Taylor Swift took the most-coveted entertainer of the year award for the second time at the 45th Country Music Awards on Wednesday.

And newcomers The Band Perry reaped a hat trick of honours.

“I’m so happy right now,” said Ms Swift, “you’ve made my year. Thank you so much”.

The 21-year-old singer-songwriter with the supermodel looks was speaking at the climax of a three-hour gala in country music’s capital Nashville, Tennessee.

Just minutes earlier, she looked bewildered when she was passed up for female singer of the year and three other categories for which she had been nominated.

Ms Swift, whose Speak Now has been one of the year’s top country albums – last won entertainer of the year in 2009, the youngest artist ever to do so.

Taking the evening by storm was Tennessee sibling trio The Band Perry, who won single of the year for their melancholic hit If I Die Young, then song of the year, and then best new artist. Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles, who perform as Sugarland, won best vocal duo three months after tragedy struck their latest concert tour when an Indiana stage, on which they were about to perform collapsed, killing seven people.

Jason Aldean won album of the year for My Kind of Party. Nashville’s Lady Antebellum took best vocal group. Blake Shelton picked up best male vocalist honours and Miranda Lambert won for best female vocalist.

Musical performances incl­uded Ms Swift in a bright pink sweater on a living room sofa playing a solo acoustic version of Ours, and soul legend Lionel Ritchie, who belted out three numbers from his upcoming album of country duets.