ACM Awards Nominees Announced

Nominees were announced today for three categories of the Academy of Country Music awards, which will be presented on Sunday, April 7th.

The ACM Awards categories for New Female Vocalist, New Male Vocalist, and New Vocal Duo or Group wll be opened up to fan voting, beginning on Monday, Jan. 21at voteACM.com. ^[

The nominees include:

New Female Vocalist

Jana Kramer

Kacey Musgraves

Sunny Sweeney


New Male Vocalist

Lee Brice

Brantley Gilbert

Hunter Hayes


New Vocal Duo or Group

Florida Georgia Line

Love and Theft

Thompson Square

The final three winners, who will be announced in February, will move on to compete for the title of ACM New Artist of the Year. Final round voting for New Artist of the Year will begin on March 25 and will close on April 7. The winner in the New Artist of the Year category will be announced during the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards broadcast on CBS on Sunday, April 7.

ASCAP to honor Don Williams

Country music star Don Williams will be honored with the prestigious ASCAP Golden Note Award during its 49th Annual Country Music Awards on Sunday, Nov. 6th, at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland. The event will also honor the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed country songs from April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011, and present awards for Songwriter of the Year, Songwriter/Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Publisher of the Year.

The Golden Note Award is bestowed upon songwriters, composers and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones.

Don Williams is a recording artist & songwriter who has enjoyed 45 Top Ten hits and 17 No. 1 singles. Williams’ began his career as a member of the mid-1960’s folk-pop trio, the Pozo-Seco Singers. His self-penned hits include The Shelter of Your Eyes, Lay Down Beside Me, Love Me Over Again, and his collaboration with Wayland Holyfield, Till the Rivers All Run Dry. Despite a well-known aversion to the spotlight, Williams has risen to international fame. Williams was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

Blake & Reba to host ACM Awards

Blake Shelton will join Reba McEntire as co-host of the ACM Awards on Sunday, April 3rd. Reba has hosted the country awards show for over a decade.



This will mark Blake’s debut as an award show host, as he becomes the 50th host since the inception of the ACM Awards.

The 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3rd, at 7pm on CBS.

Kennedy Center Honors Haggard, McCartney

Washington D.C. was glowing with star power on Sunday night, Dec. 5, for the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors. Merle Haggard was among the esteemed honorees, alongside Sir Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey, Bill T. Jones, and Jerry Herman.



Vince Gill opened the salute to Haggard, calling him the “poet of the common man.” Willie Nelson narrated Haggard’s video biography before performing with Sheryl Crow as part of the tribute. Also taking the stage were Kris Kristofferson and Miranda Lambert for Haggard’s “Silver Wings,” and Gill and Brad Paisley on “Workin’ Man’s Blues.” Nelson then recruited Kid Rock and Jamey Johnson onstage for “Ramblin’ Fever.”

On hand to salute McCartney were No Doubt, Dave Grohl and Norah Jones, Steven Tyler, James Taylor, and Mavis Staples.

Oprah was honored by Julia Roberts, Sidney Poitier, John Travolta, Barbara Walters, Jennifer Hudson and Chris Rock.

The gala will air Dec. 28 on CBS.

Marty Stuart To Receive Symphony Harmony Award

Marty Stuart will receive the prestigious Harmony Award at the 2010 Symphony Ball on Saturday, December 11 at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel. Also at event, Mayor Karl Dean will be presented with the Gold Baton Award.



The Harmony Award is presented annually to individuals who have supported and helped develop Nashville’s musical culture, and shown particular interest in the many kinds of music which exist here in harmony.

Stuart is a four-time GRAMMY® winner, platinum-selling recording artist, Grand Ole Opry star, country music preservationist and songwriter. Record producer and previous Harmony Award winner Tony Brown explains, “Marty has been the torchbearer and authority on all things ‘Hillbilly, Mountain Music, Bluegrass, Traditional Country and Southern Music,’ period! He is absolutely one of Nashville’s treasures.”

Other previous recipients of the Harmony Award include Amy Grant, LeAnn Rimes, Michael W. Smith, Mike & Linda Curb, Lyle Lovett, Trisha Yearwood, Dolly Parton, The Judds, Steve Winwood, Vince Gill, Wynonna and Naomi Judd, Chet Atkins, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood.

The Gold Baton Award, being presented to Dean, honors individuals who represent the epitome of leadership, community spirit and service to others. This award has been presented by the Nashville Symphony only on rare occasions to acknowledge visionary leadership benefiting the Symphony, the music industry and the Nashville community.

The 26th annual Symphony Ball is being chaired by Lin Andrews and Janet Ayers. The ball annually raises $500,000 for the Symphony and its commitment to artistic excellence and music education. Since its inception in 1985, it has raised a total of more than $6.5 million. This year’s event is being held at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza while Schermerhorn Symphony Center continues to undergo repairs from the May flood.