LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 05: Singer Jason Aldean poses in the press room with the awards for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Singer of the Year: Male, Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration, Touring Artist of the Year and Music Video: Group or Collaboration at the American Country Awards 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 5, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

If you missed last night’s second annual American Country Awards, don’t worry! GAC will re-air it Saturday, December 17, 10 p.m. Eastern. The two-hour music spectacular aired live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas last night and allowed fans to vote for their favorite artists in many diverse categories.

Co-hosted by Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth, the show includes performances by Scotty McCreery, Blake Shelton, Toby Keith, Alabama, Chris Young, The Band Perry, Thompson Square, Eli Young Band, Pistol Annies and others.  The special will also include appearances by Josh Turner, Lauren Alaina, Miranda Lambert, Jordin Sparks, The Big Show, the JaneDear girls, Bill Engvall and Rodney Carrington.  The Great American Country Video of the Year Award was presented by GAC’s Storme Warren, Hunter Hayes and Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer Larry Mahan to Blake Shelton for his “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” music video.  Nominees in that category were determined by airplay on GAC.

“Giving fans a chance to vote for their favorite country artists has been a cornerstone of GAC programming,” said GAC VP/Programming, Suzanne Gordon.  “By also doing so, the American Country Awards honor both the fans and their favorite performers.”

Check out our complete ACA section for winners, photos & more >>

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Garth Brooks photo by Mark Tucker, courtesy of Pearl Records.

Garth Brooks has performed to sold-out crowds and rave reviews inside the intimate Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas since December 2009. Tickets for the highly anticipated concerts are now available for purchase through February 2012 and will go on sale Saturday, October 8 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets are $225 plus tax and service charge and are available exclusively at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-877-65-GARTH. For more information and for a complete list of 2012 concert dates visit www.wynnlasvegas.com.
 
Concert Dates Currently On Sale Continue Reading

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Shania Twain at the Nightly Concerts at LP Field on Friday, June 10 in Downtown Nashville during the 2011 CMA Music Festival. Photographer: Donn Jones / CMA.

Shania Twain announced last week that she would be returning to the stage in a 120-show run at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas beginning December 1, 2012. Her comeback, including the release of her first new music since 2002, has created a lot of buzz in the music industry, but as Shania took in a Cher show at the Colosseum to see if it was something she wanted to sign on for, she couldn’t give an answer right away. It was contingent on a doctor’s visit about her Dysphonia (a disorder that makes it difficult to produce vocal sounds from an enfeebled voice).

“It was totally dependent on the doctor because that was the key to me ever singing again,” Shania said in an interview with the Las Vegas Sun. “I felt really good walking in there. Dysphonia is not a singing problem. It’s a voice box issue in the muscle of the voice, very different from having a nodule on the vocal cords, which I’ve never had. It needs a long renewal time, and even today, I am still addressing it. You have to go through the entire recovery process. So once I visited the doctors after I left Vegas, I was more confident.” Continue Reading

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Suzanne Alexander and Carrie Underwood at the ACM Presents: Girls' Night Out: Superstar Women of Country concert held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 4, 2011 in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of GAC Staff.

Just two weeks ago, GAC’s Suzanne Alexander was packing her bags to fly to Las Vegas for the 46th Annual ACM Awards. We asked her to share with you what it’s like to be in the thick of things out in Vegas — so here’s Part 3 of her ACM Awards Diary! Don’t forget to watch Suzanne, Nan Kelley, Storme Warren and all your favorite stars in our exclusive GACTV.com ACM backstage video interviews and browse our ACM Awards gallery, packed with hundreds of photos!

Monday April 4, 2011: Night of the Girls’ Night Out taping
I like the day after the ACMs. The pressure and stress are behind us. It’s more relaxed and I can actually go down to the Studio Café and order pancakes, sit and have coffee and then head to one of their many pools. I prefer the River pool. It’s pretty neat. I sat out with some friends and after only one hour, my skin was-a-burning! That Vegas sun is strong. I had to get back to my room to get into hair and makeup.

We had two crews that night. One went to the Girls’ Night Out show and the other went to shoot an episode of Top 20 Country Countdown. Getting to see the Girls’ Night Out show was major: Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Sugarland‘s Jennifer Nettles, Little Big Town, Ronnie Dunn – the list goes on.

We spoke to several of the women and men there, from Carrie Underwood to Vince Gill. Continue Reading

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Suzanne Alexander surprises Miranda Lambert and director Trey Fanjoy with the ACM Award for Video of the Year during the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Red Carpet. Photo courtesy of GAC staff.

Just two weeks ago, GAC’s Suzanne Alexander was packing her bags to fly to Las Vegas for the 46th Annual ACM Awards. We asked her to share with you what it’s like to be in the thick of things out in Vegas — so here’s Part 2 of her ACM Awards Diary! Don’t forget to watch Suzanne, Nan Kelley, Storme Warren and all your favorite stars in our exclusive GACTV.com ACM backstage video interviews and browse our ACM Awards gallery, packed with hundreds of photos! Check back tomorrow for Part 3 of Suzanne’s diary.

Sunday April 3, 2011: ACM Awards Day!
The time difference really messes me up. It’s almost impossible for me to sleep late in Vegas. We are two hours behind Nashville time and I rise every morning about 6:30-7 a.m. – which is 8:30-9 a.m. Vegas time. Out of everyone I know, no one is up at that time but me. But with an 8:30 a.m. call time, it was good that I was wide awake.

Like the morning of every ACM red carpet show, I ordered my usual – Oatmeal. Coffee. Danish. Juice. My to-do list: Go over last-minute notes. Jump in shower. Do hair and then Michael McCall comes to my room to do my makeup and style my hair.

The big question this year was how to keep my hair off my face, but not have it too far back. Hmmm… Continue Reading

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GAC hosts Suzanne Alexander (r) and Nan Kelley (l) on the red carpet at the 46th Annual ACM Awards. Photo courtesy of GAC Staff.

Around this time two weeks ago, GAC’s Suzanne Alexander was packing her bags to fly to Las Vegas for the 46th Annual ACM Awards. We asked her to share with you what it’s like to be in the thick of things out in Vegas — so here’s Part 1 of her ACM Awards Diary! Don’t forget to watch Suzanne, Nan Kelley, Storme Warren and all your favorite stars in our exclusive GACTV.com ACM backstage video interviews and browse our ACM Awards gallery, packed with hundreds of photos! Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of Suzanne’s diary — and this Friday for Part 3.

Saturday April 2, 2011: The day before the ACMs
I had a feeling that many industry folks would be on the Nashville Southwest Airlines flight to Las Vegas. I was right – every seat was taken! There were heads of labels, stylists, publicists and some band dudes on the flight out. During the landing, I mapped out what I needed to do once we got to the Vegas airport.

You see, staying at the MGM for the ACMs is great because it’s where the actual award show is held – so you can walk everywhere, no cab rides necessary. BUT the problem is, everyone stays at the MGM and checking in can be an ordeal. Continue Reading

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Reba McEntire & Blake Shelton, co-hosts of the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

By the time you read this post, Reba McEntire may already be in Las Vegas, prepping to co-host the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards with Blake Shelton.

“I thoroughly love it,” says Reba, who’s nominated for Top Female Vocalist. “We’re not in Nashville, we’re not in Los Angeles, we’re not in any place where anybody can kinda go home after rehearsals and stuff. We’re all in the hotel rooms, and so we get to visit a lot more when it’s in Las Vegas and we enjoy it totally. So, stepping out on the stage and seeing your friends that you got to go eat dinner with the night before, it’s just a very special evening.”

Reba will take to the stage as host for the 13th time, with buddy Blake at her side. The 46th Annual ACM Awards airs live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3 at 8 p.m. ET/delayed PT on CBS.

Blake’s fiancee, Miranda Lambert, recently dispensed some advice to Reba and CBS on how to handle Blake during live television. Watch her words of wisdom Continue Reading

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Lady Antebellum on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at the Ryman Autitorium in Nashville. Photo courtesy of The Greenroom.

The Academy of Country Music is hosting two days of all-star concerts at the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas during The Week Vegas Goes Country™! ACM Weekend on Fremont Street Experience will feature top newcomer category winners, Luke Bryan, Joey + Rory and Gloriana, special guests and headliners Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert performing on two different stages to crowds downtown. The weekend-long party leading up to the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards is sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and will feature Emily West, The Band Perry, Danny Gokey, David Nail and Lady Antebellum on April 16, 2010 and Joey + Rory, Gloriana, Randy Rogers Band, Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert on April 17, 2010.

DETAILS: Friday, April 16, 2010

7:00-7:30pm Emily West 1st Street Stage

7:45-8:25pm The Band Perry 1st Street Stage

8:40-9:30pm Danny Gokey 3rd Street Stage

9:45-10:30pm David Nail (Single Record of the Year Nominee) 1st Street Stage

10:45-Midnight Lady Antebellum (Top ACM Nominee with 7 Nods) 3rd Street Stage

Saturday, April 17, 2010

7:00-7:30pm Joey + Rory 1st Street Stage

(Top Vocal Duo Nominee & Top New Vocal Duo winner)*

7:45-8:25pm Gloriana (Top New Vocal Group winner)* 1st Street Stage

8:40-9:25pm Randy Rogers Band (Top Vocal Group Nominee) 3rd Street Stage

9:40-10:30 Luke Bryan (Top New Solo Vocalist winner)* 1st Street Stage

10:45-Midnight Miranda Lambert (ACM Nominee with 6 Nods) 3rd Street Stage

*Joey + Rory, Gloriana and Luke Bryan will compete for Top New Artist on Sunday’s LIVE telecast of the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

Fremont Street Experience
Fremont Street Experience is a five-block entertainment zone in downtown Las Vegas that is one of the world’s most-visited attractions. Fremont Street Experience features the world’s largest video screen at 1,500 feet long 90 feet above the pedestrian mall. VivaVision, with 12.5 million digital lights and a 550,000-watt sound system, dazzles visitors nightly with light & sound shows. Encompassing 10 hotel-casinos, 60 restaurants and free entertainment, Fremont Street Experience attracts over 18 million annual visitors. Visit www.vegasexperience.com for more information.

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Garth Brooks is all smiles as he announces his new one-man show at the Wynn in Las Vegas, Nev. during a press conference on October 15, 2009. Photo courtesy of garthbrooks.com.

This morning at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Garth Brooks announced the end of his self-imposed retirement. In October 2000, he said he was retiring until the youngest of his three daughters had graduated from high school.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean fans will be getting a new album this year. At the Opry House, Garth said, “If we ever do tour again, if we ever put out new music again, it’s going to be another five years,” he said, reminding the audience that his youngest daughter, Allie, is only 13.

Garth revealed more of his future plans this afternoon at a press conference at the Wynn in Las Vegas. Continue Reading

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