George Strait Leads ACM Nominations With 8

(CBS/AP)  George Strait led the nominees announced Monday for the Academy of Country Music Awards with eight nominations, including entertainer of the year and top male vocalist.

Vocal duo Brooks & Dunn got seven nominations and Rascal Flatts had six.

The Academy of Country Music award nominations were announced live Monday from the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum in Nashville by country superstar Kenny Chesney, country group Sugarland and The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm.

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Photos: In Concert

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Chesney was nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Best Male Vocalist. He was named Entertainer of the Year in 2006.

"Whenever you get nominated, it's a reflection of a lot of people's hard work," Chesney said.

Carrie Underwood received five nominations and Big & Rich got four.

Strait also was nominated as artist and producer for the album "It Just Comes Natural" and the single "Give it Away," which also was nominated for song of the year.

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List Of ACM Nominees

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Brooks & Dunn were honored in the entertainer of the year and the top vocal duo categories, and their "Hillbilly Deluxe" was nominated for album of the year.

Rascal Flatts got nominations for entertainer of the year, top vocal group, best album for "Me and My Gang" and best single for "What Hurts the Most."

Also nominated in the category of best male vocal were Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, and Keith Urban.

Also nominated in the category of top vocal group of the year were Diamond Rio, Emerson Drive, Little Big Town, and Lonestar.

The awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 15 on CBS. They honor country music's top talent, as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent.

[cricketmk3]

The best thing for a musician or actor to do is keep their mouth shut about politics and religion because someone is bound to get offended on either subject. Keeping her mouth shut is not one of Natalie Maines' strong points.

[mizgrace]

Oh yeah, you made a BIG point, just how stupid you are. DC are great CW artists, just as the rest of the nominees are. They (DC) have finally been "forgiven" for speaking thier mind on something they didn't agree with (must have been, thats why they got the awards for the song "Not ready to make nice). Last check we ALL had freedom of speech rights, or are CW artists different?

[ajaxrose1]

Just using a little irony to make a point. Looks like I did.

[bigsk8fan]

Yes, not much point watching this show. Can't even admit Dixie Chicks are one of the best country groups. Tell that to America and the Recording Academy that gave them top Country honors. How many Republicans are in charge of the Academy of Country Music anyway?

[wadyaknow]

Hey ajaxrose. If the Chicks are not country then I guess that you had better tell that to the Academy which presented then with NUMEROUS awards from 1998 - 2002 INCLUDING Entertainer of the Year! So now all of a sudden they are not country enough. Bull! There is as much twang on "I'm Nor Ready to Make Nice" as there was on "Ready to Run".

"and if you can't say something nice, you don't say anything at all." That sounds just like the *** Goerge Bush has been feeding us about Iraq!
"Keep your mouth shut. Shut up and sing unless you spew the bush administration lies."

Grow up woman.

[spuckett62]

I guess calling someone "the fat little girl" who opened "her big mouth" is how a "hick" says "something nice" about someone. I would hate to hear the "not nice" things you keep to yourself. And, yes, the world has moved on...it has moved on the understanding and agreeing with the Chicks' feelings. No matter what you think of them, the Chicks took home five of five awards the other night because people are exercising their First Amendment right to free speech. People are tired of being told they can only exercise that right as long as it doesn't offend the "hicks" or this group or that group. We all have a right to our opinion. Just like the "hick" who was taught to respect others and only say something about them if it's NICE.

[ajaxrose1]

Hey, wadyaknow, get a clue. The DC's are NOT country. They aren't even in the same caliber as someone like George Strait. The difference between the likes of you (and your DC girls) and so called "hicks" is that we "hicks" were taught to respect others and if you can't say something nice, you don't say anything at all. Besides, the rest of the world has moved on since the little fat girl opened her big mouth, so why don't the rest of you?

Go George, you gorgeous, talented hunk!

[wadyaknow]

Why do you even give this trailer trash publicity?
We all know that the BEST COUNTRY group is the Dixie Chicks and these Bush hicks continue to blacklist them. BOOO to CBS!!!!