Collaborations steal the show at 2011 ACM Awards

"Everyone is saying this has been a great night for country music, but I disagree," said Ryan Seacrest as he presented Taylor Swift with the award for Entertainer of the Year at the 2011 Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday night. "I think it has been a great night for American music."

Seacrest said it best, as unexpected live collaborations and guest celebrities stole the show and country artists dabbled into a variety of genres.

One of the most impressive duets had to be powerhouse female vocalists Jennifer Nettles of country group Sugarland and pop goddess Rihanna.

Though the pair seems to be an unlikely duet for any music fan, the two balanced each other's vocals well and were able to showcase their own talents while proving their versatility as performers.

The two performed Rihanna's new song "California King Bed," a heartbreak ballad that falls right into Nettles' songwriting style, lyrically similar to raw, emotional Sugarland hits like "Stay."

Though Rihanna has a sound open to a wider audience, as Nettles' distinct sound can come off as abrasive and take a bit getting used to, the two gave a stunning live performance and proved to be a brilliant match.

Another notable duet of the night includes country sensation Carrie Underwood and rockstar legend and former Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, who shocked audiences with their merged rendition of Underwood's "Undo It" and Tyler's "Walk This Way."

Viewers should've known something was up when usually clean-cut Underwood took the stage with a rocker outfit a little more risque than we're used to seeing.

The duet combined the best of both music worlds and proved to be the most high energy performance of the night, allowing viewers to see that Underwood is capable of letting her guard down and proving Tyler's legendary rock squeal is still there.

Other jaw-dropping collaborations brought together county singer Brad Paisley and one of his personal musical influences, iconic country group Alabama.

The talented Zac Brown Band paired up with legendary James Taylor to sing its latest single "Colder Weather" that then segued into Taylor's classic "Sweet Baby James."

Though Taylor isn't at his prime age of live performances, it was nice to see such an influence on American music commemorated, and Brown proved to be an up-and-coming timeless sound himself – delivering one of the most powerful shows of the night with flawless and gripping vocals.

Though the night was full of surprises, the most memorable performance came from a man who has mastered excelling in different genres.

Darius Rucker, former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman turned country star, took the stage with members of the ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp.

Rucker performed an intimate and touching performance of "Music From the Heart" with developmentally disabled young adults as part of raising awareness of developmental disabilities.

The night left country fans proud to be a part of such a unique genre, while the diverse performances gained fans and left all music enthusiasts impressed by the American music scene.