Maren Morris took home the award for album of the year for "Girl" at the 53rd Annual Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday night.
The singer, 29, thanked her fans, her family and her peers in the room for their support of the album.
Her speech took an emotional turn when she paid tribute to her late record producer and co-writer, Michael James Ryan, aka Busbee, who died in September from a rare form of brain cancer, according to Variety.
(MORE: Biggest female artists in country music open 2019 CMA Awards with powerful performance)"I would be really remiss if I didn't mention a huge facet of why this album sounds the way it does, and we miss him so dearly," Morris said in her emotional speech about Busbee.
A big congrats to @MarenMorris for winning Album of the Year for "Girl"! https://t.co/hA9ahoa4Mp#CMAawards pic.twitter.com/pw1HGKHT9m
— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 14, 2019
"He texted me the morning that we got the nomination for album of the year this year and we were so excited," she continued.
Morris also mentioned Busbee's family in her speech.
"His wife Jess is here tonight, and she looks so beautiful," she said through tears. "Thank you for sharing your husband with us ... my heart just goes out to you and your beautiful daughters. I hope when they listen to this record or any of the songs that he made -- that made us all better -- they know how amazing their father was."
(MORE: Biggest female artists in country music open 2019 CMA Awards with powerful performance)This just doesn’t seem fair. I will always love you and the songs and albums I was lucky to make with you, Busbee. Rest well, my sweet friend. 💔 pic.twitter.com/9DKsU5G77a
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) September 30, 2019
Blake Shelton also paid tribute to Busbee when accepting the award for single of the year for his song, "God’s Country."
“I want to dedicate this to Busbee and Earl Thomas Conley who we lost this year,” Shelton said while holding up his award.
Thinking about this dude today... Gonna miss you Busbee. pic.twitter.com/TIC3zw0gGr
— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) September 30, 2019
