Final Round of Performers & Presenters Set for the 41st ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC(R) AWARDS, Country's Night to Shine(TM)

Final Round of Performers & Presenters Set for the 41st ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC(R) AWARDS, Country's Night to Shine(TM)

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

Dierks Bentley, Little Big Town, Sara Evans, Montgomery Gentry, Keith Urban and Gretchen Wilson Set to Perform Along with Trace Adkins, Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland and Carrie Underwood

Jason Aldean, Billy Currington, Billy Ray & Miley Cyrus, Lonestar, Jo Dee Messina, Craig Morgan, Julie Roberts, Michelle Stafford, The Warren Brothers Set to Participate Along with Craig Ferguson, Dr. Phil & Robin McGraw, Kathryn Morris, Emily Procter, Blake Shelton, Tony Stewart, Hannah Storm and Cowboy Troy

BURBANK, Calif., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Academy of Country Music(R) is announcing that music superstars Dierks Bentley, Little Big Town, Montgomery Gentry, Keith Urban and Gretchen Wilson will perform as part of the 41st ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS. The ceremony, which honors country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent, will be broadcast LIVE from MGM GRAND in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2006 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

Dierks Bentley is nominated for Top Male Vocalist and has been previously been recognized with the Academy's Top New Artist of the Year award. First-time nominees, Little Big Town, are nominated for both Top New Vocal Group and Top Vocal Group. Sara Evans is nominated for Top Female Vocalist, she has received a total of nine nominations to date. Montgomery Gentry is nominated for Top Vocal Duo and has been previously been recognized with the Academy's Top New Vocal Duo award.

Keith Urban is nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist, and last year took home awards in the Top Male Vocalist and Album of the Year categories. Gretchen Wilson is nominated for Top Female Vocalist, an award she took home last year in addition to the Top New Artist honors.

Presenting awards at the 41st ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS are Billy Currington nominated for Top New Male Vocalist, Billy Ray & Miley Cyrus, who star together on Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana"; Lonestar, nominated for Top Vocal Group; Jo Dee Messina is a previous Top New Female Vocalist winner, Julie Roberts nominated for Top New Female Vocalist, Michelle Stafford of the "Young and the Restless" and The Warren Brothers, nominated for Top Vocal Duo.

Participating in the 41st ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS is Jason Aldean, nominated for Top New Male Vocalist and Craig Morgan, nominated for Top New Male Vocalist.

These artists and participants listed above join previously announced 41st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards performers Trace Adkins, Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland and Carrie Underwood and previously announced presenters Craig Ferguson, Dr. Phil & Robin McGraw, Kathryn Morris, Emily Procter, Blake Shelton, Tony Stewart, Hannah Storm and Cowboy Troy.

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.

The ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS will be broadcast LIVE from MGM GRAND in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2006 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

Source: Academy of Country Music

CONTACT: Brooke Primero of BNC, +1-310-854-4800, for Academy of Country
Music

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

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