Nominations were announced today for the 48^th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS­ on Sunday, April 7, 2013.  Not only were most of my favorite artists nominated but also my favorite country station, WQYK.  Plus, it’s the second year in-a-row that we’ve been nominated. Last year we won in that category, so keep your fingers cross for a repeat!

How did the artist nomination shake out?

Eric Church leads with seven nominations, including Male Vocalist of the Year and his second consecutive nod for Album of the Year and Video of the Year. He is twice nominated for Song of the Year for “Springsteen,” as both artist and composer. Church also earned nominations for Single of the Year for “Springsteen” and for Vocal Event of the Year for “The Only Way I Know” with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan.  

Hunter Hayes received six nominations, including New Male Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year for “Wanted.” He is also twice nominated in the Song of the Year category as the artist and composer, as well as in the Single Record of the Year category as the artist and producer for “Wanted.”

Miranda Lambert earned five nominations, including her second nomination for Entertainer of the Year and seventh consecutive nod for Female Vocalist of the Year. In addition, Lambert was nominated for Single Record of the Year and twice nominated for Song of the Year, as artist and composer, for “Over You.” Lambert is the reigning ACM Female Vocalist of the Year.

Reigning Entertainer of the Year, Taylor Swift received five nominations, including her fourth consecutive nod for Entertainer of the Year.  If Swift wins Entertainer of the Year, this will be her third consecutive win in that category. Swift is nominated for the sixth time for Female Vocalist of the Year and for the fourth time for Video of the Year for “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” She also received a double nomination for Album of the Year for Red as the artist and producer.

Luke Bryan received four nominations, including his first ever Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year nominations. He also received nominations for Album of the Year for tailgates & tanlines and Vocal Event of the Year for “The Only Way I Know” with Jason Aldean and Eric Church.

First-time ACM nominee, Kacey Musgraves is nominated for four awards including Female Vocalist of the Year, New Female Vocalist of the Year and twice for Video of the Year for “Merry Go ‘Round” as both artist and producer.

Little Big Town leads group nominations with four nods, including their seventh nomination for Vocal Group of the Year. They are also nominated for Album of the Year, Single Record of the Year for “Pontoon” and Video of the Year for “Tornado.”

Jason Aldean is nominated for three awards, including his third consecutive nod for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. He is nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for “The Only Way I Know” with Luke Bryan and Eric Church.

Reigning Male Vocalist of the Year, Blake Shelton is nominated for three awards, including his third consecutive nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year and second nod for Entertainer of the Year. Shelton also received a nomination for Song of the Year as composer for “Over You” with Miranda Lambert.

 Eli Young Band earned three nominations, including their second consecutive nomination for Vocal Group of the Year. They also received nominations for “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” in the Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year categories.

 Florida Georgia Line received nominations for three awards, including Vocal Duo of the Year, New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year and New Artist of the Year. This is Florida Georgia Line’s first year to be nominated.

Fan voting for New Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year begins on March 25, 2013 at 3:00 PM ET/12noon PT at VoteACM.com. Fan voting for New Artist of the Year will close at 5 p.m. PT on April 7, 2013 (before the LIVE show starts) and fan voting for Entertainer of the Year will close during the third hour of the LIVE broadcast.

The 48^th Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

Following is the list of final nominees.

Entertainer of the Year

·         Jason Aldean

·         Luke Bryan

·         Miranda Lambert

·         Blake Shelton

·         Taylor Swift

Male Vocalist of the year

·         Jason Aldean

·         Luke Bryan

·         Eric Church

·         Toby Keith

·         Blake Shelton

Female Vocalist of the year

·         Miranda Lambert

·         Martina McBride

·         Kacey Musgraves

·         Taylor Swift

·         Carrie Underwood

Vocal Duo of the year

·         Big & Rich

·         Florida Georgia Line

·         Love and Theft

·         Sugarland

·         Thompson Square

Vocal Group OF THE YEAR

·         The Band Perry

·         Eli Young Band

·         Lady Antebellum

·         Little Big Town

·         Zac Brown Band

 NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

·         Lee Brice

·         Brantley Gilbert

·         Hunter Hayes

 NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

·         Jana Kramer

·         Kacey Musgraves

·         Sunny Sweeney

 NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR

·         Florida Georgia Line

·         Love and Theft

·         Thompson Square

 NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY KOHL’S DEPARTMENT STORES  [Winners of New Male, New Female & New Vocal Duo or Group  Of The Year]

·         Florida Georgia Line

·         Brantley Gilbert

·         Jana Kramer

 ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

·         Blown Away – Carrie Underwood (19/Arista Nashville)

Produced by: Mark Bright

·         Chief – Eric Church (EMI-Nashville)

Produced by:  Jay Joyce

·         Red – Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records)

Produced by: Jeff Bhasker, Nathan Chapman, Dann Huff, Jacknife Lee, Max Martin, Shellback, Taylor Swift, Butch Walker, Dan Wilson

·        Tailgates & tanlines – Luke Bryan (Capitol Nashville)

Produced by: Mark Bright, Jeff Stevens

·         Tornado – Little Big Town (Capitol Nashville)

Produced by: Jay Joyce

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

·         Even If It Breaks Your Heart – Eli Young Band (Republic Nashville)

Produced by: Mike Wrucke

·         Over You – Miranda Lambert (RCA)

Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf

·         Pontoon – Little Big Town (Capitol Nashville)

Produced by: Jay Joyce

·         Springsteen – Eric Church (EMI-Nashville)

Produced by: Jay Joyce

·         Wanted – Hunter Hayes (Atlantic/WMN)

Produced by: Hunter Hayes, Dann Huff

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

·         A Woman Like You – Lee Brice

Composers: Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford, Jon Stone

Publishers: 3JB Music (BMI), Adios Pantalones (SESAC), Hears That Skyline Music (SESAC), Sixteen Stars Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

·         Even If It Breaks Your Heart – Eli Young Band

Composers: Will Hoge, Eric Paslay

Publishers: Cal IV Songs (ASCAP), Will Hoge Music (BMI)

·         Over You – Miranda Lambert

Composers: Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton

Publishers:  Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony ATV/Tree Publishing (BMI)

·         Springsteen – Eric Church

Composers: Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, Ryan Tyndell

Publishers: Bug Music (BMI), Ole Purple Cape Music (BMI), Sinnerlina (BMI), Sony ATV/Tree Publishing (BMI)

·         Wanted – Hunter Hayes

Composers: Hunter Hayes, Troy Verges

Publishers:  Happy Little Man Publishing (BMI), Songs From The Engine Room (BMI), Songs Of Universal Inc. (BMI)

 Songwriter of the year *(Off Camera Award)

·         Rodney Clawson

·         Dallas Davidson

·         Josh Kear

·         Luke Laird

·         Shane McAnally

 Video of the Year [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] *(Off Camera Award) [TIE]

·         Creepin’ – Eric Church

Producer: Iris Baker

Director: Peter Zavadil

·         Merry Go ‘Round – Kacey Musgraves

Producers: Perry Bean, Kacey Musgraves

Director: Perry Bean

·          Tornado – Little Big Town

Producer: Iris Baker

Director: Shane Drake

·         Wanted – Hunter Hayes

Producers: Stephanie Reeves, Eric Williams

Directors: Traci Goudie, Patrick Hubik

·         We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift

Producer: John Nguyen

Director:  Declan Whitebloom

·         The Wind – Zac Brown Band

Producer: Ben Kalina

Director:  Mike Judge

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

·         Don’t Rush – Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill (19/RCA/Columbia Nashville)

Produced by: Dann Huff

·         Easy – Rascal Flatts Featuring Natasha Bedingfield (Big Machine Records)

Produced by: Dann Huff, Brian Kennedy, Rascal Flatts

·         Feel Like A Rock Star – Kenny Chesney (Duet With Tim McGraw) (Blue Chair/BNA)

Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

• Let It Rain – David Nail  Featuring Sarah Buxton (MCA Nashville)

Produced by:  Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell

• The Only Way I Know – Jason Aldean With Luke Bryan & Eric Church (Broken Bow)

Produced by:  Michael Knox

 OFF CAMERA AWARDS – The following off-camera awards will be presented during the annual ACM Honors event held in Nashville this fall.

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – MAJOR MARKET

KNIX-FM              Phoenix, AZ
KUPL-FM             Portland, OR
WDSY-FM            Pittsburgh, PA
WQYK-FM         St. Petersburg, FL
WYCD-FM           Detroit, MI