The 48th Annual ACM Awards are right around the corner (April 7th), and many of your favorite artists are up for awards, including one of the co-hosts, Luke Bryan, who is up for four awards, including his first-ever Entertainer of the Year nomination. The show will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas April 7th (8p ET) on CBS.
For the sixth year, fans will help select the winner of the Academy’s most prestigious honor, Entertainer of the Year, and the winners will be announced live during the show. Fan voting for Entertainer of the Year will close during the third hour of the LIVE broadcast…however, you can still make your choice at VoteACM.com.
Below are soundbites from some of the UMG artists nominated at this year’s ACM Awards.
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.
AUDIO: Luke Bryan, who picked up several nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, says there’s not a more gratifying feeling than to have the shows on his Dirt Road Diaries Tour sell-out.
Luke Bryan (sold-out shows) OC: …in the world. 1:00
“We felt like we were going to be really strong in certain places, but when I get an email or my management calls me or my promoter texts me and goes, ‘Dude, you just sold something out in five minutes.’ I mean, that’s where I always dreamed of being as an artist, to have music out there that you love playing every night. And every time I look on my set list and see what song I have next, I go, ‘Ooh, ooh, this is gonna be fun,’ and that’s such a blessing for me, I mean, just the vibe that’s going on. I love having Thompson Square and Florida Georgia [Line] out there. They’re killing it. It’s just a fun three hours for fans, and I never would’ve imagined that they’d have been selling out this quick. It’s like an inner peace that I’ve been searching for as an artist to roll into town, and it’s like, you know it’s sold-out. There’s no better feeling. It’s the most gratifying experience, really, in the world.”
AUDIO: Luke Bryan says his album, tailgates & tanlines, is more than just a collection of party songs.
Luke Bryan (more than a party) OC: …live shows. :26
“I think it has serious stuff too. It’s a deeper deal too than just a party. I mean, I think what’s important to be able to do those fun songs but then to hit fans with a big thought song that really gets ‘em. People want to come and have a good time and I think that what you need to do with your albums. You can’t overload your album with it but you certainly need it for the live show and want it to happen in the live shows.”
AUDIO: Luke Bryan talks about co-hosting the ACM Awards with Blake Shelton.
Luke Bryan (hosting ACMs) OC: …a great way. :30
“I’m just excited about the spontaneity and the fun-ness, and the crowd not knowing what’s going to happen. Everybody’s going to kind of be interested in and see what we’re going to pull off, and I think that’s what the night be real loose and fun. And we’re going to obviously have to be serious about stuff and it can’t be just a big ole goofy party nonstop, but I know we’re gonna enjoy it. I know Blake and I are going to work hard to make it a great show, and represent country music, hopefully, in a great way.”
AUDIO: Eric Church leads the list of ACM Nominations with seven, including Male Vocalist, Album (Chief), Single and Song of the Year for “Springsteen,” Video of the Year for “Creepin’” and Vocal Event of the Year for “The Only Way I Know” with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. (NOTE: Eric is twice nominated for Song of the Year for “Springsteen,” as both artist and composer.)
Eric Church (ACMs) OC: …get this done. :16
“I think it’s a testament to really fans that believed in the music and loved the music and told people about the music. I think it’s truly because of the fans and because they did something that’s, I think, really going to be judged as pretty special and pretty unique that we were able to get this done.”
AUDIO: Little Big Town talk about their four ACM Awards nominations, including Album of the Year for Tornado. (NOTE: They are also nominated for the seventh time for Vocal Group of the Year, as well as picking up nods for Single Record of the Year for “Pontoon” and Video of the Year for “Tornado.”
LBT (ACM Best Album content) OC: (Phillip) …Yes, we are. :58
JIMI: “We’re so excited about the ACMs and…” PHILLIP: “Four nominations. Unbelievable.” KAREN: “We want to take home one, and it wouldn’t matter which one, we’d be happy with any.” PHILLIP/KIMBERLY: “Or all!” [laughs] KAREN: “We can’t be greedy. Of course, if you ask any artist what award would mean most in their career, I think that they would say Album, probably, because it’s just what our whole lives are poured into – the songwriting, the making of a record, so the collection of songs. I can’t even imagine what that feels like to win Album of the Year.” PHILLIP: “I remember watching Miranda [Lambert] win that award, and I felt so proud for her, because we were rooting for her…[KAREN: “On Revolution.”]…and that record was so amazing. She was crying, she was shedding tears of joy, and we’ll probably do the same thing, if we win.” KAREN: “There’s no way. I mean, we’re in such a tough category. Good Lord Almighty, that category is crazy!” JIMI: “Glad to be in there, though.” KAREN: “Yes.” PHILLIP: “Yes, we are.”
AUDIO: Little Big Town talk about their ACM-nominated video, “Tornado.”
LBT (Tornado video) OC: (Karen) …sweet and hot. [
laughs] :30
KAREN: “It’s kinda creepy.” KIMBERLY: “Scary.” PHILLIP: “A darker tone, and we ARE the tornado coming through the town.” KAREN: “We will get you.” PHILLIP: “Yes, and we are coming to bring justice to the broken-hearted girl.” [laughs] JIMI: “We’re excited about it, though. Our buddy, Jonathan Schaech was actually in it with us. He did a great job.” KAREN: “He’s such a nice guy, and he plays such a mean guy in this video.” KIMBERLY: “Yeah, but still very cute.” [Jimi laughs] KAREN: “I know. He’s mean and hot at the same time, kinda like Phillip and Jimi. [Jimi laughs] No. They’re sweet and hot. [laughs]”
AUDIO: Lady Antebellum are nominated for Vocal Group of the Year at this year’s ACM Awards, and member Dave Haywood says they’re grateful just to be nominated. (NOTE: The band has already been chosen to receive the Jim Reeves International Award, but will receive it during the annual ACM Honors in Nashville in September.)
Lady A (nominations) OC: …and see us. :28
“We are grateful to be recognized. These awards shows – I think to have the respect of the people you know and work with, in this industry, in Nashville, in the country format is huge. We write this music for the fans out there, but when somebody pats you on the back, as well is a huge honor. Regardless of what happens, regardless of any award, we’re still gonna obviously get our full happiness from playing these shows and touring and letting these fans come out and see us.”
AUDIO: Kacey Musgraves talks about her ACM Nominations, which include Female Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year for “Merry Go Round.”
Kacey Musgraves (ACMs 2013) OC: …really thankful. 1:06
“It’s pretty mind-blowing. It was a major shock when I found out about the ACM nominations. I mean, just a nomination even is the ultimate compliment from people that you work with in the business. It just makes me feel like I’m doing something right, and I’m thankful. Even if I don’t take home the trophy, just to be in the category is just unreal. I mean, I’m next to Martina and Carrie and Taylor and Miranda — these girls that have been doing this longer than I have in the public eye, and you know it’s funny, too, I don’t consider myself a vocalist. I mean I like to convey my message with my voice, but just to even be included in such a category is unreal and to even have nomination for video that I made literally on no budget with a friend in his kitchen one day. [We] shot stuff on an iPhone literally. My dog is in the video. I mean we made it without knowing that it was going to be the actual video for “Merry Go Round,’ and then I just kind of loved where it was sitting. It was just kind of different, kind of real, and I feel like that’s what he song needed. So, just to be recognized is a little mind-blowing and overwhelming, but I’m really thankful.”
AUDIO: Eric Paslay talks about his ACM-nominated song, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.”
Eric Paslay (Even If It Breaks Your Heart) OC: …just music. :43
“I wrote ‘Even If It Breaks Your Heart’ with Will Hoge, who’s an artist in Nashville, and that song actually was released [first] on Triple A radio. I think the majority of the people that tell me they love it are the musicians or the entertainers, because it’s so much about what we do. It’s like, ‘Keep on dreaming, even if it breaks your heart.’ If you let it, it could break your heart every day from the yeses and the nos and the ‘you’re not good enough, and now you are and you should’ve done,’ whatever it is. I think being in the entertainment industry, you make it more vulnerable. You just make sure you put your heart and soul into it, but make sure you realize it’s just music too. It IS music, but it’s just music.”
AUDIO: David Nail talks about his ACM-nominated song, “Let It Rain.”
David Nail (Let It Rain) OC: …different scenarios? 1:15
“Jonathan [Singleton] came in with the groove and I could recall Jonathan when he got to what ended up being the chorus uttering the term ‘Let It Rain’ over and over again. I asked him if that’s what he intended the title to be, and he said, ‘Aw, not necessarily. I guess I was just subconsciously saying that.’ And I had just recently saw this movie ‘The Last Kiss’ with Zach Graff and Rachel Bilsson. There was this really beautiful scene at the end where he’d obviously abeen unfaithful to his wife, and ironically his fiance’s father told him he was going to have to wait for her on her time and she may not get over it or she may get over it the next day. He was jhust going to have to turn it over to her and just be patient. So, he goes back to their house and sits there on the front steps and begins this journey of waiting, not knowing how long it was going to be. And it went through a series of days and nights, raining weather, cold weather, hot weather, and it was really beautiful showing that he was going to weather that storm and go through whatever it was he had to go through. So, I told [Jonathan], I said, ‘Why don’t we let it be ‘Let it Rain,’ and let it serve as a metaphor for all these different scenarios?’”