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Morgan Wallen<\/strong><\/a> took home his first CMA Awards<\/a> Entertainer of the Year win at the 2024 ceremony \u2013 but he was a no-show to accept the honor.<\/p>\n Presenter Jeff Bridges<\/strong> accepted the award on Morgan\u2019s behalf at the CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 20. \u201cMorgan couldn\u2019t make it tonight, so I\u2019m going to accept this award on his behalf,\u201d the actor, 74, said. \u201cAlright, let\u2019s hear it for Morgan!\u201d<\/p>\n Morgan\u2019s reason for not attending the show was not revealed and he did not address the win on social media. Considering Morgan, 31, led this year\u2019s nominations with seven nods, fans were surprised not to see him in the audience.<\/p>\n \u201cIs Morgan Wallen sick? Where is he? #CMAAwards,\u201d one person wrote on X. Another person wrote, \u201c\u201cWhere is Morgan Wallen? He wins the biggest award in Country Music (not sure why, he was probably 4th best in the category) and he isn\u2019t there. Ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n This was Morgan\u2019s third time being nominated for Entertainer of the Year. He lost the award to Lainey Wilson<\/strong> in 2023 and to Luke Combs<\/strong> in 2022.<\/p>\n In 2021, Morgan was banned from being nominated<\/a> in solo categories \u2013 Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year \u2013 after being caught using a racial slur earlier that year. The Country Music Association also banned the \u201cSand in My Boots\u201d singer from attending the show in 2021. He was still eligible in artistic categories so collaborators would not be penalized, and received a nomination for Album of the Year, but lost to Chris Stapleton<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time in the history of the CMA, to my knowledge, anyone has ever been disqualified for conduct<\/a>,\u201d CMA CEO Sarah Trahern told the Los Angeles Times in 2021. \u201cHonoring him as an individual this year is not right, and he will not be allowed on the red carpet, on our stage, or be celebrated in any way.\u201d<\/p>\n Morgan seemingly addressed his 2021 ban with a post on X after the show aired. \u201cI wake up every morning and thank the Lord for my blessings,\u201d he wrote. \u201cTomorrow morning will be no different. I love y\u2019all.\u201d<\/p>\n