Dancing with the Stars sent home country music star Jimmie Allen this week.
Jimmie went head-to-head with Melora Hardin after Olivia Jade was sent home because she received the lowest fan votes.
The judges unanimously chose to keep Melora, and Jimmie went home before the semifinals.
However, two days later, Jimmie Allen won something even more important.
Jimmie Allen was named the CMA 2020 New Artist of the Year.
Jimmie Allen wins big at the CMA Awards
Jimmie Allen’s fans are disappointed to learn that he lost on Dancing with the Stars this season, but he earned something even more important to him.
A Mirrorball trophy would have been fun, but Jimmie is a country music singer by profession, and he isn’t an old guy looking to use Dancing with the Stars to return to relevance.
He is a young country music star, and that is where his future is.
That makes the CMA Award for New Artist of the Year so important to him.
Jimmie Allen beat out Ingrid Andress, Gabby Barrett, Mickey Guyton, and HARDY for the award.
Jimmie released his first album in 2018, and it reached 11th on the U.S. Country Music Charts, and it included two number one hits on the U.S. Country Airplay Charts with Best Shot and Make Me Want To.
Both of those songs also went platinum.
Earlier this year, Jimmie Allen also won the New Male Artist of the Year Award from the ACM Awards.
Jimmie Allen has great acceptance speech at CMA Awards
When accepting the award at the Wednesday night ceremony, Jimmie gave a great speech.
He first thanked his dad for introducing him to country music. His father died in 2019.
He then explained how he made it to this point.
“Five years ago, I spent my last $100 and came to the CMAs 50th to watch Charley Pride perform on stage, and I got to perform with him last year,” Jimmie said.
He then thanked his wife, kids, and manager Ash Bowers.
“Ash found me playing at a writer’s round at Puckett’s grocery store in Franklin and signed me after 10 years of being here, living in my car, living in a trailer, working every job. This is amazing,” Jimmie said.
Allen spoke with PEOPLE after his win and said it was great to win a country music award as a Black man.
“My dad was like, ‘Well, you should be a country singer,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, nah, they’re all white,” Jimmie said. “I don’t know if they let people like me even sing country music.'”
Then he discovered Charley Pride.
“Then he played me a song. It was ‘Kiss an Angel Good Morning,’ and I was like, ‘I like this song, it’s nice, but what’s the difference?’ And he showed me a picture of Charley Pride, and that changed my life.”
Dancing with the Stars airs on Monday nights at 8/7c on ABC.