Apr
1
Keifer and Shawna Thompson hug after winning the 2012 ACM Award for Vocal Duo of the Year. The announcement was made during the ACM Concert – Salute to the Military Presented by NRA Country, Saturday, March 31, 2012 in Las Vegas. Photo by Sara Kauss.
Last night it was announced that Thompson Square won the ACM Award for Vocal Duo of the Year. The husband and wife duo, comprised of Keifer and Shawna Thompson, was surprised with the award onstage by ACM CEO Bob Romeo in front of thousands of screaming fans at the ACM Salute to the Military Concert at the ACM Experience at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Saturday night – moments after they had completed their set.
Thompson Square becomes only the third duo to win the ACM Vocal Duo of the Year Award in the past 20 years (since 1991), with Sugarland and Brooks & Dunn previously winning in the category respectively.
See photos from the announcement >>
“It’s been a long, long road,” Keifer Thompson told the crowd. “This is one of the greatest nights of our lives.” Overcome with emotion, he continued, “It’s hard to talk when you’re crying.”
“This is a very bittersweet moment for me,” added Shawna Thompson as she fought back tears. “More sweet than bitter. My dad passed away a month ago. This is for my dad.”
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Apr
1
Craig Morgan participates in the Second Annual NRA Country ACM Celebrity Shoot on Saturday, March 31, 2012 in Las Vegas. Photo credit Sara Kauss.
NRA Country and the Academy of Country Music partnered for the Second Annual NRA Country/ACM Celebrity Shoot, hosted by ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee Blake Shelton. The sporting clays competition, emceed by Headline Country’s Storme Warren, took place on Saturday, March 31, 2012 as part of The Week Vegas Goes Country® – the week leading up to the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, a star-studded event produced for television by dick clark productions that will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. live ET/delayed PT on CBS. Blake will also co-host the Awards alongside Reba McEntire for the second consecutive year.
Check out all the shooting stars in our NRA Country/ACM Celebrity Shoot! >>
Lee Lakosky of Outdoor Channel’s “The Crush with Tiffany and Lee” took home a Wayne LaPierre Signature Edition Shotgun as the top celebrity shooter. Craig Morgan came in as top scoring country artist for the day. Team Rivette Refuge Preserve, led by celebrity captains Craig Morgan and ACM nominee Aaron Lewis, took the top Team designation with each member being awarded a collector’s edition Remington 1911 pistol inscribed with a one-of-a-kind NRA serial number for their win. Additional celebrity participants included: Lee Brice, two-time Super Bowl winning legend Dave Butz, Craig Campbell, Easton Corbin, Ira Dean, Edens Edge, The Band Perry’s Neil and Reid Perry, Cowboy Troy,Outdoor Channel personalities Matt Duff, Tiffany Lakosky, Nick Mundt and Laura Schara,plus TNA Impact Wrestling stars Jeff Hardy and James Storm.
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Apr
1
Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.
New Jersey high school senior Kevin McGuire will unfortunately have to miss the ACM Awards tonight. Kevin, who is fighting his second bout with cancer, gained attention when he asked Taylor Swift to the prom. Taylor couldn’t make it to the prom, but she in turn asked him to be her date for the 47th Annual ACM Awards.
USA Today reports that Thursday — the day before he’d planned to fly to Las Vegas – Kevin had a 103-degree fever and had to be taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said his mother, Vicki McGuire. Kevin’s mother added that in addition to his fever, his counts of blood cells and hemoglobin were too low for him to make Saturday’s 2,500-mile trip to Las Vegas.
Yesterday, Taylor tweeted, “Just talked to Kevin McGuire. He’s not well enough to join me at the ACMs. Please keep him in your thoughts. I’ll make it up to you, Kevin!”
Also on Saturday, Kevin’s sister Victoria posted this message on the “Taylor Swift take KEVIN MCGUIRE TO PROM!” Facebook page:
“I am so sorry to announce this devastating news, but Kevin was admitted to the hospital last night, and is unable to attend the Academy of Country Music Awards with Taylor Swift. As we should all live by the moto ” live for today” a cancer patient feels the impact of these words far too hard. We appreciate everything you have done for us, and we know you are all hurt from this too. … As for Taylor, Continue Reading
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Apr
1
Jake Owen photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.
The Academy of Country Music announced today that Marc Anthony, Ashton Kutcher, Jake Owen, LeAnn Rimes, Grace Potter, and Eli Young Band are scheduled to present as part of the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards . The ceremony, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. live ET/delayed PT on CBS.
Anthony, Kutcher, Owen, Rimes, Potter, and Eli Young Band join previously announced presenters Beth Behrs, Zac Brown, Brantley Gilbert, Hunter Hayes, Liam Hemsworth, LL COOL J, KISS, Scotty McCreery, Nancy O’Dell, Lionel Richie, Taylor Swift, The Band Perry, Sugarland, and Thompson Square.
Previously announced ACM Awards performers are Continue Reading
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Mar
30
Sugarland photo courtesy of UMG Nashville; Zac Brown photo courtesy of Atlantic Records.
The Academy of Country Music announced today that Zac Brown, Brantley Gilbert, Liam Hemsworth, LL COOL J, Scotty McCreery, The Band Perry, KISS, Sugarland, and Thompson Square are scheduled to present as part of the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The ceremony, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. live Eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS.
Brown, Gilbert, Hemsworth, LL COOL J, McCreery, The Band Perry, KISS, Sugarland, and Thompson Square join previously announced presenters Beth Behrs, Hunter Hayes, Lionel Richie, Taylor Swift and Nancy O’Dell.
Previously announced ACM Awards performers are Continue Reading
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Mar
29
Kenny Chesney's 2012 CD, Welcome To The Fishbowl. Photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.
Kenny Chesney has revealed the title and cover art for his new album, Welcome To The Fishbowl, out June 19 on BNA Records. The news comes as Kenny gears up for the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday, April 1, for which he has more nominations than any artist this year. Kenny will be joined onstage for a special performance with Tim McGraw, with whom he is touring for the first time in 10 years this summer during the blockbuster, 20-stadium ‘Brothers of the Sun’ Tour.
Welcome To The Fishbowl, Kenny’s 13th studio album, follows 2010′s platinum-certified Hemingway’s Whiskey, which spawned four No. 1 singles. Kenny’s ACM nominations include Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year for Hemingway’s Whiskey (as both artist and producer), and Song of the Year for “You and Tequila” with Grace Potter. Continue Reading
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Mar
29
Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw will perform a song together on the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
The Academy of Country Music announced today that Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton & Lionel Richie, Rascal Flatts & Steve Martin, and Toby Keith with surprise Las Vegas guest performers are set to perform a variety of special duets and collaborations at the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The ceremony, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. LIVE Eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS. Before the awards, you can catch all your favorite stars LIVE on GAC on the red carpet, beginning at 7 p.m. Central.
Here’s the duet lineup:
– Brothers of the Sun tourmates Kenny and Tim will take the ACM Awards stage Sunday night for a very special performance.
– Blake and Lionel will sing Lionel’s classic hit, “You Are,” and it will air as part of the special, ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends – In Concert, Friday, April 13, 2012 on CBS.
– In a unique collaboration with Rascal Flatts, Steve Martin will showcase the banjo during a performance of the band’s new single “Banjo.”
– Toby will be joined by special surprise iconic Las Vegas performers for an unforgettable performance of his chart-topping smash “Red Solo Cup.”
Previously announced ACM Awards performers are Continue Reading
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Mar
29
Reba McEntire photo courtesy of The Valory Music Co.
Reba is heading to Las Vegas to co-host Sunday’s ACM Awards with Blake Shelton, but before she lands in Sin City, she has a pit stop to make in Birmingham. Her son, Shelby Blackstock, a rising race car driver, will be driving for Roush Performance on GRAND-AM Racing’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge circuit at Barber Motorsports Park and Reba plans to be there cheering him on.
While Reba’s busy schedule — which now includes shooting the pilot for her new sitcom, Malibu Country — keeps her busy, she’s made Shelby’s racing career a top priority. When Shelby is racing, Reba and her husband, Narvel Blackstock, are often found in the pits, wearing headsets to listen to the race team’s communication and watching the race. On the rare occasions when they don’t make it to the track, they follow Shelby’s race on their computers and iPads.
“His daddy and I are totally involved and were very supportive once we knew he had the passion to race,” Reba said. “I try to get to as many races as I can. As a matter of fact, I have started working the schedule of my concerts around Shelby’s race schedule.”
Narvel, who also acts as Reba’s manager, now oversees the business side of Shelby’s racing career. Shelby kicked off the 2012 season with a pole-winning run in the BMW Performance 200 at Daytona in February. Saturday’s race in Birmingham is Shelby’s second race this season, which is the first full-time racing season of his career. Continue Reading
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Mar
28
Dierks Bentley photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville; Brad Paisley photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.
The Academy of Country Music announced today that Dierks Bentley and Brad Paisley are scheduled to perform as part of the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. In addition, Lionel Richie and Taylor Swift are scheduled as presenters. The ceremony, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. LIVE Eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS.
Lionel and Taylor join previously announced presenters, Beth Behrs, Hunter Hayes, and Nancy O’Dell. In addition, previously announced performers are Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Chris Young, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts. Continue Reading
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Mar
28
The Band Perry photo courtesy of Republic Nashville.
The Band Perry is ready to head to Las Vegas with the rest of their country music family for Sunday’s ACM Awards. The band took home the ACM for New Artist of the Year and they’re up for Vocal Group of the Year this time around. Last year’s win proved to be a major turning point in their career.
“Last year at the ACM Awards we got to take home the hardware for New Artist and so that was, actually the first award that we’ve won, and it was fan voted, so the ACM’s are very near and dear to us,” Kimberly Perry said. “I feel like they were a good luck charm that got last year rolling in so many ways for us.”
They are scheduled to perform on the show, but are just as excited – maybe even more excited– about watching everyone else scheduled to take the stage. “We’re fans first and foremost, so we’re most excited to be in Vegas to hang out with all of our artist friends and industry friends,” Kimberly said. Continue Reading
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