Entertainer of the Year nominee Blake Shelton, Male Vocalist of the Year nominee Chris Young, reigning New Artist of the Year The Band Perry, two-time Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum and 10-time ACM Award winner Rascal Flatts are scheduled to perform at the 47th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, which will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1 (8:00 PM-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.  The ceremony, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, will be co-hosted by Shelton alongside Reba.
These artists join previously announced performers Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and Tim McGraw.
Blake Shelton returns to co-host the Awards telecast alongside Reba for the second consecutive year.  He is nominated for two awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year, marking his first nomination in the Entertainer of the Year category.  In 2010, Shelton won Vocal Event of the Year for “Hillbilly Bone,†his chart-topping duet with longtime friend Trace Adkins.  Straight off five back-to-back #1 hits, his current single, “Drink On It,†is his fastest-rising single to date and is featured on his GRAMMY® Award-nominated album, Red River Blue.
Chris Young is nominated for two awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year, his first nomination in that category, and Single Record of the Year for “Tomorrow,†the fastest-rising hit of his career.  “Tomorrow,†co-written by Young, is among his five consecutive #1 smashes and the first single off his third studio album, NEON.  The cut raced to the top of the charts and is certified Digital Gold by the RIAA for sales, exceeding 500,000 downloads.
The Band Perry returns to the ACM Awards this year as a first-time Vocal Group of the Year nominee.  In 2011, they were honored with the New Artist of the Year award after the largest fan vote in the category’s history.  On the heels of celebrating a recent two-week #1 with their Gold-certified single, “All Your Life,†Platinum certification of their self-titled Republic Nashville debut album and recent Quadruple-Platinum status for sales of more than four million for their quintessential #1 hit, “If I Die Young,†the excitement only continues for The Band Perry.
Lady Antebellum leads this year’s group nominations with five nods, including Vocal Group of the Year, which they have won for two consecutive years.  They are also nominated for Album of the Year as artists and producers for Own The Night, and for Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “Just A Kiss.†In 2011, they won Album of the Year as artists and producers for Need You Now.
Rascal Flatts has won 10 ACM Awards.  They are nominated for Vocal Group of the Year, an award they have previously won seven times.  In 2007, they were honored with the Academy’s Humanitarian Award in recognition of their commitment to serve others, their generosity of spirit and dedication to helping build the dreams of those in need.  The group’s highly anticipated new studio album CHANGED is out April 3.
The 47th Academy of Country Music Awards is produced for television by dick clark productions. Â Orly Adelson and R.A. Clark are executive producers. Â 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.
RATING: To Be Announced
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