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 NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR "THE 43RD ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS," TO BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS SUNDAY, MAY 18 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK 
 For the First Time in Academy of Country Music History, Fans will Vote for Entertainer of the Year
 Kenny Chesney Leads with 12 Nominations; Rodney Atkins Follows with Six; Brad Paisley Receives Four Individual Nominations And Big & Rich and Sugarland Receive Four as a Duo or Group; Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift Receive Three Nominations Each
 Nominations for THE 43RD ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY 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 held today at the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.  The winners will be broadcast live from Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena, Sunday, May 18 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.  
 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 12 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.   
 Rodney Atkins is nominated for six awards including Top Male Vocalist.  He is also nominated for Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Watching You" and Album of the Year for If You're Going Through Hell.  He won Top New Male Vocalist last year. 
 Brad Paisley is nominated in four categories, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist, Album of the Year for 5th Gear and Video of the Year for "Online." Last year, Paisley won Top Male Vocalist.  
 Big & Rich have four nominations, including Top Vocal Duo and, for the song "Lost in the Moment," Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year.  John Rich is also nominated for a producer and writer award, and Big Kenny is nominated for two producing awards.             Sugarland is nominated for four awards, including Top Vocal Duo and, for the song "Stay," Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year.  Jennifer Nettles also received two nominations for writing and producing and Kristian Bush received one for producing. 
 Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift received three nominations each. Both received nominations this year for Top Female Vocalist.  Lambert is also nominated for her album Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and for Single Record of the Year for "Famous in a Small Town."  She was last year's Top New Female Vocalist.  Swift is also nominated this year for Top New Female Vocalist and her album Taylor Swift was nominated for Album of the Year.
 Members of the Academy of Country Music select the nominees and winners of the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS including the selection of the final top five nominees in the Entertainer of the Year category.  This year, for the first time, fans will have the opportunity to select the Entertainer of the Year from the list of nominees.  Presenters and performers, as well as details on voting for Entertainer of the Year, will be announced at a later date.  As previously announced, Reba McEntire will return for an unprecedented 10th time to host this year's show.  
 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
 Founded in 1964, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC is an artist and industry-driven organization that provides the financial resources to ensure the on-going philanthropic work of its Charitable Fund.  The Academy of Country Music Charitable Fund promotes and supports music education and humanitarian programs that transform the human spirit.  Through its charitable donations, the ACMCF works towards promoting Learning Through Music and Healing Through Music. The Academy is comprised of more than 4,500 professional members and more than 40,000 associate members and is headquartered in Encino, Calif. 
 THE 43RD Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry.  The show is produced for television by Dick Clark Productions.  R.A. Clark is the executive producer; Barry Adelman the producer and Bob Bardo the executive in charge of production.
 RATING:  To Be Announced
		 
 
		
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