The country music community has always called itself a family, and last night’s 50th anniversary of the Country Music Association Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, was an elegant, star-packed, and emotional reunion like no other.

The event, broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, brought together such disparate figures as Loretta Lynn — named Female Vocalist of the Year at the CMA’s first ceremony in 1967 — NFL star Peyton Manning, Hollywood’s Sharon Stone, and Beyoncé.

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The latter proves if nothing else that Nashville’s definition of “family” runs wide and deep.

More than usual, the show was a compendium of old and new, with winners from every category in the last 50 years invited to attend — along with country’s current hit makers: Eric Church (a two-time winner of Album of the Year, this time with “Mr. Misunderstood”); Kelsea Ballerini; Chris Stapleton (who repeated his Male Vocalist of the Year win, and also won in the Music Video category); the Brothers Osborne (Duo of the Year), and Thomas Rhett (Single of the Year, “Die a Happy Man”).

Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Barbara Mandrell, Alabama, Charley Pride, Roy Clark, and Charlie Daniels were all there, as was Randy Travis, who suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2013. The 57-year-old brought the audience to tears as he sounded the last note in a group rendition of his hit, “Forever and Ever, Amen.” Travis, Daniels, and producer Fred Foster are the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Related: Randy Travis Stuns with Song

Garth Brooks, who last won the Entertainer of the Year award in 1998, returned to capture the night’s most coveted trophy for an unprecedented fifth time. After shaking up the industry in the ’90s with his brand of rock and pop-fused country and his penchant for bringing arena rock elements to his live performances, he retired in 2000 — and came out of retirement in 2013. The award is largely predicated on concert ticket sales, and Brooks toured extensively this year.

Taylor Swift, a former two-time Entertainer of the Year who started in Nashville and then largely outgrew it with her huge pop-based career, was his presenter.

Backstage at the arena, Brooks told reporters, “I never thought I’d be able to come back. And when you come back you never think you’re going to get to hold one of these [CMA trophies] again. Awards are for younger artists, so the older you get the more precious [they are].”

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The ceremony was full of surprises, even to press who had been clued in on some of the plans. The hosts had told reporters they would steer clear of election jokes, and then stuffed the opening monologue with funny, if pointed, references to the highlights of the presidential campaign. While neither used the names “Trump” or “Clinton,” no one needed explanation as Paisley called Underwood “Crooked Carrie” and “a nasty woman,” and Underwood rummaged through a special gift basket for guests, “Your very own basket of deplorables!” Before moving on, Paisley playfully declared that the show was “rigged … bigly!”

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Politics took a back seat to sentiment, however, and for all the glitz, plunging necklines, and tuxedos, the awards settled down to home, family, faith, and country — the stock values of the genre. In accepting her fourth Female Vocalist of the Year trophy from fellow Oklahoman Vince Gill, Underwood, obviously touched, said, “Glory to God, thank you, Jesus!” before thanking her husband, son, and others.

Maren Morris, who predictably won the New Artist of the Year award, largely on the strength of her hits “’80s Mercedes” and “My Church,” turned the arena into a tabernacle on the latter, with four black female singers and something akin to a Dixieland band supporting her. Last year, she said, she watched the show from a bar across the street.

And Lee Greenwood, the Male Vocalist of the Year in 1983-1984, showed up to honor veterans, singing, in the night’s most patriotic moment, a snippet of “God Bless the U.S.A.,” with Paisley and Underwood joining in.

Parton, resplendent in a long yellow gown, looked wistful. “I would have cried,” she admitted, “but I didn’t want to mess up my eyelashes.”

The CMAs are known for stirring performances as well as honors, and last night was no exception. Garth Brooks and his wife Trisha Yearwood turned in a fun medley of country classics, and Chris Stapleton and Dwight Yoakam delivered a moving rendition of “Seven Spanish Angels.”

Beyoncé appeared in a sheer gossamer dress to sing her country-ish “Daddy Lessons” with the Dixie Chicks. It was the controversial singer’s first CMA appearance, and the first in a decade by the also-controversial Chicks, who worked a 40-second bit of their song “Long Time Gone” into the performance. Beyoncé, of course, has drawn fire for mixing politics and music, and country fans lit up the internet in protest of her appearance.

But mostly, it was a sweet night that honored the greats of the genre. Kenny Chesney, in acknowledging his special Pinnacle Award, looked tearful as he said, “When I think about what this means to me … it means connections with a lot of people.”

Dolly Parton, however, received the biggest tribute of the evening. Actress Lily Tomlin, her co-star in the film “9 to 5,” presented her with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, calling her “a force of nature,” and saying, “Dolly is country music.”

Related: How Does Dolly Do It All?

The Smoky Mountain legend, always ready with a quip, offered that receiving an award named for Nelson — an inveterate pot smoker — was “an absolute high” for her. As Reba McEntire, Underwood, Jennifer Nettles, Martina McBride, and Kacey Musgraves sang a medley of her hits, culminating in “I Will Always Love You,” Parton, resplendent in a long yellow gown, looked wistful. “I would have cried,” she admitted, “but I didn’t want to mess up my eyelashes.”

Near the end of the show, Paisley performed his latest single, “Today,” and gave the audience some wisdom to take home. “Look at this,” he said in his intro. “Fifty years, everybody. We’re one big crazy family. We aren’t promised tomorrow, but we are so blessed to be here right now. Don’t let this moment pass without realizing what we got to be a part of today.”

Alanna Nash, an award-winning journalist, is the author of seven books, including four on Elvis Presley. She won the CMA’s Media Achievement Award in 2004.