The Academy of Country Music® and dick clark productions revealed today the complete list of chart-topping hits and fan-favorite songs that will be performed during ACM® PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY, a new two-hour special hosted by CBS THIS MORNING’s Gayle King, to be broadcast Sunday, April 5 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT and 7:00-9:00 PM CT) on the CBS Television Network and on CBS All Access. The special will feature intimate conversations and at-home acoustic performances with Country Music’s biggest stars, along with clips from past ACM Awards® moments. It will be a night filled with entertainment, hope and reflection, bringing the healing power of music to Americans at a time when they need it most.

Fans are invited to enjoy more performances by favorite Country Music artists on the official ACM PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY Pre-Show on the Academy of Country Music’s Facebook page as well as the Amazon Music Twitch channel on Sunday, April 5 at 7:00 PM ET / 6:00PM CT. Lauren Alaina, Ingrid Andress, Gabby Barrett, Lee Brice, Blanco Brown, Lindsay Ell, Riley Green, Mickey Guyton, Caylee Hammack, Ashley McBryde, Jake Owen, Carly Pearce, Tenille Townes and more will appear from their homes to share heartfelt messages with their fans and perform acoustic versions of their hits. The Pre-Show will also pay tribute to 6-time ACM Award nominee Joe Diffie with a special performance by Chris Young. Fans can gear up for the main event with the ACM Presents: Our Country Playlist on Amazon Music. Starting Monday, fans will be able to re-watch the full Pre-Show and the individual performances via the ACM Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, as well as on the newly launched ACMOurCountry.com website.

Beginning today, the Academy invites Country Music artists and fans alike to share a musical moment by posting their own performances to social media, tagging an official Academy social media handle, and using #ACMOurCountry to participate in a celebratory curated feed of performances featured on ACMOurCountry.com! This campaign will continue throughout the weekend leading up to ACM Presents: Our Country special on Sunday.

“The Country Music community came together in an incredible way – and very quickly – for “Our Country,” and that outpouring of immediate artist support led us to develop a digital pre-show so that we could include even more artists in the Country Music celebration Sunday night,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “This allows more artists to share the positive messages of support and togetherness with the fans.”

ACM PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY performances will include:

• Kelsea Ballerini – “homecoming queen?”
• Dierks Bentley – “I Hold On”
• Kane Brown & John Legend – “Last Time I Say Sorry”
• Luke Bryan – “Most People Are Good”
• Brandi Carlile – “The Joke”
• Eric Church – “Never Break Heart”
• Luke Combs – “Beautiful Crazy”
• Sheryl Crow – “I Shall Believe”
• Florida Georgia Line – “Blessings”
• Lady Antebellum – “What I’m Leaving For”
• Miranda Lambert – “Bluebird”
• Little Big Town – “Next To You”
• Tim McGraw – “Humble And Kind”
• Old Dominion (Matthew Ramsey and Trevor Rosen) – “Some People Do”
• Brad Paisley & Darius Rucker – “Mud On The Tires” & “Wagon Wheel”
• Thomas Rhett – “Be A Light”
• Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani – “Nobody But You”
• Shania Twain – “Honey, I’m Home” & “Man! I Feel Like a Woman”
• Carrie Underwood – “Drinking Alone”
• Keith Urban – “Wasted Time”
• Kenny Rogers Tribute – featuring Brad Paisley & Darius Rucker performing “Lucille” & “The Gambler” and Luke Bryan performing “Coward Of The County”

As previously announced, iHeartMedia’s leading country radio host and ACM Radio Award National On-Air Personality of the Year Bobby Bones, a long-time ACM Lifting Lives® supporter, will introduce the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund during the telecast. ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music, created this fund to assist individuals working in the Country Music industry who are suffering a financial crisis as a result of the pandemic. Those in need can apply for funds at ACMLiftingLives.org.

For more information on ACM PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY, visit ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.

Last month four-time GRAMMY Award winner and reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban, released his new single “God Whispered Your Name.”  A week later it was his biggest streaming debut to date.  As it continues to move up the charts, now comes the release of the song’s official music video, directed by Jennifer Massaux, that perfectly complements a song that as Urban states can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people.

“I wanted to first try and capture a sense of isolation, a lonely, dark place, that transitions into light a bit more as the video progresses, which for me is how I found my own world opening up as I went along my journey,” said Urban.

But as Urban tells it the video had its challenges. “That dark and lonely place, was underneath a warehouse in Nashville, literally the darkest, dank and smelly place.  We spent the whole morning there shooting everything that you now see in the first part of the video.”

But the smell wasn’t the only challenge. “There was water in this room that I thought was like an inch deep,” explains Urban.  “So, I opened the door, walked in and it was really about a foot.  The first idea I had was to put my feet and socks into a garbage bag – tie them up and put my shoes on.  I’d have my foot, my sock, a garbage bag and then my shoe – it made so much sense – but the water went everywhere.  At the end of the shoot I took my boots off and they were drenched – probably as much water in the bag as there was in the waterway!”

The video’s cinematic sense of space and light is represented best as Urban is seen, from a variety of different drone shots, playing his guitar while balanced atop a boulder on an extraordinary mountainscape located just outside of the small town of Lancaster, California. “Playing guitar atop a boulder is definitely not a great idea.  You just kinda lose yourself in what you’re doing, and every minute or two you realize what you’re doing, and you think, ‘I better not fall off this big ass boulder!’”

But in the end, Urban’s goal is very basic.  “For me, a good music video takes the song to another level.  It maybe gives the song a bit more dimension and hopefully we’ve done that with this one.”

Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker (with Brad Paisley), Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban are among the all-star lineup of performers for ACM® PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY, a two-hour special featuring intimate conversations and at-home acoustic performances with Country Music’s biggest stars, along with clips from the Academy of Country Music Awards’™ 55-year history. Kelsea Ballerini,Kane Brown & John Legend, Brandi Carlile, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Florida Georgia Line, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Old Dominion, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani will also perform. The special will be broadcast Sunday, April 5th at 8pm ET/PT; 7pm CT on CBS and CBS All Access.

ACM® PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY will also honor 10-time ACM Award® winner Kenny Rogers with performances by Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker. As previously announced, artists will appear from their homes to share heartfelt thoughts and perform acoustic versions of Country hits. Additionally, video clips from previous ACM Award broadcasts will highlight favorite ACM moments from the past. It will be a night filled with entertainment, hope and reflection, bringing the healing power of music to Americans at a time when they need it most.

The special will broadcast during the time slot previously scheduled for the 55^th Academy of Country Music Awards, which will now be broadcast Wednesday, Sept. 16 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming live and on demand on CBS All Access. The 55^th ACM Awards, hosted for the first time by reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award winner Keith Urban, honors the biggest names and emerging talent in the Country Music industry.

About ACM® PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY
ACM® PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY invites fans to join their favorite superstars for a new kind of entertainment special featuring at-home acoustic performances with top Country artists along with clips of their favorite moments from the Academy of Country Music Awards’™ 55-year history. ACM PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY is produced for television by dick clark productions. R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Amy Thurlow are executive producers. Damon Whiteside is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music®.

Keith Urban performed his second “Urban Underground” live stream on Monday (March 23rd). He kicked it off with a message to everyone from him and his wife Nicole Kidman. He then launched into a fan request for “Never Coming Down,” followed by “You’re Gonna Fly.” Nic played multiple parts in the video, including those of her husband’s roadie, his audience, while dancing around while her husband performed many of his hits in their home studio, Skye Studio. The 30-minute show also featured “Somewhere in My Car,” a tribute to the late great Kenny Rogers on “The Gambler.” Keith said it has been probably 25 years since he performed the song. Keith also performed his latest song, “God Whispered Your Name,” which Nic says is her favorite while she sang along. The reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year also revealed there’s a video to the song coming out very soon. Check out the Facebook Live link below.

In other Keith news, it was announced he will host this year’s ACM Awards, which had been moved from April 5th to September 16th.

Keith Urban had such a great time performing for fans last week, he’s decided to do it again. Titled Urban Underground, the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year will go live at 4pm CT/5pm ET/2pm PT on Monday (March 23rd). Make sure to tune in.

Last Monday was fun, let’s do it again? pic.twitter.com/xkBZA15uIL

— Keith Urban (@KeithUrban) March 21, 2020

Keith Urban went live on Instagram Monday night to perform several of his hits including “Somebody Like You,” “Coming Home,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” “The Fighter,” “Wasted Time” and his latest single “God Whispered Your Name.” He basically had an audience of one — his Oscar-winning wife, Nicole Kidman, who danced and sang along while her talented husband performed.

View this post on Instagram

#InstaBand

A post shared by Keith Urban (@keithurban) on Mar 16, 2020 at 6:17pm PDT

Keith Urban tops the list of the first round of performers at this year’s ACM Awards. Miranda Lambert has also been tapped for both a solo performance, as well as a multi-star performance with Caylee Hammack, Elle King, Lindsey Elle, Ashley McBryde and Tenille Townes for a can’t-miss live television premiere of the Music Event of the Year nominated song, “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.”

With a recent announcement by the WHO marking the coronavirus a global pandemic, the Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions released a statement saying the health and safety of everyone connected with the show remains their top priority. “We are closely monitoring the situation along with the MGM team, who are in continuous contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Southern Nevada Health District, and other agencies and experts for guidance,” the statement reads. “We will take every precaution to ensure the safety of our artists, staff, crew, guests and attendees.”

The 55th Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Keith, will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, April 5th at 8pm ET/delayed PT on CBS.

For more information on the ACM Awards and all ACM events including ACM Party for a Cause®, visit ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.

Keith Urban stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Thursday night (March 6th) to chat about growing up as a country music fan and performer, Johnny Cash and much more. He also performed his new single, “God Whispered Your Name.”

Keith will host this year’s ACM Awards, which will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas April 5th at 8pm ET/delayed PT on CBS.

Keith Urban is scheduled to perform (and be interviewed) on Thursday night’s (March 5th) episode of the Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The show comes on at 11:35pm ET/PT.

Carrie Underwood is in the midst of her book tour for Finding Your Path and will chat about the book when she makes a stop by NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday (March 6th).

The Hot Country Knights will release a new song, “Moose Knuckle Shuffle” Thursday (K)night (March 5th). The song is from the band’s upcoming album, The K is Silent.

Doug has never been a stranger to taking things into his own hands. Moose Knuckle Shuffle is being RELEASED TONIGHT! pic.twitter.com/375Q8S7gZs

— Hot Country Knights (@countryknights) March 5, 2020

Little Big Town just released a VEVO exclusive stripped down live performance of their song, “Sugar Coat,” which is featured on their latest album, Nightfall.

Luke Bryan, Billy Currington, Jordan Davis, Jon Pardi, Caylee Hammack and Jon Langston will perform at this year’s Tortuga Music Festival. The three-day event, taking place April 17th-19th in Fort Lauderdale Florida, will also feature performances by Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Cole Swindell, Kelsea Ballerini, Barenaked Ladies, Vanilla Ice and many others. Tickets are available at TortugaMusicFestival.com.

The Academy of Country Music announced the nominations for this year’s awards show today, and Universal Music Group Nashville is celebrating its honorees.

Eric Church, who performing for three-and-a-half to four hours each night on his recent Double Down Tour) leads our nominees with three, including his second nod for Entertainer of the Year. He was also nominated as artist and songwriter in the Song of the Year category for “Some of It” – marking his eighth and ninth nominations in the category.

Eric has received 3 nominations at the 55th @ACMawards, including Entertainer of the Year! Tune in Sunday, April 5 at 8/7c on CBS. #ACMawards pic.twitter.com/p3ATX0fh5k

— Eric Church (@ericchurch) February 27, 2020

Reigning Female Artist of the Year Kacey Musgraves earned three nominations including her seventh nod for Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, she received her first Single of the Year nomination as both artist and producer for “Rainbow.”

Carrie Underwood is nominated for a pair of awards, including Entertainer of the Year, as well as Female Artist of the Year.

Congratulations Carrie! –TeamCU pic.twitter.com/qK8SAaINaP

— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) February 27, 2020

Newcomer Caylee Hammack also picks up two nominations, including New Female Artist of the Year, as well as Music Event of the Year for Fooled Around And Fell In Love” with Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde and Tenille Townes.

Little Big Town also picks up a pair of nods for Group of the Year and Video of the Year for “Sugar Coat.”

Let’s go to Vegas, baby! @ACMawards #ACMawards pic.twitter.com/roZcVZqAsm

— Little Big Town (@littlebigtown) February 27, 2020

Luke Bryan is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, an award he’s previously won twice at the ACMs.

My favorite thing about what I get to do. Entertaining the fans. Thank you so much and good luck to everyone nominated. #ACMawards https://t.co/ojQvHa6FjB

— Luke Bryan (@LukeBryanOnline) February 27, 2020

Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley and Keith Urban are nominated for Male Artist of the Year; Jon Pardi  is up for Album of the Year for Heartache Medication; Jordan Davis for New Male Artist of the Year; and Brothers Osborne and Maddie & Tae are up for Duo of the Year.

Lots of fun, stress, and work went into recording #HeartacheMedication. Thank you @ACMawards for this nomination, and to my fans for listening to & loving this album. I also would like to thank @UMGNashville & everyone on my team who worked tirelessly to help bring this to life. https://t.co/kFgJyQNSSp

— Jon Pardi (@JonPardi) February 27, 2020

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Honored to be nominated with some of the best in the industry for #ACMawards Male Artist of the Year!

A post shared by Dierks Bentley (@dierksbentley) on Feb 27, 2020 at 7:11am PST

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9EvXvBhf3s/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9FDTf4H_it/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9E158khQ_P/

The 55th Academy of Country Awards show, hosted by Keith Urban, will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas April 5th at 8pm ET/delayed PT on CBS.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Luke Bryan

Eric Church

Luke Combs

Thomas Rhett

Carrie Underwood

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Kelsea Ballerini

Miranda Lambert

Maren Morris

Kacey Musgraves

Carrie Underwood

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Dierks Bentley

Luke Combs

Thomas Rhett

Chris Stapleton

Keith Urban

DUO OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn

Brothers Osborne

Dan + Shay

Florida Georgia Line

Maddie & Tae

GROUP OF THE YEAR

Lady Antebellum

Little Big Town

Midland

Old Dominion

The Highwomen

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ingrid Andress

Gabby Barrett

Lindsay Ell

Caylee Hammack

Tenille Townes

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Jordan Davis

Russell Dickerson

Riley Green

Cody Johnson

Morgan Wallen
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett

Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Thomas Rhett, The Stereotypes, Cleve Wilson

GIRL – Maren Morris

Producers: busbee, Greg Kurstin, Maren Morris

Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi

Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi

What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs

Producer: Scott Moffatt

Wildcard – Miranda Lambert

Producer: Jay Joyce

SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

God’s Country – Blake Shelton

Producer: Scott Hendricks

One Man Band – Old Dominion

Producer: Shane McAnally

Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves

Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian

Rumor – Lee Brice

Producers: Lee Brice, Dan Frizsell, Kyle Jacobs, Jon Stone

What If I Never Get Over You – Lady Antebellum

Producer: Dann Huff

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

Songwriters: Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers

Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Shay Mooney Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI), Big Machine Music (BMI) / Buckeye 26 (ASCAP), Jreynmusic (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Bieber Time Publishing (ASCAP), Universal Music (ASCAP) / Poo B Z Inc. (ASCAP), BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP).

Girl Goin’ Nowhere – Ashley McBryde

Songwriters: Jeremy Bussey, Ashley McBryde

Publishers: Songs of Song Factory (BMI) / Universal Tunes (SESAC).

God’s Country – Blake Shelton

Songwriters: Devin Dawson, Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt

Publishers: Relative Music Group (BMI), Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing (BMI) / WB Music Corp. / Georgia Song Vibez / We-volve Music (ASCAP) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. / Neon Cross Music (BMI).

One Man Band – Old Dominion

Songwriters: Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Brad Tursi

Publishers: WB Music Corp/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing. Rezsongs/Reehits World/Smacktown Music, a division of Smack Blue, LLC/Unfair Entertainment  (ASCAP) adm. by Me Gusta Music. We’re Really Doin’ It Publishing (ASCAP) adm by Words & Music. Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing.

Some Of It – Eric Church

Songwriters: Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, Bobby Pinson

Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Longer and Louder Music, admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC; Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music/Little Louder Songs, admin. by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music/Not A Track Guy Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights (BMI).

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

Director: Patrick Tracy

Producer: Christen Pinkston

God’s Country – Blake Shelton

Director: Sophie Muller

Producers: Jamie Amos, Patrick Kennedy

One Man Band – Old Dominion

Director: Mason Allen

Producer: Mason Allen

Remember You Young – Thomas Rhett

Director: TK McKamy

Producer: Dan Atchison

Sugar Coat – Little Big Town

Directors: Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen Kinigopoulos

Producers: Wes Edwards, Carlo Glorioso, Angie Lorenz

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR *(Off Camera Award)

Ashley Gorley

Michael Hardy

Hillary Lindsey

Shane McAnally

Josh Osborne

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

Producers: Dan Smyers

Record Label: Warner Music Nashville

Dive Bar – Garth Brooks Featuring Blake Shelton

Producers: Garth Brooks

Record Label: Pearl Records, Inc.

Fooled Around And Fell In Love – Miranda Lambert Featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack & Elle King

Producer: Jay Joyce

Old Town Road – Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

Producers: Michael Trent Reznor, Atticus Matthew Ross, YoungKio

What Happens In A Small Town – Brantley Gilbert Featuring Lindsay Ell

Producer: Dann Huff