The nominations for the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards have been announced, and Capitol/EMI acts are up for numerous awards. The trophies will be handed out live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas April 1st beginning at 8pm ET/PT delayed on CBS.

Lady Antebellum leads group nominations with five nods, including Vocal Group of the Year, which they have won for two consecutive years. They are also nominated for Album of the Year for Own The Night as artists and producers, and for Song and Video of the Year for “Just A Kiss.”

Eric Church scores a pair of nominations, including the prestigious Album of the Year for his R.I.A.A. gold-certified Chief. He also picks up a nod for the insightful video for “Homeboy,” which was shot at the old Tennessee State Prison.

Dierks Bentley, who is scaling the charts with his inspirational anthem and ACM-nominated “Home,” could potentially take home two awards for Song of the Year honors as both artist and composer. 

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott discusses how the band’s ACM-nominated album, Own The Night, documents specific moments in life that shape the person you become. 

Lady A (theme of OTN) OC: …who you are, you know? :20 

HS: “The theme that I’ve kind of seen throughout it is a lot of these songs are about very specific moments in time. It’s not just an overall emotion or an overall feeling that’s portrayed in a song, It’s just very specific to moments that throughout your life end up defining who you are.” 

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott explains the band’s personal connection to their ACM-nominated Song of the Year, “Just a Kiss.” 

Lady A (Just a Kiss story) OC: …personal experience. :25

“The song, we pulled from our own personal experience with Charles [Kelley] meeting his wife and the first night he met his now-wife and the magic that was there and how the restraint he knew to have because she was something special. And that’s a lot like where I’m in my life too with recently engaged and really in love and blissfully happy. So, it’s all from personal experience.” 

AUDIO: Eric Church talks about making his ACM-nominated album, Chief. 

Eric Church (making of Chief) OC: …its heartbeat. :59

“We have built our career on the backs of our fans. We have not cared what else was going on around us. The other thing, we went and played shows, and we have given those fans the keys to this vehicle, and we said, ‘Drive it!’ And they have told people about it, and they’ve spread the word, and they’ve preached that gospel, and they’ve just become an army out there. This record when we made it, it needed, for me, to sound like a live show. It needed to sound like we had recorded it live, like you were watching something that we didn’t rehearse, that we didn’t think out. And there’s so many tracks on this record, where I am interacting with the musicians, because I am in the room with them, and either I will sing a melody line or the guitar will be playing a melody line, and we’ll pick up on each other, and it will turn into this little jam moment. And that is where the magic happens. We didn’t plan it, we didn’t talk about it, there’s as much unrehearsed magic on this record as we’ve ever had. There’s a lot of mistakes on it, and I think that’s part of a live show. We mess up every night live, and we talk about it after a show. We left it on this record. Those mistakes are in there, and I think that’s what gives it its heartbeat.” 

AUDIO: Eric Church talks about his ACM-nominatedvideo for “Homeboy.” 

Eric Church (Homeboy video) 2 OC: …love that shot.  :24

“And seeing the story line develop, and being in the place, I mean I’ve been there, I was feeling the stuff the kid was feeling, that despair. I think we have all been in places like that. It just came across great. I love the lighting. I love the angles. I love the slow motion. The slow motion is one of the coolest things. There’s a scene with a match where he lights a match and throws it at the camera, and you can see the match extinguish itself, in super, super, super slow motion. I love that shot.”

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley describes his hopes for his ACM-nominated Song of the Year, “Home.” 

Dierks Bentley (Home-hopes) OC: …come together. :32

“The song is written in a way that is open-ended as far as how people, what they want to walk away with. I mean I think it’s obvious that it’s a song about our country and about the ups and downs and the scars we have in our past, but at the end of the day, no matter what side of the fence you’re on, where you stand on certain issues, or where you come from, your background, we all live here. You have to walk through the front door of your house every day. This is our house. This is our home. This is our country. You know, I hope in some sense that it brings people together, and finds a bit more in common than we don’t. I hope people feel inspired and come together.”

Keith Urban was honored at a party at a local Nashville hotspot to celebrate the success of his recent No. 1 hit, “Long Hot Summer,” along with his co-writer and friend Richard Marx and producer Dann Huff. The two singer-songwriters revealed that writing “Long Hot Summer” was more than just putting words to music; it was actually a testament to their friendship. “We had an ‘issue’ with each other and I learned a lot about the importance of friendship,” says Keith. “[The song] wasn’t born of a quota to write a song. It was born of a want for us to reconnect, and the song was a by-product of that desire.” While they had to reschedule the party a couple of times, the celebration was very important to both of them. “This is important,” says Richard. “I love this guy, and this song is a great testament to our friendship.” 

A special moment came near the end of the fete when Keith pulled a couple of young adults up on stage to perform “Long Hot Summer,” along with him and Richard. He combed through tons of YouTube videos to find two talented aspiring musicians and fly them to Nashville to join him for the party. Patrick Woolam, who fronts his own band in Kansas City, was featured on lead vocals, while Leslie Strong, from Hazard, Kentucky, showcased her talents on the guitar and matched Keith lick for lick. The two didn’t appear nervous at all in front of an industry crowd made up of publishers, producers, songwriters and label executives, and in fact, seemed like they belonged on stage.

This was the pair’s third hit song they wrote together. Their first, “Better Life,” went to No. 1 in 2004, while “Everybody” hit the Top 5 in 2007.

• Keith’s current single, “You Gonna Fly,” is sitting in the Top 5 of the country charts. 

AUDIO: Keith Urban talks about why “Long Hot Summer” was more than just a song for both him and Richard Marx. 

Keith Urban (#1 party for Summer) OC: …that desire. :52

RICHARD “This was a very special No. 1 song for me, and for personal reasons between me and Keith and…” KEITH: “Tell ‘em. Tell ‘em.” RICHARD: “It’s nobody’s business.” KEITH: “No, but we’d had an ‘issue’ with each other, that’s all I’m gonna say, and I learned a lot about the importance of friendship. This guy was so incredibly gracious and good, and I learned a lot about what it takes to be a good friend. And I wanted to really make it up to Richard, and show him that our friendship really means something to me. And so, I said, ‘Please, I really want to write together again. We should really do that.’ We talked about it for a long time, and we eventually did. And I’m so glad that we got to not only write the so0ng, but for the song to take us to this point…It wasn’t born of a quota to write a song. It was born of a want for us to reconnect, and the song was a by-product of that desire.” 

AUDIO: Richrd Marx talks about how special “Long Hot Summer” is to him. 

Richard Marx (Summer #1 party) OC: …friendship. :30

“I hear such great joy in this particular song. I love this song. I freakin’ love this song! They’re all special for their own reasons, but this one’s really kind of fun to [celebrate], and it’s why we’ve really been actively, there’s been a couple of times because of his surgery, etc. that we weren’t going to do a celebration. We were maybe going to go out to dinner next time I was in Nashville or something. It became sort of like this unspoken, this is important, because it’s really like, you know, I love this guy, and this song is a great testament to our friendship.” 

AUDIO: Patrick Woolam recalls how he got the news he was going to perform with Keith Urban. 

Patrick Woolam (Keith) OC: …just amazing. :39

“My drummer was in contact with him first. They asked for my name, and he called me and said, ‘Are you sitting down?’ And I said, ‘Yeah,’ and that usually means something bad. He said, ‘Well, you’re going to be singing with Keith Urban next Wednesday.’ And so I told him, ‘Why don’t you call me back when you’re done messing around with me?’ So, I hung up the phone on him, and he texted me, and he said, ‘Here’s the number. You just call this lady, and she’ll take care of you and you’ll see that it’s real.’ So, it’s just been an incredible opportunity, and I’m so excited to be a part of this and I’m just enjoying every moment of this…and Keith is just a phenomenal person. I mean, just talk about a stand-up guy. To have this happen and have him put in the time and effort to do this is just amazing.”  

AUDIO: Leslie Strong, who smoked the guitar parts on ‘Long Hot Summer’ with Keith Urban at his No. 1 party, says she wasn’t nervous at all to play with one of the best guitarists around. 

Leslie Strong (not nervous) OC: …cool gig, you know? [laughs] :05

“There should’ve been, but no. I don’t know why. It’s a cool gig, you know? [laughs]”

Reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum has already sold more than half a million tickets for their upcoming OWN THE NIGHT 2012 WORLD TOUR, which kicks off this Fri., Jan. 27, in Tulsa, OK with Darius Rucker and special guest Thompson Square.

So many great and exciting things have happened during Lady A‘s our time off, and they’re sharing their excitement in the latest episode of Webisode Wednesdays. Don’t miss our live chat tomorrow night, January 26th, at 6pm CT on www.ladyantebellum.com!

Luke Bryan performs the hit “I Don’t Want This Night To End” in Orlando, Florida just moments after he’s been notified that it is the No. 1 song in America.

During a break from rehearsing for the 2012 Country & Cold Cans Tour, Dierks Bentley‘s band held the First Annual “Feel That Fire Hot Wing Eating Competition.” Take a look at DBTV, Episode 51 to see who came out on top.

Luke Bryan scores his fourth No. 1 hit with his latest smash, “I Don’t Want This Night to End,” topping both the Mediabase/Country Aircheck and Billboard country singles charts this week. At first, he was a bit nervous about releasing the song as the second single from his tailgates & tanlines album, but knows it was the right decision. ” I think it’s a privilege to have a label you can trust…I mean, I think ‘Country Girl’ put me in a different level of being on the map, but for all intensive purposes, ‘I Don’t Want This Night to End’ has been a bigger song than ‘Country Girl,’ which is hard for me to imagine and is so exciting,” says Luke. “I’ve really always dreamed of being in this spot, and it’s real cool being here. You can dream it up, but sometimes it doesn’t happen that way, so I’m just really fortunate that it’s coming together that way.”

Luke is currently on the road with Jason Aldean‘s My Kinda Party 2012 Tour. The next stop on the trek is February 2nd in Oklahoma City.

AUDIO: Luke Bryan talks about how his latest single, “I Don’t Want This Night to End,” has taken him to a new level.

Luke Bryan (Night success) OC: …that way. :50

“Cindy Mabe, my head of marketing [at Capitol Nashville], she was like screaming for ‘I Don’t Want This Night to End,’ and I was terrified to death of it. I mean, I can say that now, I mean, I just said, ‘Alright, if you feel this strong about it, we’ll go with it.’ I think it’s a privilege to have a label you can trust…I mean, I think ‘Country Girl’ put me in a different level of being on the map, but for all intensive purposes, ‘I Don’t Want This Night to End’ has been a bigger song than ‘Country Girl,’ which is hard for me to imagine and is so exciting. I mean, I look at the way it went down with Jason Aldean when he did ‘She’s Country,’ and then, Bam! Then ‘Big Green Tractor’ where he just kept outdoing himself. I’ve really always dreamed of being in this spot, and it’s real cool being here. You can dream it up, but sometimes it doesn’t happen that way, so I’m just really fortunate that it’s coming together that way.”

Alan Jackson has put the finishing touches on his new album, which his fans have been anxiously anticipating. The superstar takes into account what real people are going through and what he enjoys as a fan, as well, when he’s putting together the songs for his albums. “I’ve always just tried to remember what it’s like to be a fan and try to figure out songs that they might like more than songs that would be nominated for a Grammy or something,” says Alan. “I think that’s probably what might help your career last a little bit longer is just making music for the real people.” Alan is beginning to hit the airwaves with “So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore,” and has already hit the video channels with the song’s video, which was shot at Coney Island in New York.

AJ (key to success) OC: …real people. :32

“When we go in and make a record, it’s really no different than it was 20 years ago, you know, same attention to it. And when we’re looking for material and [we use] the same type of production and Keith’s always produced everything – Keith Stegall. I don’t know. I’ve always just tried to remember what it’s like to be a fan and try to figure out songs that they might like more than songs that would be nominated for a Grammy or something. I think that’s probably what might help your career last a little bit longer is just making music for the real people.”

Free Open-to-the-Public Concerts for Fans To Take Place for the 6^th Consecutive Year Are The Most-Attended Events on Fremont Street Experience

Encino, CA (January 20, 2012) – The Academy of Country Music and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) announced today that country music superstars Luke Bryan and Eric Church will be the headlining performers for ACM Weekend on Fremont Street Experience, to be held on consecutive nights, March 30-31, 2012  in Las Vegas.  Bryan will headline on Friday night, March 30^th and Church will headline on Saturday, March 31st.

These concerts take place in conjunction with The Week Vegas Goes Country®, the week of the 47^th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, honoring country music’s top talent and the industry’s hottest emerging talent, to be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1st, 2012 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

For the sixth year in a row, the Academy of Country Music presents free and open-to-the-public concerts starting at 6:30pm on two stages in downtown Las Vegas at Fremont Street Experience.  The weekend-long party leading up to the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards is sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and features headlining performers and emerging artists. Specific show times, additional performers and stage locations are to be announced soon.

Coming off the most successful year of his career, Capitol Records Nashville’s Luke Bryan shows no signs of slowing down.  One of the fastest rising stars in country music, Bryan is celebrating airplay chart success with his current hit single, “I Don’t Want This Night To End” off his Gold-certified third studio album, tailgates & tanlines.  With his Platinum-selling smash hit, “Country Girl (Shake It For Me),” Bryan continues to prove why he’s Nashville’s artist to watch.  You can catch Bryan on the road as he joins Jason Aldean on the 2012 leg of his My Kinda Party Tour.  Check out Luke online at www.lukebryan.com.

EMI Records Nashville artist Eric Church is one of the brightest and boldest stars to emerge in country music in years.  With his third album, CHIEF, topping both the Country and Top 200 Billboard charts in 2011, Church is anything but formulaic.  He continues to make his mark out on the road with his raucous live shows played for sold out crowds across the country.  Showcasing his hits like the No. 1 “Drink In My Hand” and Top 20’s “Homeboy” and “Smoke A Little Smoke,” fans can catch Church in 2012 on his arena headlining The Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour.  Keep up with Eric online at www.ericchurch.com.