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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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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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 47^th 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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LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 10: Train singer Pat Monahan (L) and singer Martina McBride perform during the opening night of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for The Smith Center)

The Academy of Country Music announced today that Martina McBride, along with Train frontman Pat Monahan, is scheduled to perform her new single “Marry Me” on the 47th Annual Academy of Country  Music Awards. To celebrate the message of the song, Martina and Pat will perform the duet during a very special moment in the show when a couple will get married live onstage. The show, 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 8/7c live ET/delayed PT on CBS. At 7/6c, GAC will be bringing you all the stars LIVE as they arrive on the red carpet.

For the first time in ACM Awards history –and perhaps any awards history– a live wedding ceremony will take place onstage during Martina and Pat’s duet of “Marry Me,” Martina’s current single from her latest album, Eleven. The song was penned by Grammy Award-winning artist Monahan and originally released in 2010 as the third single from Train’s chart-topping fifth studio album, Save Me, San Francisco.

Martina personally selected the lucky recipients of the onstage nuptials. Couple Christina Davidson and Frank Tucci thought they would never find love again.  In July of 2009, Frank lost his wife, Danielle to thyroid cancer and in that same year, Christina lost her husband, Paul, in a tragic drowning accident.  As a way to deal with the grief of losing her husband and raising her two sons Stephen and Paul on her own, Christina started a support group for young widows and widowers in Washington Township, N.J., where she met Frank. Slowly their friendship blossomed into love as they bonded over their shared views about the challenges of single parenthood and the struggles to keep the memories of their spouses alive.  Their wedding will mark a new chapter in their lives, an intimate moment which they will graciously share onstage.  The bride will be wearing an Oleg Cassini gown as she recites her vows. Fans can also follow Christina and Frank along their journey to the chapel at www.ACMwedding.com.

Martina and Pat  join previously announced performers Continue Reading

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Carrie Underwood photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

The Academy of Country Music announced today that Sara Evans, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban are scheduled to perform as part of the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.  In addition, 2 Broke Girls’ Beth Behrs and Entertainment Tonight’s Nancy O’Dell 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 ET/delayed PT on CBS.

These artists join previously announced performers Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Chris Young, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts.

Performers:

Six years after her last studio album, ACM Award winning artist Sara Evans is back in a big way.  She is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, an award she won in 2005.  The lead single from her latest album, “A Little Bit Stronger, ” quickly  became one of the most successful singles in Evans’ career.  The song was a multi-week No. 1 single, making Evans the only female artist in 2011 to hold the No. 1 position for two consecutive weeks on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart as well as Country Aircheck.  “A Little Bit Stronger” was written by Luke Laird, Hillary Lindsey and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.  

Carrie Underwood is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, marking her seventh consecutive nomination in this category – which she has won three times.  She is also nominated this year for Vocal Event of the Year for “Remind Me,” her duet with Brad Paisley.  Having won a total of 10 ACM Awards, Underwood is also a two-time Entertainer of the Year.  In 2010, she was honored with the ACM Triple Crown, an award presented to an elite group of country music artists who boast wins for New Artist, Male/Female Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year.

Keith Urban is a seven-time ACM Award winner including two wins for Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year as both artist and producer for Be Here and Vocal Event of the Year for “Start A Band,” his duet with Brad Paisley.  In 2010, Urban was honored with the Academy’s prestigious Jim Reeves International Award, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music worldwide. Continue Reading

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, Carrie Underwood gets surprised with an 80s-themed birthday party, Hank Williams Jr. and Miranda Lambert celebrate country music, Taylor Swift and Dierks Bentley share pictures from Australia and Jake Owen helps a young man ask his date to prom. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/carrieunderwood.

Carrie Underwood – CarrieUnderwood: Best. Birthday. Ever!

Miranda Lambert – Miranda_Lambert: Country music is taking over. And… It’s about damn time!

Hank Williams Jr. – HankJr: We say grace and we say ma’am… If you ain’t into that we don’t give a damn!

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/taylorswift13.

Taylor Swift – TaylorSwift13: Thanks to the lovely fans who brought us these face shirts. We’re wearing them. Continue Reading

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Lady Antebellum photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

The Academy of Country Music announced today that Blake Shelton, Chris Young, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts are scheduled to perform 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. Eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS. Blake will also co-host the Awards alongside Reba McEntire.

These artists join previously announced performers Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and Tim McGraw. Continue Reading

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Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Country stars are making big bucks. Billboard released its annual list of Money Makers, ranking the Top 40 wealthiest artists of 2011 based on U.S. income from tours, albums sales and publishing royalties. Country stars took up 11 of the 40 slots, with Taylor Swift coming in on top, earning $35.7 million — 17% more than last year’s top earner, Lady Gaga.

U2 came in behind Taylor with Kenny Chesney taking the third spot. Lady Gaga and Lil Wayne rounded out the Top 5. Other country stars making the list include Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts and Tim McGraw, all of who were listed in the Top 20, as well as Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Zac Brown Band and Sugarland. Continue Reading

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Reba McEntire & Blake Shelton photo courtesy of the ACM.

The first round of performers at the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards have been announced! Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw are all scheduled to take the stage during the show. Co-hosted by Reba and Blake Shelton, the ACM Awards will air live on CBS on April 1st at 8/7c.

See All ACM Awards Nominees »

Once again, fans will be able to help choose both the “Entertainer of the Year” and “New Artist of the Year.” Voting begins at www.VoteACM.com on March 19th at 12 noon ET and will continue until 5 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 1st, just before the LIVE show starts. Winners will be revealed during the show. Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Taylor Swift are up for Entertainer of the Year while Scotty McCreery, Brantley Gilbert and Hunter Hayes vie for New Artist of the Year. Continue Reading

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