Acma’s 2010

The 45th Academy Of Country Music Awards were held in Las Vegas on Sunday at the MGM Grand arena. There were performances by many of today’s top country acts featuring a whole lot of SABIAN endorsers. The evening kicked off with Keith Zebrowski backing superstars Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood who were joined by Charlie Daniels, Brad Paisley & John Fogerty! As Charlie Daniels said, “and that’s how you start a television show folks!” That started a parade of SABIAN endorser backed performances featuring Al Wilson with Taylor Swift, Jim Riley with Rascal Flatts, Rich Redmond with Jason Aldean, Tommy Harden with Reba McEntire, Chris McHugh with Keith Urban and Jeff Marino closed the show with Darius Rucker. Carrie Underwood also performed a tune without drums which was great, but would have been better had she chosen a smoking track featuring her drummer Garrett Goodwin! We have to give a shout out to Chris Fryar and the Zac Brown Band who did not attend because they were overseas in the middle east performing for the troops, but they did cut in some of their great performance footage during the telecast. With all the great performances it’s easy to forget this is an awards show, but here are some of those that were honored on Sunday night-

45th ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES

Entertainer of the Year

Kenny Chesney

Toby Keith

Brad Paisley

George Strait

Taylor Swift (Al Wilson; drums)

Carrie Underwood (Garrett Goodwin; drums) ***WINNER***

Keith Urban (Chris McHugh; drums)

Zac Brown Band

Top Male Vocalist of the Year

Kenny Chesney

Brad Paisley  ***WINNER***

Darius Rucker (Jeff Marino; drums)

George Strait

Keith Urban (Chris McHugh; drums)

Top Female Vocalist of the Year

Miranda Lambert (Keith Zebrowski) ***WINNER***

Reba McEntire (Tommy Harden; drums)

Taylor Swift (Al Wilson; drums)

Carrie Underwood (Garrett Goodwin; drums)

Lee Ann Womack

Top Vocal Group of the Year

Lady Antebellum (Brice Williams; studio drums) ***WINNER***

Little Big Town

Randy Rogers Band

Rascal Flatts (Jim Riley; drums)

Zac Brown Band

Top Vocal Duo of the Year

Brooks & Dunn (Trey Gray; drums) ***WINNER***

Joey + Rory

MontgomeryGentry (Tony Hammons / William Ellis; drums)

Steel Magnolia

Sugarland (Sean O’Rourke; drums)

TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST of the Year 

Luke Bryan ***WINNER***

Jamey Johnson

Chris Young

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO of the Year

Bomshel

Joey + Rory ***WINNER***

Steel Magnolia

TOP NEW VOCAL GROUP of the Year

Eli Young Band

Gloriana ***WINNER***

The Lost Trailers

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

American Saturday Night – Brad Paisley (Arista Nashville)

Produced by: Chris DuBois, Frank Rogers

Lady Antebellum – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) (Brice Williams; drums)

Produced by:  Victoria Shaw, Paul Worley

Play On – Carrie Underwood (19/Arista Nashville) (Garrett Goodwin; drums)

Produced by: Mark Bright

"Quitter" Produced by Max Martin & Shellback for Maratone Productions and Mark Bright

Revolution – Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) (Keith Zebrowski; drums) ***WINNER***

Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

The Foundation – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)

Produced by: Keith Stegall, Zac Brown

Single Record of the Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company(s)]     

Need You Now – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) (Brice Williams) ***WINNER***

Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley

People Are Crazy – Billy Currington (Mercury)

Produced by: Carson Chamberlain, Billy Currington

Red Light – David Nail (MCA Nashville)

Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

Toes – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)

Produced by: Keith Stegall, Zac Brown

White Liar – Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) (Keith Zebrowski; drums)

Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

Song of the Year [Awarded to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

Cowboy Casanova – Carrie Underwood (Garrett Goodwin)

Composers:  Mike Elizondo, Brett James, Carrie Underwood 

Publishers:   Brett James Cornelius Music (ASCAP), Carrie Okie Music (BMI), Rincon Ave Music

(ASCAP), Stage Three Songs (ASCAP)

Need You Now – Lady Antebellum (Brice Williams) ***WINNER***

Composers:  Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott

Publishers: EMI Foray Music (SESAC), Darth Buddha (ASCAP), Dwhaywood Music (BMI), Hillary Dawn Publishing (SESAC), Radiobullets Publishing (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Year Of The Dog Music (ASCAP)

People Are Crazy – Billy Currington

Composers:  Bobby Braddock, Troy Jones

Publishers:  Crozier Music Enterprises LLC (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tiltawhirl Music (BMI)

White Liar – Miranda Lambert (Keith Zebrowski)

Composers:  Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert

Publishers:  Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tiltawhirl Music (BMI)

You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift (Al Wilson)

Composers:  Liz Rose, Taylor Swift

Publishers:  Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Taylor Swift Music (BMI), Barbara Orbison World Publishing (SESAC), Potting Shed Music (SESAC)

Video of the Year [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] (Off Camera Award)

Boots On – Randy Houser

Producer: Tameron Hedge

Director: Eric Welch (Drake footage: Vickie Vaughn)         

Need You Now – Lady Antebellum (Brice Williams)

Producer: Clarke Gallivan

Director: David McClister

Welcome To The Future – Brad Paisley

Producers: Mark Kalbfeld, Jim Shea, Peter Tilden

Director: Jim Shea

White Liar – Miranda Lambert (Keith Zebrowski) ***WINNER***

Producer:  Tameron Hedge

Director: Chris Hicky

You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift (Al Wilson)

Producer: Randy Brewer

Director: Roman White