Posted: Tue., Mar. 4, 2008, 5:00am PT

Chesney tops ACM Awards nods

Country music awards to take place May 18

By Phil Gallo

Chesney

Kenny Chesney dominated the 43rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards nominations, receiving 11 mentions on Tuesday morning. He is up for entertainer of the year and top male vocalist as well as the top prizes for album, single, song and video.

Six other acts received at least three noms each. Rodney Atkins is up for six; Brad Paisley (who announced the nominations), Big & Rich and Sugarland are contending in four categories, while Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift received three noms each.

For the first time in ACM history, fans will be allowed to vote for entertainer of the year. Chesney, who has won the prize the past three years, is up against Paisley, Rascal Flatts, George Strait and Keith Urban.

Trophies in 13 categories will be handed out May 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Reba McEntire will host the kudocast, to air on CBS.

Album contenders are Paisley’s “5th Gear,” Lambert’s “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” Chesney’s “Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates,” Atkins’ “If You’re Going Through Hell” and Swift’s self-titled debut.

Nominated for single of the year are Chesney’s “Don’t Blink,” Lambert’s “Famous in a Small Town,” Big & Rich’s “Lost in This Moment,” Sugarland’s “Stay” and Gary Allan’s “Watching Airplanes.”

Vying for the song prize are “Don’t Blink,” “Lost in This Moment,” “Stay,” “Watching You” and Emerson Drive’s “Moments,” penned by Dave Berg, Annie Tate and Sam Tate.

Top male contenders nearly duplicate the entertainer list: Atkins, Chesney, Paisley, Strait and Urban. Nominations for female were earned by Lambert, Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, Swift and Carrie Underwood.

Underwood also helped announce the noms.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
George Strait
Keith Urban

MALE VOCALIST
Rodney Atkins
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban

FEMALE VOCALIST
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
LeAnn Rimes
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

VOCAL GROUP
Diamond Rio
Eagles
Emerson Drive
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts

VOCAL DUO
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Halfway To Hazard
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland

NEW MALE VOCALIST
Luke Bryan
Jack Ingram
Jake Owen

NEW FEMALE VOCALIST
Sarah Buxton
Kellie Pickler
Taylor Swift

TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP
Carolina Rain
Lady Antebellum
The Wreckers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
5th Gear - Brad Paisley (Arista Nashville)
Produced by Frank Rogers
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Miranda Lambert (Columbia)
Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates - Kenny Chesney (BNA)
Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
If You’re Going Through Hell - Rodney Atkins (Curb)
Produced by Rodney Atkins, Ted Hewitt
Taylor Swift - Taylor Swift (Big Machine)
Produced by Scott Borchetta, Nathan Chapman
# 6 Produced by Robert Ellis Orrall

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Don’t Blink
Kenny Chesney, Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
BNA
Famous In A Small Town
Miranda Lambert, Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
Columbia
Lost In This Moment
Big & Rich, Produced by Big Kenny, John Rich
Warner Bros/WRN
Stay
Sugarland, Produced by Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore, Jennifer Nettles
Mercury
Watching Airplanes
Gary Allan, Produced by Gary Allan , Mark Wright
MCA Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
Don’t Blink
Kenny Chesney
Writers: Casey Beathard, Chris Wallin
Publishers: Lavender Zoo Music (BMI), Mama’s Dream Music (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Acuff Rose (BMI), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
Lost In This Moment
Big & Rich
Writers: Keith Anderson, Rodney Clawson, John Rich
Publishers: EMI April Music, Inc. (ASCAP), Romeo Cowboy Music (ASCAP), WB Music
Corp. (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Writer’s Extreme Music (BMI)
Moments
Emerson Drive
Writers: Dave Berg, Annie Tate, Sam Tate
Publishers: Gravitron (SESAC), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
Watching You
Rodney Atkins
Writers: Rodney Atkins, Steve Dean, Brian White
Publishers: Bethar Music (BMI), Mike Curb Music (BMI), Multisongs (SESAC), Songs
From The White House (SESAC)
Stay
Sugarland
Writer: Jennifer Nettles
Publishers: Jennifer Nettles Publishing (ASCAP)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
Don’t Blink - Kenny Chesney
Producer:Tacklebox Films
Director: Shaun Silva
Lost In This Moment - Big & Rich
Producer: Big Kenny, Steve Lamar, Marc Oswald
Director: Robert Deaton and George Flanigen
Online - Brad Paisley
Producer: Frames Per Second
Director: Jason Alexander
Stay - Sugarland
Producer: Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore, Jennifer Nettles
Director: Shaun Silva
Watching You - Rodney Atkins
Producer: Broken Poet Production
Director: Eric Welch

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Because Of You - Reba McEntire Duet With Kelly Clarkson
Produced by Tony Brown, Reba McEntire
MCA Nashville
Find Out Who Your Friends Are - Tracy Lawrence With Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney
Produced by Julian King, Tracy Lawrence
Rocky Comfort/CO5
Shiftwork - Kenny Chesney Duet With George Strait
Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
BNA
Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore - Bon Jovi Featuring LeAnn Rimes
Produced by Dann Huff
Mecury
What You Give Away -Vince Gill With Sheryl Crow
Produced by Vince Gill, John Hobbs, Justin Niebank
MCA Nashville