CMAs 2013 rewind: The top performances

Country legend George Strait was a big winner at Wednesday's Country Music Association Awards, but the ceremony itself didn't play it so, well, straight.

Known as country music's biggest night, the CMAs filled its three hours with sets from Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, and co-host Carrie Underwood, who performed a medley of four of her No. 1 hits:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3PkvvkREyo&w=450&h=360]

There was also a strong showing from best new artist winner - and one of the night's biggest nominees - Kacey Musgraves:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnkfiLvZUIk&w=450&h=360]

Blake Shelton and wife Miranda Lambert were yet again the CMAs power couple, as they won awards for best male and female vocalist. They both showed exactly why they landed the honors with performances of "Mine Would Be You" and "We Were Us":

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CmpIK4OlA8&w=450&h=360]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sTPq3eZWMA&w=450&h=360]

The 2013 winners of vocal group of the year, Little Big Town, turned in a performance of "Sober":

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW9TwzafJYI&w=450&h=360]

And the night's Pinnacle Award winner, Taylor Swift, upped the ante with a star-filled troupe of singers, from Vince Gill to Alison Krauss, for a special rendition of "Red":

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiXmnGWw2EU&w=450&h=360]

But our favorite performance of the night came from the Zac Brown Band, who shook up expectations with a set that included venerated rocker Dave Grohl:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHsJvXb-Ado&w=450&h=360]