Las Vegas Weekly

April 3, 2009 · 9:08 AM

Las Vegas becomes Music City USA for the 44th Annual ACM Awards

By Robin Leach

George Strait.

Photo: Academy of Country Music

Las Vegas is looking like Music City USA as the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards turns our Strip into Grand Ole Opry Drive!

Vegas really goes country starting today to mark the awards show broadcasting live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday night. Reba McEntire hosts the show for a record-setting 11th consecutive time, and incredible illusionist David Copperfield is rumored within the Vegas magic community to be opening the show with a mind-blowing, never-before-seen stunt!

First things first, though: Tonight, downtown at Fremont Street Experience, country singer and Dancing With the Stars darling Julianne Hough will join Matt Stillwell, Jake Owen (Top New Male Vocalist winner) and Jason Aldean for nearly six hours of free country music concerts alternating between the 1st and 3rd Street stages. Julianne, who has been voted Top New Female Vocalist by fans, flew in from a Utah concert last night and was reunited with boyfriend and DWTS dance partner Chuck Wicks, who performed at Green Valley Ranch.

Photo: Academy of Country Music

Julianne Hough of Dancing With the Stars.

Today, Chuck and Julianne have more than four hours of mandatory dance rehearsals from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tony Delgado’s dance studios in Summerlin. Tomorrow, they’ll have to do it again, but because of ACM commitments, their schedule starts at 6 to 9 a.m. and then again from 9 p.m. to midnight! Now that’s a long and exhausting day to look great for Monday’s ABC show.

Downtown tomorrow, the free concerts have Gloriana, the Zac Brown Band (Top New Vocal Group winner), Kellie Picker and LeAnn Rimes going strong until midnight. LeAnn will be the Home Depot Humanitarian Award recipient on Sunday’s telecast.

Here’s the lineup of stars performing and/or appearing for their ACM Award nominations: Lady Antebellum, Miley Cyrus, John Rich, Lee Ann Womack, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Heidi Newfield, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland and Taylor Swift.

Photo: timmcgraw.com

Tim McGraw.

George Strait and Brad Paisley have six nominations each and will be battling each other for both Entertainer of the Year and Song of the Year. Newcomer Jamey Johnson and Kenny Chesney have four nominations apiece, while Carrie Underwood has three. Reba is nominated in the Vocal Event of the Year category for “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” with Brooks & Dunn. Reba has won 12 ACM Awards.

All eyes will be on John Rich of Big & Rich for the nomination of Top Vocal Duo. That’s because of John’s new single this week, “Shutting Detroit Down,” which has become the fastest-rising single in his career history! He says the lack of reality and a lack of respect for American taxpayers in the current global economic downward spiral struck him so badly, he felt compelled to write the song. We’ll talk to him on the red carpet and backstage, but he says the song has gotten the biggest positive response since he started in country music. He labels President Obama’s fiscal policies akin to blackjack, with all the government bailout funds bet on a King while the dealer has a King and nobody knows what the next card will be. Talk about Vegas analogies!

During the awards show, country king George Strait will receive the academy’s Artist of the Decade honor for his record-breaking career spanning 25 years. Only four acts have been honored in the academy’s history: Marty Robbins in 1969, Loretta Lynn in 1979, Alabama in 1988 and Garth Brooks in 1998. So on Monday night, CBS cameras will roll again for an all-star special that will be taped for broadcast May 27. Stars appearing on this special will be Brooks & Dunn, Jamie Foxx, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, John Rich, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton and Lee Ann Womack.

Photo: Scott Doctor/www.greatscottstudios.com

Reba McEntire is set to host the Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM's Grand Garden Arena.

George, 56, is now hailed as the elder statesman of modern country music, and his most recent release, Troubadour, was his 25th studio album -- and 25th gold record. After Monday night, he will be officially known as the King of Country.

Vegas Deluxe will be on the red carpet and backstage for all the ACM events, and we’ll have them all here for you throughout the weekend and early next week.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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