2005 Academy of Country Music Awards Nominations

Tim McGraw leads the 40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Nominees with six nominations. He is also nominated in two of these categories as Producer. Kenny Chesney, Alison Krauss and Gretchen Wilson, a first time nominee, all received five nominations each. Krauss is nominated for five awards this year, four for her duet with Brad Paisley and one with Union Station for Top Vocal Group. Chesney is also nominated in two categories for producer. The 40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS Television Network. News Update: 2006 Academy of Country Music Awards Nominations

Toby Keith, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban received four nominations each. Toby Keith is recognized as co-writer for "American Soldier" and Keith Urban is recognized in two of these categories as Producer. Big & Rich, also first time nominees, Rascal Flatts and Lee Ann Womack are up for three awards. John Rich has received two additional nominations as associate producer of "Redneck Woman" (nominated for Single Record of the Year) and "Here For The Party" (nominated for Album of the Year). Rascal Flatts also received a producer nomination in the Single Record of the Year category.

The nominees were announced at a press conference held today at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville. Participating in the press conference was country music superstar and twice consecutive/current Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, Toby Keith.

Diamond Rio, Neal McCoy and Brad Paisley were nominated for the 4th annual Academy of Country Music / Home Depot Humanitarian Award. Known as the first "Fan-Voted" award in the Academy's history, this honor salutes an artist or group in the country music industry who is committed to serving others, has a generosity of spirit and a dedication to helping build the dreams of those in need. The recipient of The Home Depot Humanitarian Award will have a community playground built in a city of their choice through the efforts of The Home Depot and KaBOOM!, a non-profit organization that brings together
volunteers to build a much-needed playground in one-day "barn-raising" construction events.

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.

40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Nominees:

Entertainer of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Keith Urban

Top Vocal Group
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Diamond Rio
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts
The Notorious Cherry Bombs

Top New Artist
Big & Rich
Josh Gracin
Julie Roberts
Josh Turner
Gretchen Wilson

Top Vocal Duo
Big & Rich
Blue County
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
The Warren Brothers

Top Female Vocalist
Terri Clark
Sara Evans
Martina McBride
Gretchen Wilson
Lee Ann Womack

Top Male Vocalist
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Keith Urban

Video of the Year
"Girls Lie Too" --Terri Clark
Producer: Robin Rucker
Director: Shaun Silva

"Live Like You Were Dying" -- Tim McGraw
Producer: Sherman Halsey
Director: Sherman Halsey

"Redneck Woman" -- Gretchen Wilson
Producer: Anastasia Spencer
Director: David Hogan

"Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" -- Big & Rich
Producers: Robert Deaton, George Flanigen, Marc Oswald and Steve Lamar
Director: David Hogan

"Whiskey Lullaby" -- Brad Paisley Featuring Alison Krauss
Producer: Don Lepore
Director: Rick Schroder

Vocal Event of the Year
"Creepin' In" -- Norah Jones and Dolly Parton
Producers: Arif Mardin and Norah Jones
Record Label: Blue Note/Capitol Records Nashville

"Hey Good Lookin'" -- Jimmy Buffet with Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait
Producers: Michael Utley and Mac MacAnally
Record Label: The RCA Records Label Nashville

"Party for Two" -- Shania Twain with Billy Currington
Producer: Robert "Mutt" Lange
Record Label: Mercury Records

"When the Sun Goes Down" -- Kenny Chesney with Uncle Kracker
Producers: Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
Record Label: BNA Records

"Whiskey Lullaby" -- Brad Paisley Featuring Alison Krauss
Producer: Frank Rogers
Record Label: Arista Nashville

Song of the Year
"American Soldier" -- Toby Keith
Writers: Toby Keith and Chuck Cannon
Publishers: Tokeco Tunes (BMI) and Wacissa River Music, Inc.(BMI); (Administered by BPI Administration)

"Bless the Broken Road" -- Rascal Flatts
Writers: Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd and Jeff Hanna
Publishers: Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc. (BMI), Floyd's Dream Music (BMI), All Rights for the U.S. on Behalf of Floyd's Dream Music Administered by Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Jeff Diggs Music (BMI) Jeff Diggs Music Administered by Bug Music

"I May Hate Myself in the Morning" -- Lee Ann Womack
Writer: Odie Blackmon
Publishers: Cal IV Songs, Administered by Cal IV Entertainment, LLC (ASCAP)

"Live Like You Were Dying" -- Tim McGraw
Writers: Craig Wiseman and Tim Nichols
Publishers: Big Loud Shirt (ASCAP), ICG/Warner (BMI)

"Whiskey Lullaby" -- Brad Paisley Featuring Alison Krauss
Writers: Bill Anderson and Jon Randall
Publishers: Sony/Atv Tree Publishing Co., Mr. Bubba Music, Inc. Admin By Sony/ATV Music Pub. (BMI), Reynsongpub Corp. Administered by Wrensong Wha Ya Say Music Administered by Wrensong (BMI)

Single Record of the Year

"Bless the Broken Road" -- Rascal Flatts
Producers: Mark Bright, Marty Williams and Rascal Flatts
Record Label: Lyric Street Records

"Days Go By" -- Keith Urban
Producers: Dann Huff and Keith Urban
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

"I May Hate Myself in the Morning" -- Lee Ann Womack
Producer: Byron Gallimore
Record Label: MCA Nashville

"Live Like You Were Dying" -- Tim McGraw
Producers: Tim McGraw, Byron Gallimore and Darran Smith
Producer: Curb Records

"Redneck Woman" -- Gretchen Wilson
Producers: Mark Wright and Joe Scaife
Associate Producer: John Rich
Record Label: Epic

"Whiskey Lullaby" -- Brad Paisley Featuring Alison Krauss
Producer: Frank Rogers
Record Label: Arista Nashville

Album of the Year
Be Here -- Keith Urban
Producers: Dann Huff and Keith Urban
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

Here for the Party -- Gretchen Wilson
Producers: Mark Wright and Joe Scaife
Associate Producer: John Rich
Record Label: Epic

Live Like You Were Dying -- Tim McGraw
Producers: Tim McGraw, Byron Gallimore and Darran Smith
Record Label: Curb Records

Restless -- Sara Evans
Producers: Sara Evans and Paul Worley
Record Label: The RCA Records Label

When the Sun Goes Down -- Kenny Chesney
Producers: Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
Record Label: BNA Records

Casino of the Year
Belterra -- Belterra, Ind.
Casino Rama -- Orilla, Ontario
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino -- Las Vegas, Nev.
Mohegan Sun Casino -- Uncasville, Conn.
Turning Stone Casino -- Verona, N.Y.

Nightclub of the Year
Billy Bob's -- Fort Worth, Texas
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace -- Bakersfield, Calif.
Grizzly Rose -- Denver, Colo.
Pepsi Roadhouse -- Burgettstown, Pa.
Tumbleweed Dancehall -- Stillwater, Okla.

Don Romeo Talent Buyer - Promoter of the Year
Brian O'Connell (Clear Channel Entertainment)
Louis Messina (The Messina Group)
Mike Smardak (Outback Concerts of Tenn.)
Rich Mischell (Mischell Productions, Inc.)
Suzanne Wilson (Wilson Events, Inc.)

Radio Station of the Year
KPLX -- Dallas, Texas
KTTS -- Springfield, Mo.
KUZZ -- Bakersfield, Calif.
WIVK -- Knoxville, Tenn.
WIXY -- Champaign, Ill.

On-Air Personality of the Year
Lisa Dent -- WUSN Chicago, Ill.
Dex & Kim -- WUSY Chattanooga, Tenn.
Gunner -- WIVK Knoxville, Tenn.
Skip Mahaffey -- WQYK Tampa, Fla.
Tim & Willy -- KNIX Phoenix, Ariz.

Producer of the Year
Buddy Cannon
Byron Gallimore
James Stroud
Paul Worley
Mark Wright

Engineer of the Year
John Kelton
Julian King
Justin Niebank
Gary Paczoza
Ron "Snake" Reynolds

Musicians of the Year

Bass
Mike Brignardello
David Hungate
Larry Paxton
Alison Prestwood
Glen Worf

Drums
Eric Darken
Shannon Forrest
Paul Leim
Greg Morrow
Lonnie Wilson

Fiddle
Glen Duncan
Stuart Duncan
Larry Franklin
Rob Hajacos
Jonathan Yudkin

Guitar
Tom Bukovac
J.T. Corenflos
Jon Jorgenson
Brent Mason
Bryan Sutton

Piano/Keyboards
Jim Brown
Gordon Mote
Steve Nathan
Michael Omartian
Mike Rojas

Specialty Instrument
Jim Hoke
Jim Horn
Rob Ickes
Russ Pahl
Randy Scruggs

Steel
Dan Dugmore
Sonny Garrish
John Hughey
Mike Johnson
Robbie Turner

source: Academy of Country Music