be the perfect time to take a look back at some of the best performances over the decades. Given how long the award ceremony has been around, there are plenty of different, iconic moments to highlight. From George Strait and Alan Jackson’s protest with “Murder on Music Row” in 2000 and Toby Keith’s fiery performance of “Courtesy Of The Red, White, and Blue” shortly after 9/11 in 2002 to Chris Stapleton’s surprise duet with Dua Lipa on “Think I’m In Love With You” in 2024 and George Jones and Ray Charles’ collaboration on “We Didn’t See A Thing” in 1984, there are plenty to choose from. For my money, however, one of the most underrated ACM moments from the past decade came from none other than the Chief himself, Eric Church, at the 2022 ceremony. On a night that was pretty forgettable overall, being hosted by Jimmie Allen (yikes…) and Gabby Barrett and plagued by bad performances such as Walker Hayes performing “Fancy Like” and “AA” and Parmalee, Blanco Brown and Brooke Eden teaming up for “Just the Way,” Church proved why he’s one of the best in the business. Instead of sticking to the tried and true award show formula of performing your latest hit or current single (Church’s was “Heart on Fire” at the time), the “Springsteen” singer, in typical fashion, went against the grain and delivered a medley spanning his entire discography at the time. When I say his entire discography, I truly mean it. Delivering a hit from every major album, ranging from Sinners Like Me to the Heart & Soul project, Church performed a medley of 13 of his biggest hits in just under seven minutes. Kicking things off with his debut single, “How Bout You,” he’d immediately transition into early hits like “Guys Like Me,” “Love Your Love the Most” (which got a bit short-changed all things considered) and “Smoke a Little Smoke.” Church would then dive into some Chief hits, performing abridged versions of “Drink in My Hand,” “Springsteen” and “Creepin’.” From there, The Outsiders era began with the closing lines to the title track, the second half of “Talladega’s” chorus and “Give Me Back My Home Town.” Mr. Misunderstood, would then kick off with a brief version of the title track, “Round Here Buzz,” which was the longest song performed during the medley with Church performing the entire chorus and “Record Year.” He’d follow that up with two tracks from Desperate Man, the title track and his 2019 #1 hit, “Some of It.” Closing out the medley, the North Carolina native finished with the Heart & Soul project, performing Soul’s standout single, “Hell of a View” before wrapping things up with his single at the time, “Heart on Fire.” Adding the cherry on top to this legendary performance, he’d surprise the crowd by bringing out Ashley McBryde to sing harmony on “Heart on Fire’s” chorus. Though you can argue that he set the bar too high in 2019 at CMA Fest when he pulled out a mind-blowing, 30-minute and 17-song medley of even more hits, I’ve always viewed this 2022 ACM performance as one of his most overlooked and underrated of his career. If you’re a big fan of the Chief and want to relive one of the greatest ACM performances in recent memory before this year’s ceremony, check it out below. 2026 ACM Awards Nominees Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs Jelly Roll Cody Johnson Megan Moroney Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen Lainey Wilson Female Artist of the Year Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Ella Langley Megan Moroney Lainey Wilson Male Artist of the Year Luke Combs Riley Green Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Zach Top Group of the Year 49 Winchester Flatland Cavalry Old Dominion Rascal Flatts The Red Clay Strays Duo of the Year Brooks & Dunn Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Muscadine Bloodline Thelma & James Album of the Year [Awarded to artist(s)/producer(s)/record Company–label(s)] Ain’t In It For My Health – Zach Top; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Record Company-Label: Leo33 Cherry Valley – Carter Faith; Producer: Tofer Brown; Record Company-Label: Gatsby Records / MCA Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe) – Riley Green; Producers: Dann Huff, Michael Knox; Record Company-Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen; Producers: Joey Moi, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett; Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records Parker McCollum – Parker McCollum; Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse; Record Company-Label: MCA Song of the Year “A Song To Sing” – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton; Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure “Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney; Songwriters: Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley; Songwriters: Ella Langley, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor “I Never Lie” – Zach Top; Songwriters: Zach Top, Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols “Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Andy Albert, Harold Arlen & Yip Harburg Single of the Year “6 Months Later” – Megan Moroney “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley “I Never Lie” – Zach Top “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson “The Fall” – Cody Johnson Visual Media of the Year “6 Months Later” – Megan Moroney “A Song To Sing” – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton “Cuckoo” -Stephen Wilson, Jr. “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson “The Fall” – Cody Johnson Music Event of the Year “A Song To Sing” – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton “Amen” – Shaboozey & Jelly Roll “Don’t Mind If I Do” – Riley Green feat. Ella Langley “Trailblazer” – Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson “You Had To Be There” – Megan Moroney & Kenny Chesney Songwriter of the Year Jessie Jo Dillon Ashley Gorley Charlie Handsome Chase McGill Blake Pendergrass Artist-Songwriter of the Year Luke Combs Riley Green Ella Langley Megan Moroney Morgan Wallen New Male Artist of the Year Gavin Adcock Vincent Mason Shaboozey Hudson Westbrook Tucker Wetmore (WINNER) New Female Artist of the Year Avery Anna (WINNER) Mackenzie Carpenter Dasha Caroline Jones Emily Ann RobertsThe post Relive Eric Church’s Epic, 6-Minute Medley Of His Biggest Hits At The 2022 ACM Awards first appeared on Whiskey Riff.