GAC hosts Suzanne Alexander, Storme Warren & Nan Kelley on the red carpet at the 47th Annual ACM Awards. Photo by Sara Kauss.

GAC is the only place where you will relive all of the star power, excitement and emotional moments from the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards when we re-air Sunday night’s telecast Monday, June 4 at 9 p.m. Eastern. 

Broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the show is co-hosted by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton, and features performances by Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Pat Monahan, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Chris Young, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts, along with special duets and collaborations performed by Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton & Lionel Richie, Rascal Flatts & Steve Martin.

Once again GAC was the exclusive live television outlet for the Academy’s celebrity arrivals for the event. ACM Red Carpet Live with hosts Suzanne Alexander, Storme Warren and Nan Kelley features lively interviews with many of the top ACM nominees and performers and will re-air at 8 p.m. Eastern on June 4.

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LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 01: Singer Taylor Swift accepts the Entertainer Of The Year Award onstage at the 47th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Taylor Swift was named Entertainer of the Year for the second year in a row by fans during Sunday’s ACM Awards. Taylor took advantage of her time onstage to thank her fellow nominees and give a shout out to Kevin McGuire, the young man suffering from Leukemia who was supposed to be her date. Kevin was hospitalized and unable to attend.

“My date tonight was supposed to be a high school football player named Kevin McGuire, and he’s not here, but I promised to give him a shout out,” Taylor said. “So Kevin, all your family and friends — thank you for wanting to take me to the ACMs.”

See photos from the ACM Awards >>

It was also a big night for Miranda Lambert. She picked up her third Album of the Year trophy for her album Four The Record as well as her third straight Female Vocalist of the Year award. “I own every record in this category, and I’ve been listening and listening and thinking, ‘Man, I’m not gonna get it,’” Miranda said of her Album of the Year honor. “Every one of your records is amazing, and I’m so thrilled,” she said to her fellow nominees. “I will never take this trophy for granted. My albums are my babies.”

Jason Aldean and Eli Young Band also had good nights. Eli Young Band won their first ACM Award for Song of the Year for their hit “Crazy Girl,” co-written by Lee Brice and Liz Rose. Jason was surprised on GAC’s Live Red Carpet Special when Nan Kelley helped ACM CEO Bob Romeo present him with the award for Vocal Event of the Year for “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Kelly Clarkson. The song was also named Single Record of the Year.

See the full list of ACM Awards Winners >>

One of the most talked about performances of the night came from Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw. The pair, who will be touring together this summer on the Brothers of the Sun Tour, debuted their new single, “Feel Like A Rock Star.” The rocking number is already available on iTunes.

Every wedding day is special, but it’s extra special when you’re getting married on live TV in front of country music’s biggest stars. That’s what happened during the ACM Awards for couple Christina Davidson and Frank Tucci. Martina McBride and Train’s Pat Monahan performed “Marry Me,” while a minister conducted their wedding ceremony, leaving few dry eyes in the house. Continue Reading

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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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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 47^th 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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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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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 47^th 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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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 47^th 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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Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys, Loretta Lynn and Dierks Bentley pay tribute to the late Earl Scruggs, Sara Evans and Carrie Underwood prep for the ACM Awards, Martina McBride gives a special birthday shout out to her daughter and Jake Owen hangs with Jay Leno. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/joebonsall.

 Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys – JoeBonsall: Ban-Joey and EARL

Loretta Lynn – The_LorettaLynn: My love and prayers go out to the Scruggs family. Earl was in my book the best banjo picker in the world. He will be missed. Loretta

Dierks Bentley – DierksBentley: Lost one of the pillars of bluegrass music and country music today. rest in peace #earlscruggs! thanks for a lifetime of music to listen to!

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/SavannahGuthrie.

Savannah Guthrie of The Today Show – SavannahGuthrie: Lionel Richie is here!!! Fiesta. Forever. @todayshow Continue Reading

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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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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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