With a bit of hands-on help from event co-host Reba McEntire, as well as some surprise guests and lucky country fans, the official nods for the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards were announced this morning in the event's first-ever "digital" press conference.
Kenny Chesney leads 2012 ACM nominations with nine nods
Tennessee son Kenny Chesney reigns as the top nod-getter in this year's contest, with nine nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for "Hemingway's Whiskey" (BNA) and Single of the Year for "You and Tequila," his hit duet with Grace Potter. Chesney has received nine ACM Awards to-date, including four consecutive Entertainer of the Year awards.
With nine ACM trophies already to his credit, this year's nominations are still extra special to the singer.
"It's an honor to receive so much love from the Academy of Country Music after all they've done to support my music over the years," Chesney said via a Jan. 26 email correspondence. "I can't wait to get back on the road with my good friend Tim (McGraw) and throw one big spring break party all summer long."
Country-rocker Jason Aldean scores six ACM nods
Other nomination leaders in the 2012 ACM include Jason Aldean, who is nominated for six awards, including his second consecutive nods for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. He also scored a nod in the Album of the Year for My Kinda Party, and the Wrangler-wearin' hit-maker has nominations for Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” featuring Kelly Clarkson. Plus, nominated for Video of the Year for “Tattoos On This Town.”
Lady A leads the packin the group nominations
Meanwhile, the "can-do-no-wrong" trio kown as Lady Antebellum leads this year's group nominations with five nods, including Vocal Group of the Year, which they have won for two consecutive years. They are also nominated for Album of the Year as artists and producers for Own The Night, and for Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “Just A Kiss.”
Brad Paisley has made his mark this awards season, too. The ACM's reigning Male Vocalist of the Year is nominated for four awards, including his fifth consecutive nomination for Entertainer of the Year and eighth nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, an honor he has won five times consecutively between 2006 and 2010. Paisley also received two nominations in the Vocal Event of the Year category for “Old Alabama” with Alabama and “Remind Me,” with Carrie Underwood.
Toby Keith gets a trio of nods
Oklahoma-born Toby Keith, who is a longtime fan favorite, nabbed three nominations for “Red Solo Cup,” including Video of the Year, which he last won in 2003 for “Beer For My Horses.” He also received a double nomination as artist and producer for Single Record of the Year for “Red Solo Cup.”
Moreover, the singer's self-dubbed venue, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, is also nominated for Nightclub of the Year in Minneapolis, Minn. (Granted, that nod doesn't tally in with Keith’s total 2012 nominations count because it is awarded to the venue itself, not its owners, but it's certainly worthing noting.)
Taylor Swift lands most nods for solo female
As for the ACM's reigning Entertainer of the Year, Taylor Swift, she leads the 2012 solo-female nominees with three nominations, including her third consecutive nod for Entertainer of the Year. Country fans might be interested to know that if Swift wins Entertainer of the Year, this will be her second consecutive win in that category. She is, for the fifth time to date, nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, and for the third time, up for Video of the Year for “Mean.”
First-time ACM nominee, Grace Potter, received three nominations for “You And Tequila” with Kenny Chesney, in the Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year categories. And, the ever-popular Eli Young Band can lay claim to three ACM nods this year--namely,Vocal Group of the Year, as well as Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Crazy Girl.”
In the double-nods arena, a string of hit-makers have two nominations: Dierks Bentley, Kelly Clarkson, Vince Gill, Miranda Lambert, Aaron Lewis, Carrie Underwood, Chris Young and Blake Shelton, who is once more serving as co-host of this year's ACM Awards, which will be broadcast live from Las Vegas on April 1 via CBS-TV.
Regarding his nominations, Shelton--who just lost his beloved father, Richard "Dick" Shelton," last week--said, "The support I have felt this week is overwhelming. Thank you everyone for this honor."
Fans will choose Entertainer of the Year, New Artist of the Year
For the fifth year, fans will select the winner of the ACM's most prestigious honor, Entertainer of the Year, and for the fourth year, the New Artist of the Year category will also be opened to fan voting. To vote online, please visit VoteACM.com and GACtv.com/ACM The winners of Entertainer of the Year and New Artist of the Year will be announced live during the 47th ACM Awards.
- To view the full list of this year's ACM nominees, please click here.
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