Miranda Lambert - Miranda Lambert And Blake Shelton Sweep Cma Awards

The singers, who married in May last year (11), shared the prize for their powerful tune Over You and moved the star-studded audience at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee with their emotional acceptance speech.

Lambert held back tears as Shelton told the crowd, "I lost my brother in a car wreck when I was 14 years old, and later in life when I decided I wanted to be a country singer, my dad always told me, 'Son, you should write a song about your brother.' I lost my dad in January, and it's so amazing to me that tonight, even after he's gone, he's still right."

Turning to his wife, he added, "I just needed the right person to write this song with and the right person to sing it. I love you so much, baby."

Shelton also beat out ceremony co-host Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean and Kenny Chesney to land the coveted Entertainer of the Year honour, as well as Male Vocalist of the Year, while Lambert picked up the female equivalent at the 46th annual prizegiving.

The evening kicked off with a rousing opening number by Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Eric Church, and featured performances by Lambert, Kelly Clarkson and Vince Gill, the Zac Brown Band and Band Perry.

The performance highlight came as Paisley sang Southern Comfort Zone backed by a gospel choir - a tribute to the victims of superstorm Sandy.

Other big winners included Willie Nelson, who was handed a lifetime achievement honour, Little Big Town (Vocal Group of the Year) and Eric Church, who claimed the Album of the Year prize for Chief.

The full list of winners for the 2012 Country Music Association Awards is as follows:

Entertainer of the Year: Blake Shelton

Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert

Male Vocalist of the Year: Blake Shelton

Vocal Group of the Year: Little Big Town

Vocal Duo of the Year: Thompson Square

New Artist of the Year: Hunter Hayes

Album of the Year: Chief - Eric Church

Song of the Year: Over You - Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton

Single of the Year: Pontoon - Little Big Town

Music Video of the Year: Red Solo Cup - Toby Keith

Musical Event of the Year: Feel Like A Rock Star - Kenny Chesney and Tim MCGraw

Musician of the Year: MAC MCAnally.