Jordan Davis Wins Song of the Year at the 2022 CMA Awards for ‘Buy Dirt’

Jordan Davis' collaboration "Buy Dirt," featuring Luke Bryan, won Song of the Year at the 2022 CMA Awards in Nashville on Wednesday night (Nov. 9.)

The winning song beat out an impressive array of hits: Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde's "Never Wanted to Be That Girl," Morgan Wallen's "Sand in My Boots," Lainey Wilson's "Things a Man Oughta Know" and Chris Stapleton's "You Should Probably Leave." This trophy is awarded to the writers of the winning song.

Country music icon Reba McEntire and boyfriend actor Rex Linn presented the award to Davis and fellow songwriters Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins and Matt Jenkins.

“Rex and I want to make something clear. Rex and I are not anything like our characters in Big Sky,” McEntire began before announcing the nominees. “In real life, I am not a scary woman with a dark side.”

“And I’m really not baked,” Linn quipped. “We are thrilled to be able to present the CMA award for Song of the Year.”

Without further ado, the pair simultaneously named “Buy Dirt” as the winner, and Davis and his co-writers, as well as producer Paul DiGiovanni, made their way to the stage to accept the trophy.

“Oh, man! I did not expect that,” Jordan said over the microphone. “.... These guys behind me, Jake, Josh, Matt, and Paul DiGiovanni, love you, buddy. Oh my god, I want them to say something too. Everyone has played this song. Fans, we wrote a song about faith and family. If that’s not country music, I don’t know what is!”

Davis then proceeded to invite Bryan, the 2022 CMA Award co-host, to join him onstage for the celebration.

“Luke Bryan. Come up here, bro. What are you doing? Come here..This song isn’t [a song] without you on it"

Bryan, of course, ran up to join his buddy and planted a kiss on his collaborator’s cheeks before announcing the next performance act.

"Buy Dirt" was a No. 1 hit and an instant fan-favorite for Davis and Bryan. With its themes of grounded gratitude, the song serves as a reminder of what is truly important in life — love, faith, family and friendship — and Davis has said that he chose Bryan as his duet partner because of how important those values are to the country superstar.

"We sat around the fire after a golf tournament one day, smoking cigars and talking about everything but music," Davis said, recalling the conversation that gave him the idea to ask Bryan to join him on the song.

"...Luke isn't just a great entertainer; he's a great Dad, a great husband, and a great friend, too. That's what 'Buy Dirt' embodies," he explains. "When I wrote 'Buy Dirt,' I knew he could relate to the song's message. I took a chance and asked him to join me on the recording, and he said yes."

Davis received a trophy as the song's writer, and his collaborators in the writer's room — Davis and both Jenkins — earned CMA Song of the Year trophies, too. "Buy Dirt" appears on Davis's second EP of the same name.

The 56th annual CMA Awards airs live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on ABC. Bryan and Peyton Manning are the co-hosts of the show.