Thomas Rhett received the CMT Artist of the Year Award last night- from his wife!
Lauren Akins presented her husband with the CMT Artists of the Year trophy, marking her first time ever presenting an award. The pregnant mother of two used her time on stage to praise her husband for how hard he has worked over the years, even though it means they are often apart.
“When Thomas Rhett started out, I remember sharing a bunk with him on the tour bus, and let me tell you, it is a tight squeeze in that bunk,” Akins recalled from stage. “But it might not have been that bad, except there were ten other guys on that bus too. Spending 180 nights on the road, he’s away a lot, but even when we weren’t there with him, he kept his family in his heart, and in his music.
She continued
“Now we’re walking red carpets together and coming to nights like this. I wouldn’t change anything, because my husband gets to do something that very few people can: live his dream, follow his passion, and do the thing that I know God created him to do. The song he’s going to play for you right now shows that he knows how much sacrifice we’ve put into this, and I think it resonates with everybody who supports the one that they love.”
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Could @thomasrhettakins and @laur_akins be any cuter? 🥰👏 #CMTAOTY 📸: @katiekauss
Lauren told US weekly how they are preparing for Baby #3,
“We’re excited and our kids are excited. [We’re] making sure [there] aren’t going to be any hurt feelings when Ada isn’t the baby anymore.”
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Absolute 😍 for @thomasrhettakins and @laur_akins (and baby Akins, too!) ✨ #CMTAOTY