Nov 8 (Reuters) - The Country Music Associations (CMA) annual awards on Wednesday blended somber reflections on recent tragic events including the Las Vegas mass shooting, with show-stopping performances by top music stars and even a dose of political humor.

Eric Church opened the live three-hour broadcast from Nashville, which aired on ABC, with an a cappella rendition of the hymn Amazing Grace.

Church was joined by Keith Urban and Darius Rucker, who led a roster of A-list country music stars including Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Reba McEntire and Luke Bryan in a stirring group performance of Hold My Hand.

Veteran hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood took the reins, with Underwood declaring, This has been a year marked by tragedy impacting countless lives, including so many in our country music family.

Underwood referenced mass shootings in Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, Texas, fatal car attacks in New York and Charlottesville, Virginia, and deadly storms that hit Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.

Tonight, she proclaimed, were going to do what families do, come together, pray together, cry together and sing together, too.

Paisley then dedicated the 51st CMA Awards to all those weve lost, and to all of those who are still healing. We love you, and we will never forget you.