Rod Essig, Marty Robbins, Don Schlitz, Mel Tillis, Keith Urban, Cindy Walker, and 'Crazy Heart' Announced as Off-Camera Winners for the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

Rod Essig, Marty Robbins, Don Schlitz, Mel Tillis, Keith Urban, Cindy Walker, and 'Crazy Heart' Announced as Off-Camera Winners for the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

Special Awards, Industry Awards, and MBI Honorees Announced

ENCINO, Calif., April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Academy of Country Music is announcing the winners of awards that will not be televised during the live telecast of the 45th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS. The ceremony, which honors country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent, is produced for television and will be broadcast LIVE from MGM GRAND in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 18th, 2010 at 8:00 PM live ET/tape delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

The Academy of Country Music Special Awards are voted on by the ACM Board of Directors and are awarded during years where the Board of Directors feels there are clear and deserving candidates. MBI Awards and Industry Awards are voted on by professional members of the Academy. Special Awards, Industry Awards and MBI Awards are presented to recipients at ACM Honors, a special event held annually in the fall. The event will take place in Nashville on Tuesday, September 21, 2010.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Jim Reeves International Award

Keith Urban has been chosen to receive the Jim Reeves International Award, which is presented to an individual for outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music throughout the world.

Keith Urban, who was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, has achieved international superstar status since he moved to Nashville in 1992. He is known for mixing elements of pop and rock music with traditional country, appealing to a wide audience beyond the country scope. A six-time ACM Award winner, Urban is known for his many hits including several chart-toppers such as "Somebody Like You," "You'll Think of Me," "Making Memories Of Us" and "Sweet Thing." He continues to be a global music sensation, sharing his passion for country music around the world as one of the hottest touring acts in music. Urban's recent world tours have taken his show to six countries on three different continents where he has played to packed houses.

Past recipients of the Jim Reeves International Award include Garth Brooks, Dick Clark, Roy Clark, Merv Griffin, Charlie Nagatani, Buck Owens and Dolly Parton, among others.

Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award

Marty Robbins and Mel Tillis have been chosen to receive the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award honoring individuals who are pioneers in the country music genre.

Marty Robbins charted his first No. 1 single, "I'll Go On Alone," in 1953 and began an illustrious career that lasted four decades. Robbins was a master at performing all types of musical styles, from the teenage fare of "A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)" to the 7-week No.1 gunfighter ballad "El Paso." He dabbled in rockabilly and Hawaiian music while also charting country hits like "Don't Worry," "Devil Woman" and "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife." Robbins was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982 and passed away two months later.

Mel Tillis earned his first writing deal after country star Webb Pierce took the Tillis-penned tune "I'm Tired" to No. 3. Tillis crafted several more hits for Pierce ("I Ain't Never") as well as Bobby Bare ("Detroit City"), Ray Price ("One More Time") and Kenny Rogers and the First Edition ("Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town"). The songwriter charted his own first Top 40 hit with "The Violet and a Rose" and continued to perform his own songs, charting the hits "Wine," "Stateside," "Life Turned Her That Way," "Good Woman Blues," "Coca Cola Cowboy" and "I Ain't Never," which gave him his first No. 1 hit in 1972. Tillis wrote hits for Nashville's new generation, like "Honey (Open That Door)" for Ricky Skaggs and "Diggin' Up Bones" for Randy Travis. Tillis continues to perform today and was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry cast in 2007.

Past recipients of the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award include Alabama, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Dolly Parton, Charlie Pride, Jerry Reed, Tex Ritter, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams, Sr., Hank Williams Jr. and Bob Wills, among others.

Poet's Award

Don Schlitz and Cindy Walker have been selected to receive the Poet's Award, which honors songwriters for outstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their careers in the field of country music.

One of Don Schlitz's first cuts as a songwriter, a story song he titled "The Gambler," was recorded by Kenny Rogers and became a massive crossover hit. From there Schlitz went on to find great success co-writing with Paul Overstreet for a new artist named Randy Travis. Schlitz co-wrote some of Travis' biggest hits, including "On the Other Hand" and "Forever and Ever Amen," which won back-to-back ACM Song of the Year awards in 1986 and 1987. Schlitz also crafted Keith Whitley's signature hit, "When You Say Nothing at All." A Grammy winner and member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Schlitz has also penned hits for The Judds ("Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain") and Reba McEntire ("One Promise Too Late"). He was commissioned by President George H.W. Bush to write the theme song for the national "Points of Light" program. The song, "Point of Light," became a Top 5 country hit for Randy Travis.

Cindy Walker's career launched when the legendary Bing Crosby recorded her song "Lone Star Trail," which became a Top 10 hit. That break began a 13-year stint in Hollywood, where Walker appeared in and wrote songs for Western films. Western Swing legend Bob Wills recorded more than 50 of Walker's songs, including "Cherokee Maiden," "Bubbles in My Beer" and "You're From Texas." Walker went on to pen hits for Johnny Bond, Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow, Webb Pierce, Gene Autry, Jim Reeves and Eddy Arnold. It was Arnold who pitched her the song title "You Don't Know Me," which Walker turned into one of the most enduring country hits. The tune has been recorded by many artists, including Ray Charles. After Walker's death in 2006 she willed the rights to her body of work to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Previous recipients of the Poet's Award include Bill Anderson, Merle Haggard, Harlan Howard and Fred Rose.

Tex Ritter Award

Crazy Heart has been chosen as the recipient of the Tex Ritter Award, which is given to a movie released and/or receiving major exposure during the preceding calendar year, featuring or utilizing country music.

Crazy Heart (Produced by CMT Films, Butcher's Run Films and Informant Media; Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures.) is a romantic drama starring Academy Award-winner Jeff Bridges as "Bad Blake," a broken down country singer/songwriter who wants to turn his life around after establishing a relationship with a young journalist named Jean, played by Oscar nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal. Bad Blake's professional career starts to look up when he reconnects with his old band member Tommy Sweet (Collin Farrell), who wants Blake to write songs for him. The movie soundtrack, produced by T Bone Burnett, featured work by late guitarist Stephen Bruton. The original song "The Weary Kind," performed and written by country singer/songwriter Ryan Bingham, won both the Golden Globe and the Oscar in 2010.

Past recipients of the Tex Ritter Award include Beer For My Horses, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, O'Brother, Where Art Thou, Sweet Dreams and Walk the Line, among others.

Mae Boren Axton Award - Rod Essig has been chosen as the recipient of the Mae Boren Axton Award, which is given in recognition of years of dedication and service by an outstanding individual to the Academy of Country Music.

Former ACM Chairman Rod Essig started his expansive career in the music industry as vice president and co-owner of Variety Artists International, a booking agency based in Minneapolis. In 1992, Essig joined Creative Artists Agency and headed to Los Angeles for a time before moving to Nashville, where he was instrumental in opening the agency's Music City operation. Essig currently helps to steer the careers of some of country music's biggest acts, including Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride and LeAnn Rimes. He has served on the Academy's board of directors in various capacities for 14 years. During his tenure as chairman, the Academy rebranded and re-launched its charitable arm, ACM Lifting Lives(TM), as well as expanded its reach in the digital realm with fan voting for the Entertainer of the Year and Top New Artist categories and its presence on television with the top-rated George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert special and significantly higher ratings for the annually televised Academy of Country Music Awards. Essig has also been a key supporter of the ACM Chairman's Ride (formerly called the ACM Charity Motorcycle Ride) since its inception in 2004.

Past recipients of the Mae Boren Axton Award include Jack Lameier, Marge Meoli, Ray Pilzak, Gaynelle Pitts, Gene Weed and David Young.

MBI (MUSICIANS, BAND, INSTRUMENTAL) AWARDS:

TOP GUITARIST OF THE YEAR - Brent Mason

TOP PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Michael Rojas

TOP BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Michael Rhodes

TOP PERCUSSIONIST/DRUMMER OF THE YEAR - Shannon Forrest

TOP STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Paul Franklin

TOP FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Stuart Duncan

TOP SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER - Randy Scruggs

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR - Justin Niebank

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR - Dann Huff

INDUSTRY AWARDS:

NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR - Billy Bob's Texas - Ft. Worth, TX

CASINO OF THE YEAR - Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa and Casino - Las Vegas, NV

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR - Todd Boltin - Variety Attractions, Inc.

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR - Brian O'Connell - LiveNation

VENUE OF THE YEAR - Sommet Center - Nashville, TN (Effective March 2, 2010, this venue was renamed the Bridgestone Arena, however, the Award was determined prior to the name change so will be recognized as Sommet Center.)

The winners of the MBI and Industry are voted based on Academy of Country Music ballots in their respected category.

About the Academy of Country Music Awards

The 45th ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 18, 2010, 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Orly Adelson and R.A. Clark are executive producers. Barry Adelman is producer and Bob Bardo is the executive in charge of production. Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music. For more information, please visit www.acmcountry.com.

Source: Academy of Country Music

CONTACT: Julie Smith of PMK-BNC, +1-310-854-4800,
julie.smith@pmkbnc.com, for Academy of Country Music

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

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