Country Music Memories: Garth Brooks Sets an ACM Awards Record

Thirty years ago today, on April 24, 1991, Garth Brooks won a record-breaking six times at the 26th annual ACM Awards. Brooks shares his one-night ACM Awards wins record with Faith Hill and Chris Stapleton, who each won six trophies in 1999 and 2016, respectively.

At the 1991 ACM Awards, Brooks won trophies for Top Male Vocalist of the Year; Album of the Year, for No Fences; Song of the Year and Country Music Video of the Year, both for “The Dance;” Single Record of the Year, for “Friends in Low Places;” and the night’s highest honor, Entertainer of the Year. “Friends in Low Places” also earned the Oklahoma native a Song of the Year nod.

The prior year, in 1990, Brooks had been nominated for three ACM Awards, including Song of the Year and Single Record of the Year, both for his first No. 1 single, “If Tomorrow Never Comes.” He was also nominated for Top New Male Vocalist; that trophy went to Clint Black. To date, Brooks has amassed more than 20 ACM Awards and been nominated more than 50 times.

Brooks’ eponymous freshman album was released in April of 1989 and set off an unprecedented string of successes for the singer-songwriter. His first two albums include six No. 1 singles, and, to date, the records have sold a combined 27 million copies. No Fences spent an astonishing 23 weeks at the top of the country charts and landed at No. 3 on the pop charts as well.

The year 1991 was a big awards year for Brooks: That October, he won four CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year.

Black, George Strait and Kathy Mattea co-hosted the 1991 ACM Awards ceremony, which was held at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, Calif.

LOOK: Garth Brooks’ Wackiest Shirts

WATCH: Test Your Garth Brooks Knowledge!