ACMs: Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood shine on the red carpet; Luke Bryan kicks off ceremony

LAS VEGAS, April 3 (UPI) -- Luke Bryan kicked off the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony in Las Vegas Sunday night with an electrifying rendition of his hit "Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day."

Blake Shelton followed that up with a performance of his new record "Came Here to Forget."

"Ladies and gentlemen, your hosts, Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley," Shelton announced after he finished his set.

As his fellow artists walked out on stage together, Shelton -- a former ACMs emcee himself -- snuck up behind Bryan and Bentley and put his arms on their shoulders.

"Good luck tonight, guys," he told his friends, then addressing Bentley, he added, "He's all yours now."

Chris Stapleton's "Nobody to Blame" won the first prize of the evening -- Song of the Year.

Also slated to perform at the event at the MGM Garden Arena are Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Charles Kelley, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Brett Eldredge, Sam Hunt, Tim McGraw, Dolly Parton with Katy Perry, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Chris Young with Cassadee Pope, and Florida Georgia Line.