Luke Combs, Dan + Shay celebrated by peers at ACM Honors

Dan + Shay, Luke Combs, Rascal Flatts and more country artists celebrated alongside prominent songwriters, producers and industry leaders at the Academy of Country Music Honors awards show

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Dan + Shay, Luke Combs, Rascal Flatts and more country artists were celebrated alongside prominent songwriters, producers and industry leaders at the Academy of Country Music Honors awards show. In front of a limited crowd at the Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, artists paid tribute to other writers, bands and even a documentarian for their work in the genre of country music. “Without the songwriters in this town, we would have none of this. We have none of the shows, none of the record sales,” said Dan Smyers of the Grammy-winning duo Dan + Shay, who were given the Jim Reeves International Award. Combs' rise to stardom in the last few years has been unprecedented. He is the first artist to have his first 11 singles hit No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart. Country singer Ashley McBryde tore through a rowdy version of his song “She Got the Best of Me,” before presenting him with the Gene Weed Milestone Award.