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