Nominations Announced for the 41st Annual ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC(R) AWARDS Country Music's Biggest Party of the Year(R)

Nominations Announced for the 41st Annual ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC(R) AWARDS Country Music's Biggest Party of the Year(R)

Rascal Flatts & Carrie Underwood Announced as First Round of Performers for the Show

Telecast to Air Live From MGM GRAND in Las Vegas Tuesday, May 23rd at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS

Brad Paisley leads with six nominations; Brooks & Dunn and Sugarland receive five nominations each; Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood receive four nominations each; Big & Rich, Dolly Parton and Lee Ann Womack receive three nominations each

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Nominations have been announced for the 41st ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS. Winners will receive their awards during a star-studded event to be broadcast LIVE from MGM GRAND in Las Vegas. The ceremony, which honors country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent, will be broadcast on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2006 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS Television Network.

This morning Brad Paisley led with six nominations, including Top Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year for "Time Well Wasted." In addition Paisley was recognized for Single Record of the Year for "Alcohol," and Song of the Year, Video of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for "When I Get Where I'm Going," a duet with Dolly Parton. Paisley has previously won three Academy of Country Music Award honors.

Brooks & Dunn and Sugarland received five nominations each. Brooks & Dunn were nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Top Vocal Duo of the Year and Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Believe." They have previously been awarded 19 Academy of Country Music Awards including the Academy's prestigious Triple Crown Award.

First-time nominees Sugarland received nods for Album of the Year for "Twice the Speed of Life," Top New Duo or Vocal Group of the Year and Top Vocal Group of the Year. They were also recognized in the Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year categories for "Baby Girl." Jennifer Nettles was also nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for "Who Says You Can't Go Home" with Bon Jovi.

The nominees were announced at a press conference held today at the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Participating in the press conference was multi-platinum selling group Rascal Flatts along with double-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood, both nominated in four categories each. It was also announced that Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood will be performing on the upcoming show.

Members of the Academy of Country Music select the nominees and winners of the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS. Presenters and performers who will appear on the special will be announced at a later date.

Following is the list of final nominees in the 13 categories voted on by the membership. Winners in each of the following categories will be presented with an ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD during the television broadcast:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
BROOKS & DUNN
KENNY CHESNEY
TOBY KEITH
RASCAL FLATTS
KEITH URBAN

TOP MALE VOCALIST
DIERKS BENTLEY
KENNY CHESNEY
BRAD PAISLEY
GEORGE STRAIT
KEITH URBAN

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST
SARA EVANS
MARTINA McBRIDE
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
GRETCHEN WILSON
LEE ANN WOMACK

TOP VOCAL GROUP
ALABAMA
LITTLE BIG TOWN
LONESTAR
RASCAL FLATTS
SUGARLAND

TOP VOCAL DUO
BIG & RICH
BROOKS & DUNN
MONTGOMERY GENTRY
VAN ZANT
THE WARREN BROTHERS

TOP NEW MALE VOCALIST
JASON ALDEAN
BILLY CURRINGTON
CRAIG MORGAN

TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST
MIRANDA LAMBERT
JULIE ROBERTS
CARRIE UNDERWOOD

TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP
BIG & RICH
LITTLE BIG TOWN
SUGARLAND

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

"FEELS LIKE TODAY"
RASCAL FLATTS
PRODUCERS: MARK BRIGHT, MARTY WILLIAMS, RASCAL FLATTS
LYRIC STREET RECORDS

"THERE'S MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM"
LEE ANN WOMACK
PRODUCERS: BYRON GALLIMORE, GREG DROMAN
MCA NASHVILLE

"TIME WELL WASTED"
BRAD PAISLEY
PRODUCERS: CHRIS DuBOIS, FRANK ROGERS
ARISTA

"TOUGH ALL OVER"
GARY ALLAN
PRODUCERS: MARK WRIGHT, GARY ALLAN
MCA NASHVILLE

"TWICE THE SPEED OF LIFE"
SUGARLAND
PRODUCER: GARTH FUNDIS
MERCURY RECORDS

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

"ALCOHOL"
BRAD PAISLEY
PRODUCERS: CHRIS DuBOIS, FRANK ROGERS
ARISTA

"BABY GIRL"
SUGARLAND
PRODUCER: GARTH FUNDIS
MERCURY RECORDS

"BELIEVE"
BROOKS & DUNN
PRODUCERS: TONY BROWN, RONNIE DUNN, KIX BROOKS
ARISTA

"BEST I EVER HAD"
GARY ALLAN
PRODUCERS: MARK WRIGHT, GARY ALLAN
MCA NASHVILLE

"JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL"
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
PRODUCER: MARK BRIGHT
ARISTA

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

"BABY GIRL"
WRITERS: KRISTIAN BUSH (BMI), KRISTEN HALL (ASCAP),
JENNIFER NETTLES (ASCAP), LISA SIMONTON (ASCAP), ROBERT HARTLEY (ASCAP),
TROY BIESER (ASCAP)
DIRKPIT MUSIC (BMI), GREATERGOOD SONGS (ASCAP), JENNIFER NETTLES
PUBLISHING (ASCAP), TELEGRAMMUSIC (ASCAP), DRUMBUM MUSIC (ASCAP), TREMOLO
BLUE (ASCAP), THE WORLD ASLEEP (ASCAP), SIMONTON MUSIC (ASCAP)
SUGARLAND

"BELIEVE"
WRITERS: RONNIE DUNN (BMI), CRAIG WISEMAN (ASCAP)
SONY / ATV TREE PUBLISHING CO. (BMI), SHOWBILLY MUSIC (BMI), BIG LOUD
SHIRT INDUSTRIES (ASCAP)
BROOKS & DUNN

"JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL"
WRITERS: BRETT JAMES (ASCAP), HILLARY LINDSEY (ASCAP),
GORDON SAMPSON (SOCAN)
SONY / ATV CROSS KEYS PUBLISHING (ASCAP), ONALY MUSIC / RAYLENE MUSIC
(ASCAP), NO SUCH MUSIC (SOCAN), PASSING STRANGER MUSIC (ASCAP),
1609 SONGS (ASCAP), MUSIC OF WINDSWEPT (ASCAP)
CARRIE UNDERWOOD

"SKIN (SARABETH)"
WRITERS: DOUG JOHNSON (BMI), JOE HENRY (ASCAP)
COOL HAND MUSIC 2004 (ASCAP), MIKE CURB MUSIC / SWEET RADICAL MUSIC
(BMI) ADMIN BY MIKE CURB MUSIC C/O KAREN SCHAUBEN PUBLISHING
ADMINISTRATION
RASCAL FLATTS

"WHEN I GET WHERE I'M GOING"
WRITERS: RIVERS RUTHERFORD (ASCAP), GEORGE TEREN (BMI)
UNIVERSAL MUSIC CORP. (ASCAP), MEMPHERSFIELD MUSIC (ASCAP), HOUSE OF FULL
CIRCLE MUSIC PUBLISHING (BMI)
BRAD PAISLEY AND DOLLY PARTON

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

"AS GOOD AS I ONCE WAS"
PRODUCER: MARK KALBFELD
DIRECTOR: MICHAEL SALOMAN
ARTIST: TOBY KEITH

"BELIEVE"
PRODUCER: STEVE LAMAR
DIRECTOR: ROBERT DEATON, GEORGE FLANIGEN
ARTISTS: BROOKS & DUNN

"I MAY HATE MYSELF IN THE MORNING"
PRODUCER: IVY DANE
DIRECTOR: TREY FANJOY
ARTIST: LEE ANN WOMACK

"KEROSENE"
PRODUCER: HOLLY MILLAR
DIRECTOR: TREY FANJOY
ARTIST: MIRANDA LAMBERT

"WHEN I GET WHERE I'M GOING"
PRODUCERS: MARK KALBFELD, PETER TILDEN
DIRECTOR: JIM SHEA
ARTISTS: BRAD PAISLEY AND DOLLY PARTON

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

"I PLAY CHICKEN WITH THE TRAIN"
COWBOY TROY AND BIG & RICH
PRODUCERS: JOHN RICH, BIG KENNY, PAUL WORLEY
WARNER BROS. RECORDS / RAYBAW

"LIKE WE NEVER LOVED AT ALL"
FAITH HILL WITH TIM McGRAW
PRODUCERS: DANN HUFF, FAITH HILL
WARNER BROS. RECORDS

"WHEN I GET WHERE I'M GOING"
BRAD PAISLEY AND DOLLY PARTON
PRODUCERS: CHRIS DuBOIS, FRANK ROGERS
ARISTA

"WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME"
JENNIFER NETTLES AND BON JOVI
PRODUCERS: JOHN SHANKS, JON BON JOVI, RICHIE SAMBORA, DANN HUFF
THE ISLAND DEF JAM MUSIC GROUP

The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 with a mission to support, promote, and enhance the advancement of the country music industry worldwide. The Academy, which is comprised of more than 4,000 professional members and a newly established Associate Membership, is headquartered in Burbank, Calif. For more information on the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS and the Academy of Country Music, please visit www.acmcountry.com.

The ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS is produced for television by dick clark productions. The show is executive produced by Allen Shapiro and R.A. Clark, and produced by Barry Adelman. The executive in charge of production is Bob Bardo, and the executive in charge is Fran LaMaina.

Southwest Airlines is the official airline of the Academy of Country Music Awards.

The ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS will be broadcast LIVE on CBS Tuesday, May 23, 2006 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Source: The Academy of Country Music

CONTACT: Brooke Primero of BNC, +1-310-854-4800, bprimero@bncpr.com, for
The Academy of Country Music

Web site: http://www.acmcountry.com/

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