Country's Big Night

Music fans will see country’s biggest and brightest stars as the 38th annual Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards airs May 21 (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) on CBS. Hosted by superstar Reba McEntire, the night promises to showcase appearances by the best of the best as witnessed by a peek at this year’s top nominees.

Leading the pack with a whopping eight nominations is Toby Keith, followed by Alan Jackson with six, and Kenny Chesney and Trick Pony picking up five nods each. Other top vote getters include the Dixie Chicks, Willie Nelson, Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Lee Ann Womack, and Rascal Flatts.

As the first winner takes the stage, viewers also will see a newly-designed trophy, which incorporates the award’s signature cowboy hat into a sleek, updated style. The ACM hired the same company, R. S. Owens, that manufactures the Oscar, Emmy, and MTV Awards statuettes to produce the trophy.

Another fresh twist to the show is its location. For the first time the show moves from a Southern California venue to the bright lights of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

According to show producer Rac Clark, the new location will allow them “to create more exciting performance segments and be able to include elements of the show that we have never done before.”

Vying for the night’s crown jewel, Entertainer of the Year, are Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, the Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, and Toby Keith.

Nominees and winners are voted on by members of the Academy of Country Music, with the exception of the Home Depot Humanitarian Award. The winner of this recently introduced award is determined by fans who can vote online (www.homedepot.com/acm) up until the first two hours of the show. Brooks & Dunn, Lonestar, and Wynonna are all up for the honor, with a winner being announced in the final hour of the telecast. The charitable Reba won last year’s first humanitarian award. As a result, a community playground was built in her honor in Atoka, Okla.

If previous ACM Awards are any indication, this star-filled night will be packed with performances, surprises, and—better yet—a lot of great country music.

Richard McVey is managing editor of Nashville’s Music Row magazine.

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