ACM Nominees Announced

Kenny scored twice as many nominations as the next highest vote-getter, Rodney Atkins, who’s up for six ACMs. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood read the nominations during the CBS-TV program The Early Show, from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. For the first time in ACM history, fans will get to choose the winner of the night’s biggest honor, Entertainer of the Year. Voting begins May 5 and more details on how fans can participate will be announced soon. The 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards show airs May 18 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on CBS-TV, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

Here’s the list of nominees for the 2008 ACM Awards.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Rascal Flatts
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

TOP MALE VOCALIST

• Rodney Atkins
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST

• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• LeAnn Rimes
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood

TOP VOCAL GROUP

• Diamond Rio
• Eagles
• Emerson Drive
• Little Big Town
• Rascal Flatts

TOP VOCAL DUO

• Big & Rich
• Brooks & Dunn
• Halfway To Hazard
• Montgomery Gentry
• Sugarland

TOP NEW MALE VOCALIST

• Luke Bryan
• Jack Ingram
• Jake Owen

TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST

• Sarah Buxton
• Kellie Pickler
• Taylor Swift

TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP

• Carolina Rain
• Lady Antebellum
• The Wreckers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

[Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

• 5th Gear – Brad Paisley (Arista Nashville)
  Produced by Frank Rogers
• Crazy Ex-Girlfriend – Miranda Lambert (Columbia)
  Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
• Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates – Kenny Chesney (BNA)
  Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
• If You’re Going Through Hell – Rodney Atkins (Curb)
  Produced by Rodney Atkins, Ted Hewitt
• Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift (Big Machine)
  Produced by Scott Borchetta, Nathan Chapman, Track #6 Produced by Robert Ellis Orrall

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR

[Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

• “Don’t Blink”
  – Kenny Chesney
  Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney, BNA
• “Famous in a Small Town”
  – Miranda Lambert
  Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke, Columbia
• “Lost In This Moment”
  – Big & Rich
  Produced by Big Kenny, John Rich, Warner Bros/WRN
• “Stay”
  – Sugarland
  Produced by Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore, Jennifer Nettles, Mercury
• “Watching Airplanes”
  – Gary Allan
  Produced by Gary Allan, Mark Wright, MCA Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR

[Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

• “Don’t Blink”
  – Kenny Chesney
  Writers: Casey Beathard, Chris Wallin Publishers: Lavender Zoo Music (BMI), Mama’s Dream Music (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Acuff Rose (BMI), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
• “Lost in This Moment”
  – Big & Rich
  Writers: Keith Anderson, Rodney Clawson, John Rich
  Publishers: EMI April Music, Inc. (ASCAP), Romeo Cowboy Music (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Writer’s Extreme Music (BMI)
• “Moments”
  – Emerson Drive
  Writers: Dave Berg, Annie Tate, Sam Tate
  Publishers: Gravitron (SESAC), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
• “Watching You”
  – Rodney Atkins
  Writers: Rodney Atkins, Steve Dean, Brian White
  Publishers: Bethar Music (BMI), Mike Curb Music (BMI), Multisongs (SESAC), Songs From The White House (SESAC)
• “Stay”
  – Sugarland
  Writer: Jennifer Nettles
  Publishers: Jennifer Nettles Publishing (ASCAP)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

[Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

• “Don’t Blink”
  – Kenny Chesney
  Producer: Tacklebox Films
  Director: Shaun Silva
• “Lost in This Moment”
  – Big & Rich
  Producer: Big Kenny, Steve Lamar, Marc Oswald
  Director: Robert Deaton and George Flanigen
• “Online”
  – Brad Paisley
  Producer: Frames Per Second
  Director: Jason Alexander
• “Stay”
  – Sugarland
  Producer: Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore, Jennifer Nettles
  Director: Shaun Silva
• “Watching You”
  – Rodney Atkins
  Producer: Broken Poet Production
  Director: Eric Welch

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

[Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

• “Because of You”
  – Reba McEntire Duet With Kelly Clarkson
  Produced by Tony Brown, Reba McEntire
  MCA Nashville
• “Find Out Who Your Friends Are”
  – Tracy Lawrence With Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney
  Produced by Julian King, Tracy Lawrence
  Rocky Comfort/CO5
• “Shiftwork”
  – Kenny Chesney Duet With George Strait
  Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
  BNA
• “Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore”
  – Bon Jovi Featuring LeAnn Rimes
  Produced by Dann Huff
  Mercury
• “What You Give Away”
  – Vince Gill With Sheryl Crow
  Produced by Vince Gill, John Hobbs, Justin Niebank
  MCA Nashville