PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE "45TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS" TO BE BROADCAST SUNDAY, APRIL 18

Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, host Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins, and Carrie Underwood are set to perform on the 45TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, to be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Sunday, April 18 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. The special, produced for television by dick clark productions, honors country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging artists.

Jason Aldean previously won Top New Male Vocalist in 2005. Additionally, he was nominated for Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Amarillo Sky" in 2006.

Brooks & Dunn are nominated for Top Vocal Duo of the Year. Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, the best selling duo in the history of country music, will also receive the Academy's Milestone Award in recognition of their 20-year record-breaking career during the previously announced tribute concert special, "ACM PRESENTS: BROOKS & DUNN - THE LAST RODEO" to be broadcast Sunday, May 23 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. They will be honored for holding the record for the most wins of any artist in the Academy's history with 26 awards in total, including three Entertainer of the Year awards. They will also be honored for holding the record for most Top Vocal Duo wins, with 15 awards, eight of which are consecutive from 2000-2007.

Kenny Chesney is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. If he wins Entertainer of the Year, it will be his fifth win in the category. He is currently one of only three acts in Academy history to achieve four wins for Entertainer of the Year. He is also nominated as an artist and producer for Vocal Event of the Year for "I'm Alive," with multi-platinum recording artist Dave Matthews.

Lady Antebellum led the ACM Award nominations this year with seven nominations, including Album of the Year for Lady Antebellum and Top Vocal Group. In addition, Lady Antebellum was nominated for Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Need You Now." They were also nominated as a producer for Single Record of the Year and as a composer for Song of the Year.

Reba McEntire will return to host the Academy of Country Music Awards for a record twelfth time. She is nominated for Top Female Vocalist of the Year. McEntire has won twelve Academy of Country Music Awards.

Tim McGraw has won fifteen Academy of Country Music Awards including the Career Achievement Award in 2006. He has been nominated nine times for Entertainer of the Year and his last ACM win was for Vocal Event of the Year in 2007 for "Find Out Who Your Friends Are." McGraw released his current album, Southern Voice, in the fall of 2009.

Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins are nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for "Hillbilly Bone." Shelton was previously nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for "The Truth About Men" in 2003. Shelton has also been nominated twice for Top Male Vocalist. Adkins is a previous winner of Top New Male Vocalist, and he has been nominated for two additional ACM Awards - in 2001 for Video of the Year for "I'm Tryin'" and in 2008 for Song of the Year for "You're Gonna Miss This."

Carrie Underwood is nominated for six awards, including Entertainer of Year. Underwood is the reigning Entertainer of the Year, and if she wins that category again, she will be the first female in Academy history to capture two Entertainer of the Year trophies. Underwood is also nominated as an artist and composer for Song of the Year for "Cowboy Casanova" as well as Vocal Event of the Year for "I Told You So" with Randy Travis. In addition, Underwood is nominated for Top Female Vocalist and Album of the Year for Play On. If she wins Top Female Vocalist, it will be the fourth consecutive year she has won the category. Underwood also won the 2006 Album of the Year for Some Hearts.

The 45TH ANNUAL 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. Orly Adelson and R.A. Clark are executive producers, Barry Adelman the producer and Bob Bardo the executive in charge of production.