Eric Church leads the nominations for the Academy Country Music Awards with nine nominations.
>Male Vocalist of the Year and his second consecutive nod for Album of the Year and Video of the Year.
He is twice nominated for Song of the Year for “Springsteen,” as both artist and composer.
Church also earned nominations for Single of the Year for “Springsteen” and for Vocal Event of the Year for “The Only Way I Know” with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan.
Hunter Hayes received six nominations.
>New Male Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year for “Wanted.”
He is also twice nominated in the Song of the Year category as the artist and composer, as well as in the Single Record of the Year category as the artist and producer for “Wanted.”
Miranda Lambert earned five nominations.
>Second nomination for Entertainer of the Year and seventh consecutive nod for Female Vocalist of the Year.
Lambert was nominated for Single Record and twice nominated for Song, as artist and composer, for “Over You.” Lambert is the reigning ACM Female Vocalist.
Reigning Entertainer of the Year, Taylor Swift received five nominations. >Fourth consecutive nod for Entertainer of the Year.
If Swift wins Entertainer, this will be her third consecutive win in that category.
Swift is nominated for Female Vocalist, Video for “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” and Album for Red as the artist and producer.
Luke Bryan received four nominations.
>First ever for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.
He also received nominations for Album for tailgates & tanlines and Vocal Event for “The Only Way I Know” with Aldean and Church.
First-time ACM nominee Kacey Musgraves is nominated for four awards. >Female Vocalist, New Female Vocalist and twice for Video of the Year for “Merry Go ‘Round” as artist and producer.
Other first-time nominees include Florida Georgia Line (3 nominations), Jana Kramer (2 nominations), and Natasha Bedingfield, Will Hoge, Eric Paslay, and Sunny Sweeney with one each.
Little Big Town leads group nominations with four.
>Vocal Group, Album, Single Record for “Pontoon” and Video for “Tornado.”
Earning three nominations apiece are Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Eli Young Band, and Florida Georgia Line.
Shelton and Bryan will co-host the ACM Awards live from Las Vegas’s MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. on CBS/WHNT-19.
Fan Voting for Entertainer and New Artist of the Year: The Academy of Country Music’s professional membership selects the nominees and winners of the ACM Awards, and selects the final top five nominees for Entertainer of the Year. New Artist of the Year final nominees were selected by a combined vote of the fans and professional members.
Fan voting for New Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year begins on March 25, 2013 at 2:00 PM. CLICK HERE to vote.
Fan voting for New Artist of the Year will close at 7:00 p.m. on April 7, 2013 (before the live show starts) and fan voting for Entertainer will close during the third hour of the live broadcast.
The winners of both awards will be announced live during the ACM Awards.
Brantley Gilbert, Jana Kramer and Florida Georgia Line are the nominees for ACM New Artist of the Year Presented by Kohl’s Department Stores.
In the first round of fan voting at GACtv.com, Gilbert, Kramer and FGL were respectively voted New Male Vocalist, New Female Vocalist, and New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year.
The winners of those categories go on to compete for overall ACM New Artist of the Year Presented by Kohl’s.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Toby Keith
Blake Shelton
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Big & Rich
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
Sugarland
Thompson Square
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Zac Brown Band
NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (already determined via fan voting)
Lee Brice
Brantley Gilbert
Hunter Hayes
NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (already determined via fan voting)
Jana Kramer
Kacey Musgraves
Sunny Sweeney
NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR (already determined via fan voting)
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
Thompson Square
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY KOHL’S DEPARTMENT STORES [Winners of New Male, New Female & New Vocal Duo or Group Of The Year]
Florida Georgia Line
Brantley Gilbert
Jana Kramer
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Blown Away – Carrie Underwood (19/Arista Nashville), Produced by: Mark Bright
Chief – Eric Church (EMI-Nashville), Produced by: Jay Joyce
Red – Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records), Produced by: Jeff Bhasker, Nathan Chapman, Dann Huff, Jacknife Lee, Max Martin, Shellback, Taylor Swift, Butch Walker, Dan Wilson
tailgates & tanlines – Luke Bryan (Capitol Nashville), Produced by: Mark Bright, Jeff Stevens
Tornado – Little Big Town (Capitol Nashville), Produced by: Jay Joyce
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Eli Young Band (Republic Nashville), Produced by: Mike Wrucke
“Over You” – Miranda Lambert (RCA), Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf
“Pontoon” – Little Big Town (Capitol Nashville), Produced by: Jay Joyce
“Springsteen” – Eric Church (EMI-Nashville), Produced by: Jay Joyce
“Wanted” – Hunter Hayes (Atlantic/WMN), Produced by: Hunter Hayes, Dann Huff
SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
“A Woman Like You” – Lee Brice
Composers: Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford, Jon Stone
Publishers: 3JB Music (BMI), Adios Pantalones (SESAC), Hears That Skyline Music (SESAC), Sixteen Stars Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Eli Young Band
Composers: Will Hoge, Eric Paslay
Publishers: Cal IV Songs (ASCAP), Will Hoge Music (BMI)
“Over You” – Miranda Lambert
Composers: Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton
Publishers: Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony ATV/Tree Publishing (BMI)
“Springsteen” – Eric Church
Composers: Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, Ryan Tyndell
Publishers: Bug Music (BMI), Ole Purple Cape Music (BMI), Sinnerlina (BMI), Sony ATV/Tree Publishing (BMI)
“Wanted” – Hunter Hayes
Composers: Hunter Hayes, Troy Verges
Publishers: Happy Little Man Publishing (BMI), Songs From The Engine Room (BMI), Songs Of Universal Inc. (BMI)
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] *(Off Camera Award) [TIE]
“Creepin’” – Eric Church
Producer: Iris Baker; Director: Peter Zavadil
“Merry Go ‘Round” – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Perry Bean, Kacey Musgraves; Director: Perry Bean
“Tornado” – Little Big Town
Producer: Iris Baker; Director: Shane Drake
“Wanted” – Hunter Hayes
Producers: Stephanie Reeves, Eric Williams; Directors: Traci Goudie, Patrick Hubik
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” – Taylor Swift
Producer: John Nguyen; Director: Declan Whitebloom
“The Wind” – Zac Brown Band
Producer: Ben Kalina; Director: Mike Judge
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] *(Off Camera Award)
“Don’t Rush” – Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill (19/RCA/Columbia Nashville)
Produced by: Dann Huff
“Easy” – Rascal Flatts Featuring Natasha Bedingfield (Big Machine Records)
Produced by: Dann Huff, Brian Kennedy, Rascal Flatts
“Feel Like A Rock Star” – Kenny Chesney (Duet With Tim McGraw) (Blue Chair/BNA)
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
“Let It Rain” – David Nail Featuring Sarah Buxton (MCA Nashville)
Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell
“The Only Way I Know” – Jason Aldean With Luke Bryan & Eric Church (Broken Bow)
Produced by: Michael Knox
CLICK HERE for more details.
Award show recap...
Summary:
It was all fun and jokes for Luke Bryan hosting the Academy of Country Music Awards with Blake Shelton, then Bryan won entertainer of the year. Bryan was so emotional he couldn't speak.
He calls his win the defining moment of his life, then he peppered Shelton with kisses on the cheek.
Shelton also won with Miranda Lambert for writing the song of the year, ``Over You.''
Lambert won four awards overall, including best female vocalist, while Jason Aldean won best male vocalist.
Thompson Square won best duo and Little Big Town won best group. Florida Georgia Line won for new artist, and Eric Church's ``Chief'' won album of the year.
Winner’s List:
Entertainer of the Year
Luke Bryan
Male Vocalist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert
Vocal Duo of the Year
Thompson Square
Vocal Group of the Year
Little Big Town
New Artist of the Year
Florida Georgia Line
Album of the Year (Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company)
Chief - Eric Church (EMI-Nashville) Produced by: Jay Joyce
Single Record of the Year (Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company)
Over You - Miranda Lambert (RCA) Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf
Song of the Year (Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s))
Over You - Miranda Lambert; Composers: Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton; Publishers: Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony ATV/Tree Publishing (BMI)
Video of the Year (Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)) *(Off Camera Award) (TIE)
Tornado - Little Big Town; Producer: Iris Baker; Director: Shane Drake
Vocal Event of the Year (Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company) *(Off Camera Award)
The Only Way I Know – Jason Aldean With Luke Bryan & Eric Church (Broken Bow); Produced by: Michael Knox
Performances:
>Blake's all-star collaboration on "Boys 'Round Here" featuring Luke, Sheryl Crow, Pistol Annies and Brad Paisley kicked off the show.
>Kenny Chesney performed his latest single "Pirate Flag."
>At the Orleans Arena, Brad premiered the new track "Outstanding In Our Field" with Dierks Bentley and Hunter Hayes.
>George Strait took the stage to perform "Give It All We Got Tonight."
>Eric delivered an acoustic performance of "Like Jesus Does" sans Ray Bans.
>FGL performed an abbreviated version of their smash "Cruise."
>Lady Antebellum performed "Downtown," marking Hillary Scott's first awards show performance as an expectant mom.
>New Male Artist of the Year Brantley Gilbert sang "More Than Miles."
>Carrie Underwood delivered a vengeful rendition of her latest hit "Two Black Cadillacs," arriving onstage in a vintage black Cadillac.
>Blake sang "Sure Be Cool If You Did" acoustic on a satellite stage.
>The Band Perry delivered a choreographed performance of "Done," complete with pyro.
>New Female Vocalist Jana Kramer sang "Whiskey" at the Orleans Arena.
>Blake introduced wife Miranda Lambert for "Mama's Broken Heart," adding that he saw her naked that morning.
>Little Big Town sang "Your Side Of The Bed," which featured aerialists performing an interpretive dance on an oversized bed.
>Tim McGraw sang "The Highway Don't Care" with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.
>Brad and John Mayer traded guitar riffs on "Beat This Summer."
>Luke premiered his new song "Crash My Party."
>Kelly Clarkson sang "Don't Rush" (minus Vince Gill)
>Jewel performed a mash-up of her 1998 hit "Hands" and "Fill A Heart" to raise awareness for ConAgra Foods' Child Hunger Ends Here initiative.
>Garth Brooks and George Strait delivered an all-star tribute to Dick Clark, performing with "The Dance" and "The Cowboy Rides Away."
>After premiering his new single "I Want Crazy," Hunter covered "Sir Duke" with Stevie Wonder.
Stevie closed the show with "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" featuring Hunter on drums and co-hosts Blake and Luke on guest vocals.
Other Highlights:
>Thompson Square revealed on the red carpet they had their 2012 ACM for Vocal Duo of the Year on the recording console while tracking their latest album Just Feels Good.
>Luke admitted on the red carpet that he and co-host Blake have a celebrity name: Bluke.
>Keith Urban delayed his arrival on the red carpet to sign autographs for fans.
