First held in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards -- known as the ACM Awards -- is country music's oldest mainstream awards show. For the first five years of its existence, the show didn't even have an Entertainer of the Year category, and it didn't start being broadcast on live television until 1972! But from those humble beginnings has sprung a time-honored tradition in country music: From emotional acceptance speeches to jaw-dropping performances and surprise collaborations, the show has delivered no shortage of memorable moments over the years. For the bulk of its first four decades, the ACM Awards took place in California, and in 2003, the show moved to Las Vegas, Nev., where it has -- for the most part -- taken place ever since. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time ever, the ACM Awards took place in Nashville, Tenn., where it was spread through a handful of iconic Music City venues including the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe.