Brad Paisley Leads Pack in ACM Award Nominations

The Academy of Country Music named its nominees for the 44th Annual ACM Awards, to be held April 5th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Academy of Country Music named its nominees for the 44th Annual ACM Awards, to be held April 5th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

While nominees for “Album of the Year” won’t be announced until March, Brad Paisley leads the pack with six nods, including “Song of the Year” for “Waitin’ On A Woman.”

(Take a look at some of the more involved nominations towards the bottom, like best Casino, On-Air Personality, and Steel Guitarist)

And the nominees are….

Entertainer of the Year

* Kenny Chesney
* Brad Paisley
* George Strait
* Carrie Underwood
* Keith Urban

Top Male Vocalist

* Kenny Chesney
* Toby Keith
* Brad Paisley
* George Strait
* Keith Urban

Top Female Vocalist

* Miranda Lambert
* Heidi Newfield
* Taylor Swift
* Carrie Underwood
* Lee Ann Womack

Top Vocal Group

* Lady Antebellum
* Little Big Town
* Rascal Flatts
* Randy Rogers Band
* The Lost Trailers

Top Vocal Duo

* Big & Rich
* Brooks & Dunn
* Joey & Rory
* Montgomery Gentry
* Sugarland

Top New Male Vocalist

* Jamey Johnson
* James Otto
* Jake Owen

Top New Female Vocalist

* Sarah Buxton
* Julianne Hough
* Ashton Shepherd

Top New Vocal Duo or Group

* Eli Young Band
* The Lost Trailers
* Zac Brown Band

Single Record of the Year [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

* Gunpowder & Lead
Miranda Lambert, Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Columbia

* In Color
Jamey Johnson, Produced by The Ken Hardley Playboys
Mercury

* Johnny & June
Heidi Newfield, Produced by Tony Brown
Asylum-Curb

* Waitin’ On A Woman
Brad Paisley, Produced by Frank Rogers
Arista Nashville

* You’re Gonna Miss This
Trace Adkins, Produced by Frank Rogers
Capitol Nashville

Song of the Year [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

* I Saw God Today
George Strait
Composers: Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell, Wade Kirby
Publishers: Big Red Toe Music (BMI), Blind Mule Music (BMI), Extremely Loud Music (BMI), Steel Wheels Music (BMI)

* In Color
Jamey Johnson
Composers: Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller, James Otto
Publishers: Big Gassed Hitties (BMI), Eldorotto Music Publishing (BMI), EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Lucky Thumb Music (BMI), New Song of Sea Gayle (BMI), Noah’s Little Boat Music (BMI)

* Johnny & June
Heidi Newfield
Composers: Deanna Bryant, Heidi Newfield, Stephony Smith
Publishers: Amylase Music (ASCAP), Big Hit Makers Music (BMI), Rainy Graham Publishing LLC (BMI), Souljet Music Tell Texas Tune III (ASCAP)

* Waitin’ On A Woman
Brad Paisley
Composers: Don Sampson, Wynn Varble
Publishers: EMI April Music, Inc. (ASCAP), Sea Gayle Music LLC (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

* You’re Gonna Miss This
Trace Adkins
Composers: Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller
Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI), Music of Windswept (ASCAP), Noah’s Little Boat Music (BMI), Song of Combustion (ASCAP), Songs of Sea Gayle (BMI)

Video of the Year [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

* Johnny & June – Heidi Newfield
Producer: Karen Martin
Director: Eric Welch

* Just A Dream – Carrie Underwood
Producer: Randy Brewer
Director: Roman White

* Love Story – Taylor Swift
Producer: Trent Hardville
Director: Trey Fanjoy

* Troubadour – George Strait
Producer: Dominic Cancilla
Director: Trey Fanjoy

* Waitin’ On A Woman – Brad Paisley
Producer: Mark Kalbfeld, Jim Shea
Director: Jim Shea, Peter Tilden

Vocal Event of the Year [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

* Another Try – Josh Turner Featuring Trisha Yearwood
Produced by: Frank Rogers
MCA Nashville

* Cowgirls Don’t Cry – Brooks & Dunn Featuring Reba McEntire
Produced by: Kix Brooks, Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn
Arista Nashville

* Down The Road – Kenny Chesney With Mac McAnally
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
Blue Chair/BNA

* Life In A Northern Town – Sugarland Featuring Little Big Town & Jake Owen
Produced by: Not listed
Mercury

* Start A Band – Brad Paisley Duet With Keith Urban
Produced by: Frank Rogers
Arista Nashville

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – NATIONAL

* Blair Garner – After MidNite with Blair Garner
* Crook & Chase – Crook and Chase Countdown
* Danny Wright – Danny Wright All Night
* Lon Helton – Country Countdown USA

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – MAJOR MARKET

* KEEY-FM (Minneapolis, MN) – Donna Valentine, Muss and Fish
* KSCS-FM (Arlington, TX) – Dorsey Gang
* KSON-FM (San Diego, CA) – Cliff & Company: Cliff, Morgan, Tanner and Tori
* KYGO-FM (Denver, CO) – Kelly Ford & Mudflap McGrew with Ed Greene
* WIL -FM (St. Louis, MO) – The Cornbread Show featuring Cornbread, Pat James, Producer Annie, Captain Mac Douglas & Father Harry Shroeder

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – LARGE MARKET

* WFMS-FM (Indianapolis, IN) – JD Cannon
* WFMS-FM (Indianapolis, IN) – Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt & Kevin Freeman
* WMIL-FM (Milwaukee, WI) – Karen, Scott & Radar – The Moo Crew
* WTQR-FM (Greensboro, NC) – Jeff Roper & Angie Ward
* WUBE-FM (Cincinnati, OH) – Chris Carr & Amanda Orlando

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM MARKET

* WBBS-FM (Syracuse, NY) – Tom and Becky – B104.7 Morning Show
* WBCT-FM (Grand Rapids, MI) – The Electric Barnyard with Broadway (and Crawl)
* KFDI-FM (Wichita, KS) – Brian Pierce & Kellie Michaels
* WIVK-FM (Knoxville, TN) – Gunner
* WIVK-FM (Knoxville, TN) – Andy Ritchie, Alison West, Jimmy Holt

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – SMALL MARKET

* KUAD-FM (Ft. Collins, CO) – Brian Gary and Todd Harding (The Good Morning Guys)
* WCTY-FM (Norwich, CT) – Jimmy Lane and Shelly Martinez
* WFYR-FM (Peoria, IL) – Rick Stephenson & Lisa Franks
* WOKQ-FM (Dover, NH) – Mark & Danielle
* WYCT-FM (Pensacola, FL) – Brent Lane and Dana Cervantes

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – MAJOR MARKET

* KMPS-FM (Seattle, WA) – Today’s Country
* KYGO-FM (Denver, CO) – Denver’s #1 For New Country
* WKLB-FM (Boston, MA) – Country 102.5
* WQYK-FM (Tampa, FL) – Tampa Bay’s Country Station
* WSOC-FM (Charlotte, NC) – Charlotte’s # 1 Country

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – LARGE MARKET

* WFMS-FM (Indianapolis, IN) – The Country Station
* WMIL-FM (Milwaukee, WI) – Continuous Country Favorites of Yesterday and Today
* WQDR-FM (Raleigh, NC) – Today’s Best Country
* WSIX-FM (Nashville, TN) – The Big 98 WSIX
* WUBE-FM (Cincinnati, OH) – Cincinnati’s Country!

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM MARKET

* KFDI-FM (Wichita, KS) – Today’s KFDI
* KUZZ AM/FM (Bakersfield, CA) – Bakersfield’s Best Country
* WGNA-FM (Albany, NY) – Country 107.7
* WIVK-FM (Knoxville, TN) – Today’s Best Music and the All-Time Country Legends
* WYRK-FM (Buffalo, NY) – Today’s Country & Your All Time Favorites

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – SMALL MARKET

* WFYR-FM (Peoria, IL) – River Country
* WKXC-FM (Augusta, GA) – Number One for New Country and More Variety
* WXCL-FM (Peoria, IL) – Number One For New Country
* WXXQ-FM (Rockford, IL) – Rockford’s Country
* WYCT-FM (Pensacola, FL) – Cat Country

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

* Buddy Cannon
* Dann Huff
* Frank Rogers
* Nathan Chapman
* Tony Brown

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

* Chuck Ainlay
* Greg Droman
* John Kelton
* Mills Logan
* Steve Marcantonio

TOP BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

* Dave Hungate
* Glenn Worf
* Jimmie Lee Sloas
* Larry Paxton
* Mike Brignardello

TOP PERCUSSIONIST/DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

* Chad Cromwell
* Eddie Bayers
* Greg Morrow
* Lonnie Wilson
* Paul Leim

TOP FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

* Aubrey Haynie
* Joe Spivey
* Jonathan Yudkin
* Larry Franklin
* Rob Hajacos

TOP GUITARIST OF THE YEAR

* Brett Mason
* Bryan Sutton
* J.T. Corenflos
* Kenny Greenberg
* Tom Bukovac

TOP PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

* Gordon Mote
* John Hobbs
* John Jarvis
* Steve Nathan
* Tony Harrell

TOP SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR

* Eric Darken
* Ilya Toshinsky
* Jelly Roll Johnson
* Randy Kohrs
* Rob Ickes

TOP STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

* Bruce Bouton
* Dan Dugmore
* Mike Johnson
* Russ Pahl
* Steve Hinson

VENUE OF THE YEAR

* DTE Energy Music Theatre – Clarkston, MI
* Meadowbrook US Cellular Pavilion – Gilford, NH
* The Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
* Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC
* Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheatre – Virginia Beach, VA

NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR

* Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace – Bakersfield, CA
* Coyote Joe’s – Charlotte, NC
* Joe’s Bar – Chicago, IL
* The Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
* Wild Bill’s – Duluth, GA

CASINO OF THE YEAR

* Casino Rama – Orillia, Ontario
* Chumash Casino – Santa Ynez, CA
* Mystic Lake – Minneapolis, MN
* The Peppermill Resorts at Wendover – West Wendover, NV
* Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR

* David Snowden – Triangle Talent
* Fran Romeo – Romeo Entertainment
* Gary Osier – Gary Osier Presents
* Suzanne Wilson – Wilson Events
* Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

* Ben Farrell – Varnell Enterprises
* Darin Lashinsky – Outback Concerts
* Gary Weinberger – Red Mountain Entertainment
* Louis Messina – The Messina Group
* Steve Moore – AEGLive