ACM Award Winners Reflect On Prize

Posted by amyclark on 08/25/2008
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5/20/2008 Patricia Montesinos Country Music duo Brooks and Dunn and solo artist Miranda Lambert told CMT news they were shocked to have won at the ACM Awards Sunday night.  Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Rascall Flatts, and Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles also took some time to comment on their awards. Nettles credited her label, Mercury, for giving her and partner Kristian Bush leeway in releasing their ACM Award-winning song “Stay” as a single on the airwaves, and attributes the trust in releasing the song as a positive change that she sees happening in the Country Music industry. "They were nervous, but they were trusting," Nettles said.  "I think with those fears comes a lot of flexibility and a lot of stretching range. I think it's an exciting time in country music…I think a shift is happening." While Nettles sees a positive shift happening in the industry, Carrie Underwood would like to see more of it when it comes to female artists getting due credit for the hard work they put in, especially when it comes to being nominated for the night’s top-grab, the ACM Entertainer of the Year award. "I think there have been several women over the past decade that should have been nominated at some point," she said. "It's disappointing that they haven't been, because I know -- and I'm speaking for all of us -- how hard women have to work. Not to take anything away from the guys, but we have to do a lot more than they have to do. ...It's unfortunate that a lot more women haven't gotten a lot more credit." Underwood cited Miranda Lambert’s surprise win for the ACM Awards Album of the Year and said, “Miranda is one of those people who deserves a lot more credit than she's gotten. Her album is great."  Lambert expected Kenny Chesney to take home the Album of the Year award.  “I've never had a Top 10 hit, so I just kind of ruled out album of the year," she said. Brooks & Dunn were also surprised at their Top Vocal Duo win, and got a pleasant surprise when the winner was announced. "Some other duo had already won a couple of awards. You know how it is out here. When it gets swinging in somebody's direction, it's kind of their night." ACM Awards Top Male Vocalist Brad Paisley was touched with the night’s warm welcome for cameo-frequent Jason Alexander.  Brad Paisley comments on 2008 ACM Awards "I was standing backstage, ready to play, and when he walked out, the ovation was really, really huge," Paisley said. "It was wonderful to see that kind of treatment for him." Seinfeld’s Alexander directed and starred in Paisley’s “Online” video, which one the ACM Awards Video of the Year, and has made cameos in many of Paisley’s previous videos. Rascall Flatts won the ACM Awards Top Vocal Duo and were humbled by the Home Depot Humanitarian Award win.   "It's kind of weird that you can win an award for being kind, but we accept it,” said lead singer Gary LeVox.  The group works heavily with Nashville’s Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and the American Red Cross.  “We've been fortunate enough to change some lives over there, but they have changed our lives for the better.”