Morgan Wallen wins country music award after racism controversy

Morgan Wallen has won album of the year at the Academy of Country Music awards, a year after being suspended by his label for using a racial slur.

The US singer did not address the controversy directly but thanked those who had "shown me grace along the way" as he collected his prize in Las Vegas.

Wallen apologised last year after a video emerged showing him yelling the N-word outside his home in Nashville.

The resulting furore did not stop the album spending 10 weeks at number one.

Dangerous sold more than three million copies despite his music being removed from thousands of US country music radio and TV stations. Wallen's label, Big Loud, reinstated him four months later.

The Academy of Country Music made him ineligible for last year's awards, but he picked up this year's prize for Dangerous: The Double Album.

While many tweeted their congratulations underneath a video clip of Wallen collecting his award posted on the ACM Twitter account, some were not happy at the recognition.

The prestigious annual award show returned to Nevada this year after previously been aired from different US locations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Country star Dolly Parton hosted the ceremony and dedicated it to the people of Ukraine.

The Jolene singer joked that she would "rather pass a kidney stone" than get political, but asked viewers to send "love and hope to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine".

She added: "So why don't we just dedicate this entire show to them and pray for peace around this crazy old world?"

Other winners included Miranda Lambert, who won entertainer of the year. Carly Pierce was named best female artist, with Chris Stapleton named best male.