Country Newcomers Dominate 2011 ACM Ballot

Miranda Lambert and now solo country artist Ronnie Dunn announced the nominations for the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Tuesday at Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame.
 
While Lambert earned the most nominations of any artist with a total of seven, The Band Perry, Easton Corbin, Lee Brice, Steel Magnolia and other acts from country's newest class snagged their share of nominations, too.
 
“This is a dream come true,” said Corbin, who received his first three nominations from the Academy. “This is something I’ve wanted all my life. To be able to do this for a living and have people like it, I couldn’t ask for any better. I am so blessed.”
 
After huge success in 2010, Brice made the list for the first time as well, receiving three nominations for his single "Love Like Crazy," the longest-charting single in Billboard's Country Songs chart history.
 
“It’s such an honor just to be nominated and such a boost personally after putting so much time and work into this,” said Brice. 
 
Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown Band trail "The House That Built Me" songress with five nominations each. The Band Perry and Taylor Swift each got four nominations, while Lady Antebellum, Lee Brice, Easton Corbin, Alan Jackson and Keith Urban each received three nominations.
 
Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton are slated to host the ceremony, airing live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. ET/delayed PT on CBS.
 
Photo: Courtesy of ACM/Getty Images
 
Full list of nominees:
 

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
• Jason Aldean
• Toby Keith
• Miranda Lambert
• Brad Paisley
• Taylor Swift
• Keith Urban
 
TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
• Jason Aldean
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• George Strait
• Keith Urban
 
TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
• Miranda Lambert
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Lee Ann Womack
 
TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
• the JaneDear girls
• Joey + Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland
 
TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Randy Rogers Band
• The Band Perry
• Zac Brown Band
 
TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (Previously Announced)
• Eric Church
• Easton Corbin
• Randy Houser
 
TOP NEW VOCAL DUO or GROUP OF THE YEAR (Previously Announced)
• the JaneDear girls
• Steel Magnolia
• The Band Perry
 
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (TIE)
• Hemingway’s Whiskey – Kenny Chesney (BNA)
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
• Need You Now - Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by:  Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley
• The Guitar Song – Jamey Johnson (Mercury)
Produced by: Arlis Albritton, Dave Cobb, The Kent Hardly Playboys
• Speak Now – Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records)
Produced by: Nathan Chapman, Taylor Swift
• Up On The Ridge – Dierks Bentley (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by: Jon Randall Stewart
• You Get What You Give - Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)
Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall
 
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (TIE) 
• A Little More Country Than That – Easton Corbin (Mercury)
Produced by: Carson Chamberlain
• As She’s Walking Away - Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)
Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall
• If I Die Young – The Band Perry (Republic Nashville)
Produced by: Paul Worley
• Love Like Crazy – Lee Brice (Curb Records)
Produced by: Lee Brice, Doug Johnson
• The Boys Of Fall – Kenny Chesney (BNA)
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
• The House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville)
Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
 
SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
• A Little More Country Than That – Easton Corbin
Composers:  Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress, Wynn Varble
Publishers:   A Sling And A Prayer Music (ASCAP), Chrysalis One Music (ASCAP), Don Poythress Songs (ASCAP), Precious Flour Music (BMI), Universal Music-MGB Songs (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
• As She’s Walking Away – Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson
Composers: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette
Publishers: Angelika Music (BMI), Weimerhound Publishing (BMI)
• If I Die Young – The Band Perry
Composer:  Kimberly Perry
Publishers:  Pearlfeather Publishing (BMI), Rio Bravo Music, Inc. (BMI)
• Love Like Crazy – Lee Brice
Composers:  Tim James, Doug Johnson
Publishers:  Mike Curb Music (BMI), Sweet Radical Music (BMI), T-Bird’s Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
• The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert
Composers:  Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin
Publishers:  Built On Rock (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tomdouglasmusic (BMI)
 
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] *(Off Camera Award)
• Hillbilly Bone – Blake Shelton Featuring Trace Adkins
Producer:  Randy Brewer
Director: Roman White
• Only Prettier – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Trent Hardville
Director: Trey Fanjoy
•  Stuck Like Glue – Sugarland
Producer: Tony McGarry
Director: Declan Whitebloom
• The Boys Of Fall – Kenny Chesney
Producer:  Don Lepore 
Director: Shaun Silva
• The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert
Producer:  Trent Hardville
Director:  Trey Fanjoy
 
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] *(Off Camera Award)
• As She’s Walking Away – Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)
Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall
• Blue Sky – Emily West Featuring Keith Urban (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by: Mark Bright
• Coal Miner’s Daughter – Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville)
Produced by:  John Carter Cash, Patsy Lynn Russell
• Cold Beer – Colt Ford Featuring Jamey Johnson (Average Joes)
Produced by:  Shannon Houchins, Adrian Young
• Good To Be Me – Uncle Kracker Featuring Kid Rock (Top Dog/ Atlantic / Bigger Picture)
Produced by: Kid Rock