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NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR "THE 42ND ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS," TO BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS TUESDAY, MAY 15 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

               Nominations for the 42ND ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS were announced by multi-platinum recording artists Kenny Chesney and Sugarland, along with CBS's "The Early Show" host Hannah Storm, at a press conference at the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.  The winners will be broadcast live from Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena, Tuesday, May 15 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. 

            George Strait led with eight nominations.  Brooks & Dunn received seven nominations, with Ronnie Dunn receiving an additional nod.  Rascal Flatts received six nominations, followed by Carrie Underwood with five and Big & Rich with four nominations, and an additional nod for John Rich.  Vince Gill, Josh Turner and Gretchen Wilson each received three nominations. 

            George Strait's eight nominations include Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist.  In addition, Strait is nominated as artist and producer for both Album of the Year for It Just Comes Natural and Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year, both for "Give It Away." He was also nominated for Video of the Year for "Seashores of Old Mexico."  Strait has previously won 15 Academy of Country Music Award Honors. 

            Brooks & Dunn are nominated for seven awards including Entertainer of the Year, Top Vocal Duo, Album of the Year for Hillbilly Deluxe, Video of the Year for "Hillbilly Deluxe" and Vocal Event of the Year for "Building Bridges" with Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow.  They have previously been awarded 21 Academy of Country Music Awards as a duo, with Ronnie Dunn having received 22 Academy of Country Music Awards in total.  Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn is nominated in seven categories as part of Brooks & Dunn and also has an additional solo nomination in the Vocal Event of the Year category for "I Don't Want To" with Ashley Monroe.

            Rascal Flatts is nominated in six categories, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Vocal Group, Album of the Year for Me and My Gang and Single Record of the Year for "What Hurts the Most."  They have previously been awarded six Academy of Country Music Awards.

            Carrie Underwood has five nominations including Top Female Vocalist, Album of the Year for Some Hearts and Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year, all for "Before He Cheats."  She was awarded two Academy of Country Music Awards last year - Top New Female and Single Record of the Year - in her first year ever to be nominated. 

            Big & Rich received four nominations including Top Vocal Duo, Video of the Year for "8th of November" and Vocal Event of the Year for "That's How They Do it in Dixie," with Hank Williams, Jr., Gretchen Wilson and Van Zant.  John Rich has an additional nomination for producing Gretchen Wilson's single, "Politically Uncorrect," which brings his total to five nominations. 

            Vince Gill, Josh Turner and Gretchen Wilson each received three nominations.  Vince Gill received nods for both artist and producer for Album of the Year for These Days, and Vocal Event of the Year for "Building Bridges."  Josh Turner is nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Would You Go With Me" and Vocal Event of the Year for "Me and God."  Gretchen Wilson is nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for both "Politically Uncorrect" and "That's How They Do it in Dixie."  For the former, she received an additional producing nod. 

           Kenny Chesney, on hand at the press conference to read the nominations live, received two nominations, one each for Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist.  He has previously been awarded six Academy of Country Music Awards including reigning, back-to-back Entertainer of the Year wins.  Sugarland, also on hand to read nominations, received one nod in the Top Vocal Duo category.  They were last year's Top New Duo or Vocal Group winners.  
             Members of the Academy of Country Music select the nominees and winners of the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS.  Presenters and additional performers who will appear on the special will be announced at a later date.

            Following is the list of final nominees in 13 categories voted by the membership.  Winners in each of the following categories will be presented with an ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD during the television broadcast:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

•·                     Brooks & Dunn

•·                     Kenny Chesney

•·                     Tim McGraw

•·                     Rascal Flatts

•·                     George Strait

TOP MALE VOCALIST

•·                     Kenny Chesney

•·                     Toby Keith

•·                     Brad Paisley

•·                     George Strait

•·                     Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST

•·                     Sara Evans

•·                     Faith Hill

•·                     Miranda Lambert

•·                     Martina McBride

•·                     Carrie Underwood

TOP VOCAL GROUP

•·                     Diamond Rio

•·                     Emerson Drive

•·                     Little Big Town

•·                     Lonestar

•·                     Rascal Flatts

TOP VOCAL DUO OR VOCAL GROUP

•·                     Big & Rich

•·                     Brooks & Dunn

•·                     Montgomery Gentry

•·                     Sugarland

•·                     The Wreckers

TOP NEW MALE VOCALIST

•·                     Rodney Atkins

•·                     Craig Morgan

•·                     Chris Young

TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST

•·                     Miranda Lambert

•·                     Kellie Pickler

•·                     Taylor Swift

TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP

•·                     Heartland

•·                     Little Big Town

•·                     The Wreckers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

•·                     Hillbilly Deluxe - Brooks & Dunn (Arista Nashville)

Produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks

#3 Produced by Mark Wright, Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn, Kix Brooks

# 6 Original demo produced by Kix Brooks, Tom Shapiro

•·                     It Just Comes Natural - George Strait (MCA Nashville)

Produced by Tony Brown, George Strait

•·                     Me and My Gang - Rascal Flatts (Lyric Street Records)

Produced by Dann Huff, Rascal Flatts

•·                     Some Hearts - Carrie Underwood (19 Recordings Limited/Arista Records)

#1, 2, 4, 7, 10 & 13 Produced by Mark Bright

#3, 6, 8, 9, 11 & 12 Produced by Dann Huff

•·                     These Days - Vince Gill (MCA Nashville)

Produced by Vince Gill, John Hobbs, Justin Niebank

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

•·        Before He Cheats

Carrie Underwood, Produced by Mark Bright

19 Recordings Limited/Arista Records

•·        Give It Away

George Strait, Produced by Tony Brown, George Strait

MCA Nashville

•·       I Loved Her First

Heartland, Produced by Walt Aldridge

Lofton Creek Records

•·          What Hurts the Most

Rascal Flatts, Produced by Dann Huff, Rascal Flatts

Lyric Street Records

•·          Would You Go With Me

Josh Turner, Produced by Frank Rogers

MCA Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

•·                     Amarillo Sky

Jason Aldean

Writers: John Rich, Big Kenny, Rodney Clawson, Bart Pursley

            Publishers: © 2005 Rich Texan Music (ASCAP), Bound For Sound Music (ASCAP) All          rights admin. By WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) Big Love Music (BMI) Admin. By Carol   Vincent and Associates. Grinnin' Girl Music (BMI) Bar Two Beat One Music (ASCAP)     Used by permission. All rights reserved.

•·              Before He Cheats

            Carrie Underwood

            Writers: Chris Tompkins, Josh Kear

Publishers: That Little House Music (ASCAP)/ Mighty Underdog Music/Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing (ASCAP)

•·             Give It Away

            George Strait

            Writers: Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson

Publishers: © 2006 Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Mr. Bubba Music, Inc., admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing (BMI); Run Slow Music, admin. By ICG (ASCAP); EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (BMI)

•·             If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)

            Rodney Atkins

            Writers: Sam and Annie Tate, Dave Berg

            Publishers: Gravonitron Music, Whaddayadef Music, Cal IV Songs, BerdBrain Music

•·            Would You Go With Me

            Josh Turner

            Writers: Shawn Camp, John Scott Sherrill

Publishers: © 2005 Sony/ATV Songs LLC/All Mighty Dog Music/Travelin' Arkansawyer          Music, admin. By Sony/ATV Music Publishing; Sony/ATV Songs LLC/All Mighty Dog Music/City Wolf Music, admin. By Sony/ATV Music Publishing (BMI)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

•·             8th of November - Big & Rich

            Producer: Steve Lamar

            Director: George Deaton, Robert Flanigan, Marc Oswald

•·             Amarillo Sky -            Jason Aldean

            Producer: Brittany Hailes

            Director: Wes Edwards

•·             Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood

            Producer:  Randy Brewer

            Director:  Roman White

•·             Hillbilly Deluxe - Brooks & Dunn

            Producer: Mark Kalbfeld

            Director:  Michael Salomon

•·             Seashores of Old Mexico - George Strait

            Producer: Shelli Jury

            Director: Trey Fanjoy

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

•·              Building Bridges - Brooks & Dunn with Vince Gill & Sheryl Crow

            Produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks

            Arista Nashville

•·             I Don't Want To - Ashley Monroe & Ronnie Dunn

            Produced by Mark Wright

            Columbia Nashville

•·              Me and God - Josh Turner featuring Dr. Ralph Stanley and Marty Roe, Dana Williams and Gene Johnson of Diamond Rio

            Produced by Frank Rogers

            MCA Nashville

•·              Politically Uncorrect - Gretchen Wilson featuring Merle Haggard

            Produced by Gretchen Wilson, John Rich and Mark Wright

            Columbia Nashville

•·              That's How They Do It In Dixie - Hank Williams Jr. with Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich and Van Zant

            Produced by Doug Johnson for Curb Productions

            Curb Records

           The Academy of Country Music, an artist and industry-driven organization, exists to produce a world-class network television awards show, and its associated events, to provide the financial resources to ensure the ongoing philanthropic work of its Charitable Fund.  Academy of Country Music Charitable Fund promotes and supports music education and humanitarian programs that transform the human spirit.  Through its charitable donations, the ACMCF works toward two main goals:  encouraging Learning Through Music and Healing Through Music.  The Academy, which is comprised of more than 4,500 professional members and more than 40,000 associate members, was established in 1964 and is headquartered in Encino, Calif.

              The ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS is produced for television by dick clark productions.  The show is executive produced by Allen Shapiro and R.A. Clark, and produced by Barry Adelman.  The executive in charge of production is Bob Bardo, and the executive in charge is Fran LaMaina.

RATING:  To Be Announced

Photos will be available on http://www.cbspressexpress.com/

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