Nominations for the 43rd Annual Academy of County Music Awards were announced by multi-platinum recording artists Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, the Academy’s current Top Male Vocalist and Top Female Vocalist, at a press conference yesterday at the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. The awards gala announcing the winners will be broadcast live on CBS from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, May 18th.
For the first time in Academy of Country Music history, fans will choose the winner of the Academy’s highest honor, Entertainer of the Year. Fan voting will begin May 5. Details on how fans can participate will be announced at a later date.
Kenny Chesney leads with 11 nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. Chesney is also nominated as an artist and producer for Album of the Year for Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates, Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Don’t Blink." If Chesney wins Entertainer of the Year, it will be his fourth consecutive win.
Following is the list of final nominees in the 13 categories voted on by the membership. Winners in each of the following categories will be presented with an ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD during the television broadcast:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
* Kenny Chesney
* Brad Paisley
* Rascal Flatts
* George Strait
* Keith Urban
TOP MALE VOCALIST
* Rodney Atkins
* Kenny Chesney
* Brad Paisley
* George Strait
* Keith Urban
TOP FEMALE VOCALIST
* Miranda Lambert
* Martina McBride
* LeAnn Rimes
* Taylor Swift
* Carrie Underwood
TOP VOCAL GROUP
* Diamond Rio
* Eagles
* Emerson Drive
* Little Big Town
* Rascal Flatts
TOP VOCAL DUO
* Big & Rich
* Brooks & Dunn
* Halfway To Hazard
* Montgomery Gentry
* Sugarland
TOP NEW MALE VOCALIST
* Luke Bryan
* Jack Ingram
* Jake Owen
TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST
* Sarah Buxton
* Kellie Pickler
* Taylor Swift
TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP
* Carolina Rain
* Lady Antebellum
* The Wreckers
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
* 5th Gear – Brad Paisley (Arista Nashville)
Produced by Frank Rogers
* Crazy Ex-Girlfriend – Miranda Lambert (Columbia)
Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
* Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates – Kenny Chesney (BNA)
Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
* If You’re Going Through Hell – Rodney Atkins (Curb)
Produced by Rodney Atkins, Ted Hewitt
* Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift (Big Machine)
Produced by Scott Borchetta, Nathan Chapman
# 6 Produced by Robert Ellis Orrall
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
* Don’t Blink
Kenny Chesney, Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
BNA
* Famous In A Small Town
Miranda Lambert, Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
Columbia
* Lost In This Moment
Big & Rich, Produced by Big Kenny, John Rich
Warner Bros/WRN
* Stay
Sugarland, Produced by Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore, Jennifer Nettles
Mercury
* Watching Airplanes
Gary Allan, Produced by Gary Allan , Mark Wright
MCA Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
* Don’t Blink
Kenny Chesney
Writers: Casey Beathard, Chris Wallin
Publishers: Lavender Zoo Music (BMI), Mama’s Dream Music (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Acuff Rose (BMI), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
* Lost In This Moment
Big & Rich
Writers: Keith Anderson, Rodney Clawson, John Rich
Publishers: EMI April Music, Inc. (ASCAP), Romeo Cowboy Music (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Writer’s Extreme Music (BMI)
* Moments
Emerson Drive
Writers: Dave Berg, Annie Tate, Sam Tate
Publishers: Gravitron (SESAC), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
* Watching You
Rodney Atkins
Writers: Rodney Atkins, Steve Dean, Brian White
Publishers: Bethar Music (BMI), Mike Curb Music (BMI), Multisongs (SESAC), Songs
From The White House (SESAC)
* Stay
Sugarland
Writer: Jennifer Nettles
Publishers: Jennifer Nettles Publishing (ASCAP)
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
* Don’t Blink – Kenny Chesney
Producer: Tacklebox Films
Director: Shaun Silva
* Lost In This Moment – Big & Rich
Producer: Big Kenny, Steve Lamar, Marc Oswald
Director: Deaton Flannigan
* Online – Brad Paisley
Producer: Frames Per Second
Director: Jason Alexander
* Stay – Sugarland
Producer: Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore, Jennifer Nettles
Director: Shaun Silva
* Watching You – Rodney Atkins
Producer: Broken Poet Production
Director: Eric Welch
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
* Because Of You – Reba McEntire Duet With Kelly Clarkson
Produced by Tony Brown, Reba McEntire
MCA Nashville
* Find Out Who Your Friends Are – Tracy Lawrence With Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney
Produced by Julian King, Tracy Lawrence
Rocky Comfort/CO5
* Shiftwork – Kenny Chesney Duet With George Strait
Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
BNA
* Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore – Bon Jovi Featuring LeAnn Rimes
Produced by Dann Huff
Mecury
* What You Give Away -Vince Gill With Sheryl Crow
Produced by Vince Gill, John Hobbs, Justin Niebank
MCA Nashville
