OK, so technically the Country Music Awards aren’t necessarily Christian music, but there’s some crossover there so I thought I’d share the nominations for the 44th annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
Fan will again vote for Top New Male Vocalist, Top New Female Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group. Cast your votes by visitingGreat American Country website before Thursday, March 5. The winner in each of the three categories will be announced March 9, and will move on to compete in a brand new Academy of Country Music Awards category, Top New Artist.
Leann Rimes was named the 2009 recipient of the Academy of Country Music/The Home Depot Humanitarian Award,
The 44th Academy of Country Music Awards presentations will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.
And here are the nominations:

Entertainer of the Year — Kenny Chesney
— Brad Paisley
— George Strait
— Keith Urban
— Carrie Underwood
Top Male Vocalist
— Kenny Chesney
— Toby Keith
— Brad Paisley
— George Strait
— Keith Urban
Top Female Vocalist
— Miranda Lambert
— Heidi Newfield
— Taylor Swift
— Carrie Underwood
— Lee Ann Womack
Top Vocal Group — Lady Antebellum
— Little Big Town
— Rascal Flatts
— Randy Rogers Band
— The Lost Trailers
Top Vocal Duo
— Big & Rich
— Brooks & Dunn
— Joey & Rory
— Montgomery Gentry
— Sugarland
Top New Male Vocalist**
— Jamey Johnson
— James Otto
— Jake Owen
Top New Female Vocalist**
— Sarah Buxton
— Julianne Hough
— Ashton Shepherd

Top New Vocal Duo or Group**
— Eli Young Band
— The Lost Trailers
— Zac Brown Band
Single Record of the Year [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
— Gunpowder & Lead
Miranda Lambert, Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Columbia
— In Color
Jamey Johnson, Produced by The Ken Hardley Playboys
Mercury
— Johnny & June
Heidi Newfield, Produced by Tony Brown
Asylum-Curb
— Waitin’ On A Woman
Brad Paisley, Produced by Frank Rogers
Arista Nashville
— You’re Gonna Miss This
Trace Adkins, Produced by Frank Rogers
Capitol Nashville
Song of the Year [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
— I Saw God Today
George Strait
Composers: Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell, Wade Kirby
Publishers: Big Red Toe Music (BMI), Blind Mule Music (BMI),
Extremely Loud Music (BMI), Steel Wheels Music (BMI)
— In Color
Jamey Johnson
Composers: Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller, James Otto
Publishers: Big Gassed Hitties (BMI), Eldorotto Music Publishing
(BMI), EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Lucky Thumb Music (BMI),
New Song of Sea Gayle (BMI), Noah’s Little Boat Music
(BMI)
— Johnny & June
Heidi Newfield
Composers: Deanna Bryant, Heidi Newfield, Stephony Smith
Publishers: Amylase Music (ASCAP), Big Hit Makers Music (BMI), Rainy
Graham Publishing LLC (BMI), Souljet Music Tell Texas Tune
III (ASCAP)
— Waitin’ On A Woman
Brad Paisley
Composers: Don Sampson, Wynn Varble
Publishers: EMI April Music, Inc. (ASCAP), Sea Gayle Music LLC
(ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
— You’re Gonna Miss This
Trace Adkins
Composers: Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller
Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI), Music of Windswept
(ASCAP), Noah’s Little Boat Music (BMI), Song of
Combustion (ASCAP), Songs of Sea Gayle (BMI)
Video of the Year [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
— Johnny & June – Heidi Newfield
Producer: Karen Martin
Director: Eric Welch
— Just A Dream – Carrie Underwood
Producer: Randy Brewer
Director: Roman White
— Love Story – Taylor Swift
Producer: Trent Hardville
Director: Trey Fanjoy
— Troubadour – George Strait
Producer: Dominic Cancilla
Director: Trey Fanjoy
— Waitin’ On A Woman – Brad Paisley
Producer: Mark Kalbfeld, Jim Shea
Director: Jim Shea, Peter Tilden
Vocal Event of the Year [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
— Another Try – Josh Turner Featuring Trisha Yearwood
Produced by: Frank Rogers
MCA Nashville
— Cowgirls Don’t Cry – Brooks & Dunn Featuring Reba McEntire
Produced by: Kix Brooks, Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn,
Arista Nashville
— Down The Road – Kenny Chesney With Mac McAnally
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
Blue Chair/BNA
— Life In A Northern Town – Sugarland Featuring Little Big Town & Jake Owen
Mercury
— Start A Band – Brad Paisley Duet With Keith Urban
Produced by: Frank Rogers
Arista Nashville
Due to TV time constraints, the winners for On-air Personality and Radio Station of the Year won’t happen on-air, so the winners have been announced already:
ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR WINNERS:
NATIONAL Lon Helton, Country Countdown USA
MAJOR MARKET Dorsey Gang – KSCS-FM, Dallas, TX
LARGE MARKET JD Cannon – WFMS-FM, Indianapolis, IN
MEDIUM MARKET Andy Ritchie, Alison West and Jimmy Holt – WIVK-FM, Knoxville, TN
SMALL MARKET Brent Lane and Dana Cervantes – WYCT-FM, Pensacola, FL
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR WINNERS:
MAJOR MARKET WSOC-FM, Charlotte, NC
LARGE MARKET WSIX-FM, Nashville, TN
MEDIUM MARKET WIVK-FM, Knoxville, TN
SMALL MARKET WYCT-FM, Pensacola, FL
Here are more awards that won’t happen on air:
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Buddy Cannon
Dann Huff
Frank Rogers
Nathan Chapman
Tony Brown
AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Chuck Ainlay
Greg Droman
John Kelton
Mills Logan
Steve Marcantonio
TOP BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dave Hungate
Glenn Worf
Jimmie Lee Sloas
Larry Paxton
Mike Brignardello
TOP PERCUSSIONIST/DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Chad Cromwell
Eddie Bayers
Greg Morrow
Lonnie Wilson
Paul Leim
TOP FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Aubrey Haynie
Joe Spivey
Jonathan Yudkin
Larry Franklin
Rob Hajacos
TOP GUITARIST OF THE YEAR
Brett Mason
Bryan Sutton
J.T. Corenflos
Kenny Greenberg
Tom Bukovac
TOP PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Gordon Mote
John Hobbs
John Jarvis
Steve Nathan
Tony Harrell
TOP SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Eric Darken
Ilya Toshinsky
Jelly Roll Johnson
Randy Kohrs
Rob Ickes
TOP STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Bruce Bouton
Dan Dugmore
Mike Johnson
Russ Pahl
Steve Hinson
VENUE OF THE YEAR
DTE Energy Music Theatre – Clarkston, MI
Meadowbrook US Cellular Pavilion – Gilford, NH
The Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC
Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheatre – Virginia Beach, VA
NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR
Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace – Bakersfield, CA
Coyote Joe’s – Charlotte, NC
Joe’s Bar – Chicago, IL
The Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
Wild Bill’s – Duluth, GA
CASINO OF THE YEAR
Casino Rama – Orillia, Ontario
Chumash Casino – Santa Ynez, CA
Mystic Lake – Minneapolis, MN
The Peppermill Resorts at Wendover – West Wendover, NV
Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR
David Snowden – Triangle Talent
Fran Romeo – Romeo Entertainment
Gary Osier – Gary Osier Presents
Suzanne Wilson – Wilson Events
Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions
PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Ben Farrell – Varnell Enterprises
Darin Lashinsky – Outback Concerts
Gary Weinberger – Red Mountain Entertainment
Louis Messina – The Messina Group
Steve Moore – AEGLive
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