Spring Ahead… to Country Music Award Time!
Actually, it’s time for the Academy of Country Music awards (ACM’s), which are totally different than the Country Music Association’s awards (CMA’s), but somehow Spring Ahead to the Academy of Country Music Awards just didn’t make such a great blog title. For you country music fans out there, you know that spring and fall are the awesome times of year for country music awards. We get 2 great awards shows, and coming up in May are the ACM awards – the nominations were announced last week, that’s why I get to write about this now. I was lucky enough to attend this show live one time in 2000. It was TOTALLY AWESOME – I’d LOVE to go back… something like that (and lots of liquor) just might get me on an airplane again… yeah right. Anyway, Dolly Parton hosted, and Dick Clark ran around the stage during the breaks fretting over this and that and everything in between. Winners’ acceptance speeches got cut off, and there was the general glitz and glam of any L.A. awards show – only we were there! And talk about a GREAT concert! Getting to see like, 15 top country music performers LIVE, singing only their hits was unbeatable. And I learned a lot too because I had never been to the taping of a live tv event before. Did you know that they have “stand-ins” ready in case anyone who is seated down in front has to leave for the bathroom or anything else? They pay models to dress up and get ready in case they need to sit in say, Wynonna Judd’s seat so it’s not empty when they show the audience on tv if Wy needs a potty break (that actually happened!). So anyway, this year I will be watching the ACM’s from the comfort of my couch; hopefully without interuptions from kids (should change the name of this post to Yeah, Right).
I can’t remember if it’s the ACM’s or the CMA’s where they’ll have a live performer, and then that person will be nominated for the next award, so after their performance they’ll be waiting backstage, and every time they end up winning the award! I wish they’d make it a little less obvious! We like to fill out our own ballots and make a guessing game out of our picks for winners, and this type of format makes that too easy! All you have to do is figure out the order of award presentations, figure out the schedule of performers, and Viola! You’ve won the bet! I’ll let you know come CMA awards time which awards show does this, unless they’ve (hopefully) changed things by now.
Here are the nominees this year, enjoy the show!
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 MusicCorp. (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: Robert Deaton and George Flanigen
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