I'm Dreaming of the 2008 ACM Awards

I was laying around the other night waiting to watch the Grand Ole Opry to see Carrie Underwood become an official member when all of a sudden I got dog-tired and fell asleep. It was a good hard sleep too because I had been running around the yard all that beautiful spring day. Soon I was dreaming that I was at Country Music's Party of the Year, the 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards show in Las Vegas.

I was lapping it up too. I had me a nice suite at the MGM Grand so I could be right there where the actual ACM Awards Show was taking place on Sunday night (May 18). My room was stocked with chew bones and I could get Purina delivered right to the room.

I dreamed I was hanging out on the strip at the Fremont Street Experience listening to Randy Owen one night, Sugarland the next, just soaking up all the fun atmosphere. Then I was riding sidecar with my man T-Roy from Montgomery Gentry in the Academy of Country Music Charity Motorcycle ride, my ears were flapping in the wind, tongue slung out the side of my mouth...what a life.

After spending Saturday afternoon getting my nails done, getting my once a month bath, and otherwise coiffed; I was off to the ACM Charitable Fund's New Artists' Party for a Cause^TM. I'm not quite sure what the cause is but it must be a good one because they had great acts like Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan, Jack Ingram, Lady Antebellum and more. I finished Saturday night off playing some slots and craps. I won too, but I buried my chips somewhere and can't recall where.

Then came Sunday night, the night for the actual ACM Awards, and I was excited. I got to see a bunch of that night's nominees walk the red carpet (lucky dogs they get to walk without a leash). There was ACM Female Vocalist of the Year nominee Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney with his 11 nominations, George Strait who's up for 3 and could break his tie with Garth Brooks for 13 awards, Top New Female Vocalist nominees Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler, Rodney Atkins, and way too many to mention here.

The show itself was incredible. The list of performers on the show was like a Who's Who of Country Music stars. Kellie Pickler sang her new single, Dolly Parton, performed, so did Sugarland, Rodney Atkins, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, and Montgomery Gentry.

And there I was, receiving an ACM Award for Top New Hound Vocalist, got a big old hug from Taylor Swift when I went up to get it. But I didn't know what to say in my speech, it was so unexpected. Then I started drooling on stage...oh wait, I'm back to reality now. I really am drooling.

Boy, what a dream though, attending Country Music's Party of the Year, The 2008 Academy of Country Music's Awards. Well if you can't make the party, you can at least tune-in and watch it live from the MGM Grand Las Vegas at 8 ET on Sunday May 18 on CBS. I'll be watching for sure, unless I drift off again into dreamland again.