Tucker Wetmore, who was named the Academy of Country Music Awards’ new male artist of the year on April 30, ahead of the 61st annual ACM Awards on May 17, is a fast-rising 26-year-old singer from Washington state.
Wetmore was performing in London last week when his mom, Sia, walked on stage and directed her son’s (and the audience’s) attention to the video screens on either side of the stage, on which Thomas Rhett announced that Wetmore was this year’s recipient of the award.
“I’m at a loss for words right now for the first time in a long time,” a clearly moved Wetmore said. “I can’t do any of this without you guys. I can’t do any of this without that woman [mom] right there… Y’all made this possible. Every single person in this venue. And there’s countless more outside of this venue that I can’t sit here and name because I’d be here all night. Thank y’all so much and thank you ACMs for this amazing honor.”
Last summer, Wetmore was the opening act for Rhett, who is a nine-time ACM Award winner.
Seven past winners of the ACM Award for new male artist of the year have gone on to win ACM’s entertainer of the year prize. Merle Haggard, who was the inaugural winner of new male artist of the year – not a bad start – won entertainer of the year in 1971. Other new male artist winners who stepped up the top prize are Mickey Gilley, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban and Chris Stapleton.
Here are six things to know about Tucker Wetmore.
The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
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Inspired by a love for Jerry Lee Lewis, he taught himself to play piano at age 11
Lewis, who achieved immortality in the 1950s with his classic hits “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On” and “Great Balls of Fire,” is one of just 18 musicians who have been voted into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Lewis was one of the inaugural inductees in the Rock Hall in 1986. He was inducted into the Country Hall in 2022, the year he died at age 87.
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He had two songs on the hit soundtrack to Twisters
Wetmore got a lucky break in 2024 when he had two songs on the soundtrack to Twisters, which rose to No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and No. 7 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Tucker was represented with “Already Had It” and as a featured artist on Conner Smith’s “Steal My Thunder.”
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His debut album contained three top three Country Airplay hits.
Wetmore’s 2024 EP Waves of Sunset led to his debut full-length in 2025, What Not To, which reached No. 4 on Top Country Albums and No. 15 on the Billboard 200. The album has spawned four singles, three of which reached the top three on Billboard’s closely-watched Country Airplay chart – “Wind Up Missin’ You,” “3,2,1” and “Brunette.”
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He cracked the Billboard Hot 100 with his first commercial single release
Wetmore debuted at No. 77 on the Hot 100 dated March 9, 2024 with “Wine Into Whiskey” based on buzz generated on TikTok. The song also opened at No. 22 on Hot Country Songs. Wetmore first posted a clip of the song on his profile on Dec. 12, 2023. Users took its chorus lyric, which begins with the line “I took a good thing and I turned it into goodbye,” to accompany TikToks about their own relationship woes. The song peaked at No. 68, setting Wetmore up for future success.
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He has opened tours for Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan & Jordan Davis, in addition to Thomas Rhett
This summer, Wetmore will join Davis, HARDY and Brooks & Dunn on tour for select dates. He’s also headlining his own The Brunette World Tour, named after his smash single.
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He is also nominated at the upcoming American Music Awards
He’s vying for breakthrough country artist (where he’s competing with Sam Barber and Zach Top) and best country album (where What Not To is vying with another debut album, Barber’s Restless Mind, as well as BigXthaPlug’s I Hope You’re Happy, Megan Moroney’s Cloud 9 and Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem).
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