Las Vegas Weekly

April 16, 2010 · 6:29 PM

Photos: ACM Awards performers rehearse for Sunday at MGM Grand

By Robin Leach

Billy Currington performs onstage during the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards rehearsals at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 15, 2010.

Photo: Kevin Winters/Getty Images/ACM

It’s a staggering superstar lineup for two nights of CBS telecasts as country music throws its party of the year in Las Vegas this weekend, and Vegas DeLuxe has the first rehearsal photos from MGM Grand Garden Arena when producers began first technical run-throughs yesterday.

Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins and Carrie Underwood are set to perform during the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards hosted by Reba for the 12th time and airing Sunday night. Fans for the first time as an interactive component will vote during the three-hour telecast for the Entertainer of the Year Award winner.

On Monday, the second of the two telecasts will salute Brooks & Dunn, who are nominated again as Top Vocal Duo of the Year. Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are the bestselling duo in the history of country music and end their duo after 20 years during this summer’s Last Tour. CBS and ACM present The Last Rodeo for taping Monday to air May 23.

Brooks & Dunn hold the record for the most wins in ACM history with 26, including three Entertainer of the Year Awards. They also hold the record for most Top Vocal Duo wins, with 15 awards, eight of which are consecutive from 2000 to 2007.

SUNDAY’S LINEUP

A few notes on Sunday’s awards show and performers:

*Jason Aldean won Top New Male Vocalist in 2005. Additionally, he was nominated for Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “Amarillo Sky” in 2006.

*Kenny Chesney is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. If he wins Entertainer of the Year, it will be his fifth win in the category. He is currently one of only three acts in ACM history to achieve four wins for Entertainer of the Year.

*Lady Antebellum leads the nominations this year with seven, including Album of the Year and Top Vocal Group. Additionally, Lady Antebellum was nominated for Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “Need You Now.”

*Reba McEntire is nominated for Top Female Vocalist of the Year. She has won 12 ACM Awards.

*Tim McGraw has won 15 ACM Awards and has been nominated nine times for Entertainer of the Year. His last ACM win was for Vocal Event of the Year in 2007 for “Find Out Who Your Friends Are.”

*Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins are nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for “Hillbilly Bone.” Blake also has been nominated twice for Top New Male Vocalist. Trace is a previous winner for Top New Male Vocalist and won Single Record of the Year in 2008 for “You’re Gonna Miss This.”

*Carrie Underwood, reigning Entertainer of the Year, is nominated for six awards, including Entertainer of Year. If she wins again, she’ll be the first female to capture two Entertainer of the Year trophies. Carrie also is nominated as artist and composer for Song of the Year for “Cowboy Casanova.” If she wins Top Female Vocalist, it will be her fourth consecutive win.

*Miranda Lambert, who I interviewed today, is nominated for six awards, including Album of the Year and Top Female Vocalist. Miranda won the 2007 Album of the Year for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. She is nominated for Single Record of the Year and as an artist and composer for Song of the Year for “White Liar,” which also is nominated for Video of the Year.

*Taylor Swift is nominated for five awards, including her first Entertainer of the Year. If Taylor wins, she will be the eighth female in ACM history to win. She is nominated as an artist and composer for Song of the Year for “You Belong With Me,” for which she also is nominated for Video of the Year.

*Brad Paisley is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. He is the reigning Top Male Vocalist, and if Brad wins, it will be his fourth consecutive title. He also is nominated for Album of the Year and Video of the Year for “Welcome to the Future.” He won the 2005 Album of the Year for Time Well Wasted.

*Zac Brown Band is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year, their first nomination in the category. If Zac Brown Band wins, they will be the third vocal group in ACM history to win. Zac Brown Band also is nominated for Album of the Year, Single Record of the Year for “Toes” and Top Vocal Group. They are the reigning Top New Vocal Group. Zac Brown also received two nominations as producer for Album of the Year and Single Record of the Year.

*For the third year, fans will select Entertainer of the Year, and for the second year, the three newcomer categories -- Top New Solo Vocalist, Top New Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duo -- also will be opened up to fan voting. The winner in each Top New category will then move on to compete for Top New Artist, also chosen by fans. The Entertainer of the Year and Top New Artist will be announced Sunday.

*Now in its ninth year, the Academy of Country Music/Home Depot Humanitarian Award will be given to Montgomery Gentry for their continuing community service and charitable giving. For a full list of the 2010 ACM Awards nominees, go to ACMCountry.com.

COUNTRY INVADES LAS VEGAS

In addition to the two major TV specials, there are other country music events in town:

*Tonight and tomorrow night, for the fourth consecutive year, ACM presents free concerts at Fremont Street Experience with Lady Antebellum tonight and Miranda Lambert tomorrow, plus nominees in the Top New Solo Vocalist, Top New Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duo categories.

*Montgomery Gentry leads the scenic Nevada motorcycle ride for the sixth time tomorrow. Toby Keith will join Montgomery Gentry and Randy Houser at Nellis Air Force Base for a free private concert for the service heroes, and then Toby welcomes Randy and other surprise guests to his I Love This Bar & Grill at Harrah’s for a late-night blowout bash.

*The raucous, no-holds-barred ACM All-Star Jam takes place after the telecast, with all the stars putting on impromptu performances to party well into the early hours.

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.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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