Mac Davis scored a hit with a humorous song titled "It's Hard to Be Humble," but the entertainer gave a very humble and self-effacing speech when he won Entertainer of the Year at the 1974 ACM Awards, confessing he wasn't sure why he had won.

In the clip below, Davis looks genuinely astonished when he hears his name called as Entertainer of the Year.

"I almost swallowed my chewing gum," he joked as he took the podium to accept the award, adding, "I didn't have nothin' planned to say."

"I know one thing: at ceremonies like these, there's always a lot of people, when somebody gets an award like this, saying, 'I wonder how come he got it,'" Davis continued. "Well, I'm in the same boat with you. Thank you so much."

The Academy of Country Music shared the clip via Twitter on Wednesday (Sept. 30), one day after Davis died at the age of 78. He had been critically ill after undergoing heart surgery in Nashville.

Davis began his career as a songwriter. penning hits including "In the Ghetto" and "A Little Less Conversation" for Elvis Presley, "Something's Burning" for Kenny Rogers and the First Edition and songs for Bobby Goldsboro, Glen Campbell and more. He went on to a long string of country and pop hits that included "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me," "One Hell of a Woman," "Hooked on Music," "Texas in My Rearview Mirror" and others.

Davis hosted a variety show, The Mac Davis Show, from 1974 to 1976, and he also pursued an acting career with roles in North Dallas FortyKing of the Hill, That '70s Show and Rodney, among other credits. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Lise, and three sons, Scott, Noah and Cody, as well as his grandchildren. Funeral plans have not been announced.

Country stars including Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen and more turned to social media to remember Davis as a friend and influence.

Country Stars Remember Mac Davis

Country Artists Who've Died in 2020:

More From 102.7 KORD