Chesney leads ACM nominations with nine

Thursday, January 26, 2012 – Kenny Chesney leads the Academy of Country Music Awards nominations with nine, including entertainer of the year.

Jason Aldean is nominated for six awards, while Lady Antebellum took home five

Entertainer of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift

Male Vocalist of the year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Chris Young

Female Vocalist of the year
Sara Evans
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Vocal Duo of the year
Love and Theft
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland
Thompson Square

Vocal Group of the year
The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

New Artist of the Year (Nominees in Feb.)

Album of the year (Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company)
Chief - Eric Church (EMI-Nashville) Produced by: Arturo Buenahora, Jr., Jay Joyce
Four The Record - Miranda Lambert (RCA) Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf
Hemingway's Whiskey - Kenny Chesney (BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
My Kinda Party - Jason Aldean (Broken Bow Records) Produced by: Michael Knox
Own The Night - Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley

Single Record of the Year (Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company)
Crazy Girl - Eli Young Band (Republic Nashville) Produced by: Mike Wrucke
Don't You Wanna Stay - Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson (Broken Bow Records) Produced by: Michael Knox
Red Solo Cup - Toby Keith (Show Dog-Universal Music) Produced by: Toby Keith
Tomorrow - Chris Young (RCA) Produced by: James Stroud
You And Tequila - Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter (BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

Song of the Year (Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s))
Crazy Girl - Eli Young Band Composers: Lee Brice, Liz Rose Publishers: Cake Taker Music (BMI), Mike Curb Music (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Sweet Hysteria Music (BMI)
Home - Dierks Bentley Composers: Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley, Dan Wilson Publishers: Big White Tracks (ASCAP), Chestnut Barn Music (BMI), Chrysalis Music/BMG Rights (ASCAP), Chrysalis One Songs (BMI)
Just A Kiss - Lady Antebellum Composers: Dallas Davidson, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott Publishers: Dwhaywood Music (BMI), EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI), EMI Foray Music (SESAC), Hillary Dawn Songs (SESAC), Radiobulletspublishing (BMI), String Stretcher Music (BMI) Warner-Tamberlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
Threaten Me With Heaven - Vince Gill Composers: Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Dillon O'Brian, Will Owsley Publishers: Grant Girls Music (ASCAP), Vinny Mae Music (BMI), Willie-O Music (ASCAP)
You And Tequila - Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter Composers: Matraca Berg, Deana Carter Publishers: Deanaling Music (ASCAP), Hannaberg Music (BMI), Songs of Universal Inc., (BMI), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)

Songwriter of the Year *(Off Camera Award)
Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
Ben Hayslip
Luke Laird
David Lee Murphy

Video of the Year (Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)) *(Off Camera Award)
Homeboy - Eric Church Producer: Brandon Arolfo Director: Peter Zavadil
Just A Kiss - Lady Antebellum Producer: Don Lepore Director: Shaun Silva
Mean - Taylor Swift Producer: Oualid Mouaness Director: Declan Whitebloom
Red Solo Cup - Toby Keith Producer: Mark Kalbfeld Director: Michael Salomon
Tattoos On This Town - Jason Aldean Producer: John Burke Director: Wes Edwards

Vocal Event of the Year (Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company) *(Off Camera Award)
Country Boy - Aaron Lewis Featuring George Jones & Charlie Daniels (R&J Records) Produced by: Aaron Lewis, James Stroud
Don't You Wanna Stay - Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson (Broken Bow Records) Produced by: Michael Knox
Old Alabama - Brad Paisley Featuring Alabama (Arista Nashville) Produced by: Frank Rogers
Remind Me - Brad Paisley Duet With Carrie Underwood (Arista Nashville) Produced by: Frank Rogers
You And Tequila - Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter (BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

Off Camera Awards

Industry Awards

Casino of the Year
Agua Caliente Casino ‐ Rancho Mirage, CA
IP Casino ‐ Biloxi, MS
Island Resort Casino ‐ Harris, MI
Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino ‐ Las Vegas, NV
WinStar World Casino ‐ Thackerville, OK

Nightclub of the Year
Billy Bob's Texas ‐ Ft. Worth, TX
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace ‐ Bakersfield, CA
Grizzly Rose ‐ Denver, CO
Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill ‐ Minneapolis, MN
Wormy Dog ‐ Oklahoma City, OK

Venue of the Year
BOK Center ‐ Tulsa, OK
Bridgestone Arena ‐ Nashville, TN
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre ‐ Chicago, IL
Jiffy Lube Live ‐ Bristow, VA
Sprint Center ‐ Kansas City, MO

Don Remo Talent Buyer of the Year
Ethan Hirsch ‐ Wilson Events
Jimmy Jay ‐ Jayson Promotions, Inc.
RJ Kaltenbach ‐ Klein's Attractions
Gary Osier ‐ Gary Osier Presents
Huston Powell ‐ C3 Presents

Promoter of the Year
Ben Ferrell ‐ Varnell Enterprises, Inc.
Brad Garrett ‐ Police Productions
Brian O'Connell ‐ Live Nation
Glenn Smith ‐ Glenn & Linda Present
Ed Warm ‐ Joe's Bar

Musician/Bandleader/Instrumentalist (MBI) Awards

Producer of the Year
Mark Bright
Buddy Cannon
Nathan Chapman
Jay Joyce
Frank Liddell

Audio Engineer of the Year
Jeff Balding
Derek Bason
John Kelton
Mills Logan
Justin Niebank

Bass Player of the Year
Mike Brignardello
Kevin "Swine" Grantt
Mark Hill
Michael Rhodes
Jimmy Lee Sloas

Percussionist/Drummer of the Year
Matt Chamberlain
Chad Cromwell
Shannon Forrest
Chris McHugh
Greg Morrow

Fiddle Player of the Year
Glen Duncan
Stuart Duncan
Larry Franklin
Joe Spivey
Jonathan Yudkin

Guitarist of the Year
J.T. Corenflos
Kenny Greenberg
Jay Joyce
Brent Mason
Adam Shoenfeld

Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year
Tony Harrell
John Hobbs
John Jarvis
Charlie Judge
Michael Rojas

Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year
Eric Darken
Aubrey Haynie
Ilya Toshinsky
John Willis
Jonathan Yudkin

Steel Guitar Player of the Year
Paul Franklin
Mike Johnson
Greg Leisz
Russ Pahl
Scotty Sanders

Radio Awards

On-Air Personality of the Year - National
Cody Alan - CMT Radio Live with Cody Alan
Kix Brooks - American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks
Crook and Chase - Crook and Chase Countdown
Lon Helton - CMT Country Countdown USA
Lia - The Lia Show

On-Air Personality of the Year - Major Market
Kelly Ford & Rider - KYGO-FM Denver, CO
Cledus T. Judd, Dave McKay, Veronica - WQYK-FM St. Petersburg, FL
Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray - WUSN-FM Chicago, IL
Trish Biondo - WUSN-FM Chicago, IL
Edwards & Lee (Chuck Edwards & Linda Lee) - WYCD-FM Detroit, MI

On-Air Personality of the Year - Large Market
Randy Carroll & Jamie Martin - KAJA-FM San Antonio, TX
Dave O'Brien - WLHK-FM Indianapolis, IN
Mike, Marty and Janie - WQDR-FM Raleigh, NC
Bill Cody - WSM-AM Nashville, TN
Big Dave and Chelsie - WUBE-FM Cincinnati, OH

On-Air Personality of the Year - Medium Market
Steve & Geoff in the Morning - KUZZ AM/FM Bakersfield, CA
Cash and Carey (Natalie Cash and Jim Carey) - KWEN-FM Tulsa, OK
Tom & Becky - WBBS-FM Syracuse, NY
Roger, Tom & Melissa - WPCV-FM Lakeland, FL
Scott Wynn & Sue Wilson (Wynn and Wilson in the Morning) - WQMX-FM Akron, OH

On-Air Personality of the Year - Small Market
Scotty & Carissa in the Morning - KCLR-FM Columbia, MO
Bill Barrett, Tim Fox and Tracy Berry - KKNU-FM Eugene, OR
Philip Gibbons - WGSQ-FM Cookville, TN
Bearman and Ken in the Morning - WUSY-FM Chattanooga, TN
Brent Lane - WYCT-FM Pensacola, FL

Radio Station of the Year - Major Market
KUPL-FM Portland, OR
KYGO-FM Denver, CO
WQYK-FM St. Petersburg, FL
WXTU-FM Philadelphia, PA
WYCD-FM Detroit, MI

Radio Station of the Year - Large Market
KAJA-FM San Antonio, TX
WLHK-FM Indianapolis, IN
WQDR-FM Raleigh, NC
WUBE-FM Cincinnati, OH

Radio Station of the Year - Medium Market
KATM-FM Stockton, CA
KUZZ AM/FM Bakersfield, CA
WBBS FM Syracuse, NY
WYRK FM Buffalo, NY

Radio Station of the Year - Small Market
KCLR-FM Columbia, MO
KUAD-FM Windsor, CO
WUSY-FM Chattanooga, TN
WXFL-FM Florence, AL

The awards will be handed out April 1 in Las Vegas.

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