Thomas Rhett picks up first 50th anniversary CMA award

Singer Thomas Rhett was the first big winner at the 2016 CMA Awards in Nashville, Tennessee when he picked up the Single of the Year trophy.

Rhett's "Die a Happy Man" beat out "Humble & Kind" by Tim McGraw, "My Church" by Maren Morris, Chris Stapleton's "Nobody to Blame" and Record Year by Eric Church to claim the ceremony's first honour, reported Contactmusic.

McGraw was celebrating minutes later after his "Humble & Kind" hit was named Song of the Year.

Stapleton was already a winner before the prize giving began at the Bridgestone Arena after claiming the Music Video of the Year title for "Fire Away."
 

Dierks Bentley was also named a pre-awards show trophy winner as he performed live from Nashville, Tennessee on US breakfast show "Good Morning America.