Entertainment blogging from The Oklahoman's Brandy McDonnell

Video: Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan behind the scenes of the ACM Awards

I will be live blogging the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards starting at 7 tonight right here at BAM’s Blog!

The ACM Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 10 tonight on CBS, with Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan co-hosting. Check out some of their funny behind-the-scenes banter in this video.

Shelton, his wife Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Thompson Square, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Rascal Flatts are among the superstars with Oklahoma ties who have been nominated for ACM Awards.

In addition, Shelton, Lambert, Underwood and Garth Brooks have been confirmed as performers for the show, and Lambert, Trisha Yearwood and Reba McEntire, the show’s former longtime host, have been announced as presenters.

To read my ACM Awards preview, click here.

Brooks and fellow Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait will play a special tribute in honor of the late, great Dick Clark during the show. To read more about the special performance, click here.

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2013 ACM Awards nominees

I will be live blogging the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards starting at 7 tonight right here at BAM’s Blog!

The ACM Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 10 tonight on CBS, with Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan co-hosting.

Shelton, his wife Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Thompson Square, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Rascal Flatts are among the superstars with Oklahoma ties who have been nominated for ACM Awards.

In addition, Shelton, Lambert, Underwood and Garth Brooks have been confirmed as performers for the show, and Lambert, Trisha Yearwood and Reba McEntire, the show’s former longtime host, have been announced as presenters.

To read my ACM Awards preview, click here.

Brooks and fellow Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait will play a special tribute in honor of the late, great Dick Clark during the show. To read more about the special performance, click here.

Here are the 2013 Academy of Country Music Awards nominations, with Oklahomans marked in bold:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

· Jason Aldean

· Luke Bryan

· Miranda Lambert

· Blake Shelton

· Taylor Swift

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

· Jason Aldean

· Luke Bryan

· Eric Church

· Toby Keith

· Blake Shelton

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

· Miranda Lambert

· Martina McBride

· Kacey Musgraves

· Taylor Swift

· Carrie Underwood

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

· Big & Rich

· Florida Georgia Line

· Love and Theft

· Sugarland

· Thompson Square

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

· The Band Perry

· Eli Young Band

· Lady Antebellum

· Little Big Town

· Zac Brown Band

NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

· Lee Brice

· Brantley Gilbert

· Hunter Hayes

NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

· Jana Kramer

· Kacey Musgraves

· Sunny Sweeney

NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR

· Florida Georgia Line

· Love and Theft

· Thompson Square

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR [Winners of New Male, New Female & New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year]

· Florida Georgia Line

· Brantley Gilbert

· Jana Kramer

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

· Blown Away – Carrie Underwood (19/Arista Nashville)

Produced by: Mark Bright

· Chief – Eric Church (EMI-Nashville)

Produced by: Jay Joyce

· Red – Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records)

Produced by: Jeff Bhasker, Nathan Chapman, Dann Huff, Jacknife Lee, Max Martin, Shellback, Taylor Swift, Butch Walker, Dan Wilson

· Tailgates & Tanlines – Luke Bryan (Capitol Nashville)

Produced by: Mark Bright, Jeff Stevens

· Tornado – Little Big Town (Capitol Nashville)

Produced by: Jay Joyce

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

· Even If It Breaks Your Heart – Eli Young Band (Republic Nashville)

Produced by: Mike Wrucke

· Over You – Miranda Lambert (RCA)

Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf

· Pontoon – Little Big Town (Capitol Nashville)

Produced by: Jay Joyce

· Springsteen – Eric Church (EMI-Nashville)

Produced by: Jay Joyce

· Wanted – Hunter Hayes (Atlantic/WMN)

Produced by: Hunter Hayes, Dann Huff

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

· A Woman Like You – Lee Brice

Composers: Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford, Jon Stone

Publishers: 3JB Music (BMI), Adios Pantalones (SESAC), Hears That Skyline Music (SESAC), Sixteen Stars Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

· Even If It Breaks Your Heart – Eli Young Band

Composers: Will Hoge, Eric Paslay

Publishers: Cal IV Songs (ASCAP), Will Hoge Music (BMI)

· Over You – Miranda Lambert

Composers: Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton

Publishers: Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony ATV/Tree Publishing (BMI)

· Springsteen – Eric Church

Composers: Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, Ryan Tyndell

Publishers: Bug Music (BMI), Ole Purple Cape Music (BMI), Sinnerlina (BMI), Sony ATV/Tree Publishing (BMI)

· Wanted – Hunter Hayes

Composers: Hunter Hayes, Troy Verges

Publishers: Happy Little Man Publishing (BMI), Songs From The Engine Room (BMI), Songs Of Universal Inc. (BMI)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

*Off Camera Award

· Creepin’ – Eric Church

Producer: Iris Baker

Director: Peter Zavadil

· Merry Go ‘Round – Kacey Musgraves

Producer: Perry Bean, Kacey Musgraves

Director: Perry Bean

· Tornado – Little Big Town

Producer: Iris Baker

Director: Shane Drake

· Wanted – Hunter Hayes

Producer: Stephanie Reeves, Eric Williams

Director: Traci Goudie, Patrick Hubik

· We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift

Producer: John Nguyen

Director: Declan Whitebloom

· The Wind – Zac Brown Band

Producer: Ben Kalina

Director: Mike Judge

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

*Off Camera Award

· Don’t Rush – Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill (19/RCA/Columbia Nashville)

Produced by: Dann Huff

· Easy – Rascal Flatts Featuring Natasha Bedingfield (Big Machine Records)

Produced by: Dann Huff, Brian Kennedy, Rascal Flatts

· Feel Like A Rock Star – Kenny Chesney (Duet With Tim McGraw) (Blue Chair/BNA)

Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

· Let It Rain – David Nail Featuring Sarah Buxton (MCA Nashville)

Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell

· The Only Way I Know – Jason Aldean With Luke Bryan & Eric Church (Broken Bow)

Produced by: Michael Knox

-BAM

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Reminder: ACM Awards live blog begins at 7 tonight!

Reminder: I will be live blogging the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards starting at 7 tonight right here at BAM’s Blog!

The ACM Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 10 tonight on CBS, with Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan co-hosting.

Shelton, his wife Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Thompson Square, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Rascal Flatts are among the superstars with Oklahoma ties who have been nominated for ACM Awards.

In addition, Shelton, Lambert, Underwood and Garth Brooks have been confirmed as performers for the show, and Lambert, Trisha Yearwood and Reba McEntire, the show’s former longtime host, have been announced as presenters.

To read my ACM Awards preview, click here.

Brooks and fellow Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait will play a special tribute in honor of the late, great Dick Clark during the show. To read more about the special performance, click here.

-BAM

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Trisha Yearwood, Shania Twain, Gary Allan and more added as ACM Awards presenters

The Academy of Country Music has announced that Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter John Mayer will perform with Brad Paisley at the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

In addition, Owasso resident Trisha Yearwood and fellow country superstars Gary Allan, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Chris Young and Eli Young Band have been added as presenters.

The ACM Awards, which will be co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton, will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 10 tonight on the CBS Television Network.

Shelton, his wife Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Thompson Square, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Rascal Flatts are among the superstars with Oklahoma ties who have been nominated for ACM Awards.

Yearwood’s husband, Garth Brooks, and fellow Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait will play a special tribute in honor of the late, great Dick Clark during the show. To read more about the special performance, click here.

Plus, Shelton, Lambert, Underwood and Brooks have been confirmed as performers for the show, and Lambert and Reba McEntire, the show’s former longtime host, have been previously announced as presenters.

To read my ACM Awards preview, click here.

And follow my live blog of the  ACM Awards starting at 7 tonight here at BAM’s Blog!

Here’s a rundown of what’s coming up on tonight’s show:

Performers:

Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Kelly Clarkson, Hunter Hayes, Jewel, Miranda Lambert, John Mayer, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Stevie Wonder, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Pistol Annies and The Band Perry. Brad Paisley will headline the 3rd Annual ACM Fan Jam, along with special guests Dierks Bentley, Hunter Hayes, and New Artist of the Year nominees Brantley Gilbert, Jana Kramer and Florida Georgia Line.

Presenters:

Country music artist Gary Allan, “2 Broke Girls” star Beth Behrs, Vegas star Michael Chiklis, Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow, “The Big Bang Theory’s” Kaley Cuoco, music star John Fogerty, “omg! Insider” co-anchor Kevin Frazier, country music artist Faith Hill, San Francisco 49ers NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, country music artists Miranda Lambert, Scotty McCreery and Kacey Musgraves, “Entertainment Tonight” co-anchor Nancy O’Dell, country music artists Jake Owen, Reba, Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood, Chris Young and Eli Young Band, and A&E’s “Duck Dynasty” stars Willie & Korie Robertson.

-BAM

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ACM Awards preview – Interview: Garth Brooks and George Strait to play tribute to Dick Clark at ACM Awards

To honor his father, the late, great entertainment impresario Dick Clark, R.A. Clark was inspired to bring together two Country Music Hall of Famers.

Oklahoman Garth Brooks and Texan George Strait will perform a special tribute to the elder Clark during the 48^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, airing live from Las Vegas from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday on CBS.

“I personally reached out with handwritten notes to both guys. I’ve been thinking about this over the last year since my father passed away and said ‘Who better to honor my father than these two guys who are the reigning artists of the decade?’” R.A. Clark said in a teleconference this week.

Another Oklahoma superstar, Reba McEntire, the ACM Awards’ former longtime host, will introduce the tribute performance by Brooks and Strait, the two most recent ACM Artist of the Decade Award recipients.

At Brooks’ prompting, the academy also is renaming the once-every-10-years award the ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award, in honor of the iconic figure and longtime Academy of Country Music Awards producer.

“(It) was really a fantastic thought; the board unanimously supported that thought,” ACM CEO Bob Romeo.

“(It) really pays a fitting tribute to Dick, because I think we all at the academy feel if it wouldn’t have been for Dick’s commitment over all these years — and as you know, we’re approaching our 50th year here in 2015 — I don’t know if the show … would be in existence and surely might not be where it’s at today as one of the premier country awards shows.”

Dick Clark, who died April 18, 2012, began producing the ACM Awards in 1979 and helped introduce audiences all over America to country music’s most talented artists.

“I had no idea it would get this big, and I gotta thank Garth for that. I just thought it was appropriate, above and beyond, you know, a son wanting his father being attributed as the producer of the show,” R.A. Clark said.

“You know, people think of Dick Clark as rock ‘n’ roll. But he was really instrumental in taking this show, getting it to network television, developing it with a couple of … and growing it over the years. And it’s only gotten bigger and bigger.”

Although he declined to reveal song titles, Clark said each superstar will perform one of their classic hits and then come together to perform a finale that will be “one of theirs.”

“This moment with Garth and George will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen on television,” added Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President of CBS specials and live programming.

Brooks won’t be the only Oklahoman involved in one of the ACM Awards’ signature superstar mash-ups. Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, who are co-hosting the show, will open it by joining Shelton’s wife Miranda Lambert, her Pistol Annies bandmates Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley, country triple threat Brad Paisley and rocker Sheryl Crow in performing Shelton’s raucous new single “Boys ‘Round Here.”

“This show’s not about good country music, not at all. It’s about great music, period. These artists are genuine singer-songwriters. They produce and perform great music, and it’s great music that translates to live event television. You know, everyone sings live; everyone ups their game,” Sussman said.

ON TV

The 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday on CBS. Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan will co-host the show.

Shelton, his wife Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Thompson Square, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Rascal Flatts are among the superstars with Oklahoma ties who have been nominated for ACM Awards.

Follow my live blog of Sunday’s ACM Awards at BAM’s Blog.

-BAM

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ACM Awards preview – Interview: Oklahomans to be well represented at Sunday’s ACM Awards

That’s just the way R.A. Clark, the show’s executive producer, likes it.

“Not to discount any of the other states, but a lot of great country performers come out of Oklahoma: Reba, Toby, Vince, Garth, Blake, I’m sure I’m missing a few. But I mean, there seems to be a hotbed of creativity of folks that … touch the experience of America. That, to me, comes out of those folks that come from Oklahoma. But the folks who come from Texas, I’m sure I’m gonna hear from them, or from anywhere else where the country music performers come from,” Clark said in a teleconference earlier this week.

“RAC, they’re texting right now from Texas,” Academy of Country Music CEO Bob Romeo dead-panned.

“Yeah, RAC, George Strait’s on Line 2,” cracked Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President of CBS specials and live programming.

“I just think it’s an interesting coincidence that there seems to be a lot of folks who come out of Oklahoma who rise to the forefront in country music,” Clark added, laughing.

The 48^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday on CBS. Shelton, his wife Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Thompson Square, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Rascal Flatts are among the superstars with Oklahoma ties who have been nominated for ACM Awards.

In addition, Shelton, Lambert, Underwood and Brooks have been confirmed as performers for the show, and Lambert and Reba McEntire, the show’s former longtime host, have been announced as presenters.

An Ada native, Shelton will co-host for the third year, with Luke Bryan joining for his first live TV co-hosting gig.

“They have a great natural repartee. I’m so glad we have a 5-second delay because you’re never know what’s gonna happen with them,” Clark said, laughing again.

“For the record, RAC, I think it’s a little longer than 5 seconds,” Sussman said, later revealing it will be an 8-second delay. “These two guys genuinely like other, they have a great time together, and on occasion, they might forget they’re on live television,” Sussman said.

The gregarious co-hosts are unlikely to forget that Shelton and his wife of two years are making history: Romeo said as far as he knows, the Tishomingo residents are the first husband and wife in ACM history to compete for the top prize, entertainer of the year. Bryan, Jason Aldean and reigning ACM entertainer of the year Taylor Swift will compete with Shelton and Lambert for the entertainer award.

To add even more intrigue, Shelton and Lambert share a song of the year nomination for co-writing her heartbreaking ballad “Over You.”

“I can just tell you one thing about those two people, who I know very, very well. “They truly support each other and just have such great satisfaction in each other’s success. They’re two of the biggest talents in this format or any format today, and the fact that they’re married is just amazing coincidence,” Sussman said.

“I would be willing to bet that Blake or Luke will have something to say.”

A Texas native, Lambert also will compete as a recording artist for single and song of the year for “Over You” and will defend her title as female vocalist of the year. Along with their shared song of the year nod and his entertainer of the year nomination, Shelton garnered his third consecutive nomination for male vocalist of the year.

Checotah native Carrie Underwood snagged two ACM Awards nominations: for female vocalist of the year and album of the year for her 2012 release “Blown Away.”

Reigning ACM vocal duo of the year Thompson Square, comprised of Miami, OK, native Keifer Thompson and his wife Shawna, will defend the title at the 2013 awards.

Norman resident Toby Keith is nominated for male vocalist of the year, while Norman native Vince Gill shares a nomination in the vocal event of the year category with original “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson for their collaboration “Don’t Rush,” which she will perform on the show.

Rascal Flatts, which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney, also received a nomination in the vocal event category for “Easy,” the band’s heartrending ballad with British pop singer Natasha Bedingfield.

Shelton and Lambert won’t be the only Oklahoma-Texas connection during the ACM Awards: Brooks and Texas troubadour George Strait will team up for the first time to play a special tribute to Clark’s late father, Dick Clark.

“When you talk about Garth, when you talk about Luke, you talk about Blake, you talk about Taylor, the fans find them to be real. They can relate to them,” Romeo said. “I think when people can relate to you — that artist — and their music, I think that’s what makes an artist go to that superstar level.”

ON TV

The 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday on CBS. Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan will co-host the show.

Shelton, his wife Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Thompson Square, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Rascal Flatts are among the superstars with Oklahoma ties who have been nominated for ACM Awards.

Follow my live blog of the show here at BAM’s Blog.

-BAM

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Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert added as presenters for Sunday’s ACM Awards

Oklahoma native Reba McEntire, who hails from Chockie, and native Texan Miranda Lambert, who now makes her home in Tishomingo, will be among the presenters at the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

The Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions announced this week a new batch of presenters. Along with Reba and Miranda, they include “2 Broke Girls” star Beth Behrs, “Vegas” star Michael Chiklis, Grammy-winning rocker Sheryl Crow, “The Big Bang Theory” star Kaley Cuoco, rock legend John Fogerty, TV personality Kevin Frazier, San Francisco 49ers NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, country music artists Scotty McCreery, Kacey Musgraves, Jake Owen and Keith Urban, “Entertainment Tonight” co-anchor Nancy O’Dell and A&E’s “Duck Dynasty” stars Willie are Korie Robertson.

The ACM Awards, which will be co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Miranda’s husband Blake Shelton, will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas at 7 p.m. Sunday on the CBS Television Network.

This group joins previously announced presenters Tori Kelly and LL Cool J.

In addition, Oklahomans Shelton, Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Garth Brooks will perform, along with Bryan, Urban, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Jewel, Kelly Clarkson, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town and The Band Perry. Brad Paisley will headline the Third Annual ACM Fan Jam, along with special guests Dierks Bentley, Hunter Hayes, and New Artist of the Year nominees Brantley Gilbert, Jana Kramer and Florida Georgia Line.

ACM Awards Executive Producer R.A. Clark revealed in a teleconference earlier this week that Reba will present a special tribute to his father, the late Dick Clark, by Garth Brook and George Strait. The two most recent ACM Artists of the Decade will perform together for the first time in honor of the elder Clark, who died last year.

Look for my ACM Awards preview Friday and my live blog of the show Sunday here on BAM’s Blog!

-BAM

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Video: Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan become “Bluke” for the ACM Awards

Oklahoma country music superstar Blake Shelton’s longstanding bromance with his “The Voice” co-star Adam Levine has competition: Shelton and Academy of Country Music Awards co-host Luke Bryan.

Shelton and Bryan even have a celebrity name “Bluke,” and country fans have been taking “FlatBluke,” a sort of “Flat Stanley” version of the pair, on the road and posting online snapshots of “FlatBluke” in famous spots.

“Being involved with these two guys over the last few months and then actually doing the promo shoot with them, anything can happen with these two guys,” said R.A. Clark, the show’s executive producer and son of the late Dick Clark, said with a laugh. “They have a great natural repartee. I’m so glad we have a 5-second delay because you’re never know what’s gonna happen with them.”

“For the record, RAC, I think it’s a little longer than 5 seconds,” added Jack Sussman, executive vice president for CBS specials and live programming.

He later revealed it’s an 8-second delay, and judging from these promo shots, they’re gonna need all 8 seconds for these two.

The 48^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday on CBS. Shelton, his wife Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Thompson Square, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Rascal Flatts are among the superstars with Oklahoma ties who have been nominated for ACM Awards.

In addition, Shelton, Lambert, Underwood and Garth Brooks have been confirmed as performers for the show, and Lambert and Reba McEntire, the show’s former longtime host, have been announced as presenters.

Look for my ACM Awards preview Friday and my live blog of the show Sunday here on BAM’s Blog!

-BAM

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Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Pistol Annies, Sheryl Crow, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley to kick off ACM Awards with Shelton’s new single “Boys ‘Round Here”

This morning, producers of the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards  participated in a conference call with several reporters – including yours truly – to announce several exciting performances on this year’s show, to be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday on the CBS Television Network. Oklahoma native Blake Shelton and fellow country superstar Luke Bryan will co-host the show.

Participating in the call were R.A. Clark, Executive Producer and son of the late Dick Clark, Bob Romeo, CEO of the Academy of Country Music and Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, CBS Specials and Live Programming.

The producers revealed that the show will open with Shelton and Bryan teaming with Shelton’s wife Miranda Lambert, Lambert’s Pistol Annies bandmates Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley, superstar singer/guitarist Brad Paisley and rocker Sheryl Crow. They will perform Shelton’s next single, “Boys ‘Round Here,” from his new album “Based on a True Story …”

In addition, Romeo announced this year’s ACM Lifting Lives Moment which will feature Jewel. She will perform a live mash-up of her chart-topping hit “Hands” combined with “Fill a Heart,” an original song written by singer/songwriter Tori Kelly.

Other call highlights include:

- Tim McGraw will perform “Highway Don’t Care” with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban

- Hunter Hayes will world premiere his new single “I Want Crazy,” and then be joined later by legendary music icon Stevie Wonder on an undisclosed classic from Wonder’s deep catalog.

- Kelly Clarkson will perform “Don’t Rush”

- Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley and Hunter Hayes will perform together live from ACM Fan Jam

- Country superstar and Oklahoma native Reba will introduce the duet of Texas troubadour (and her former tour mate) George Strait and fellow Oklahoman Garth Brooks. As previously reported, Strait and Brooks will perform together for the first time ever to pay tribute to Dick Clark. Each will perform a version of one of their classic hits and then join together for a very special joint performance.

Other previously reported performers include Checotah native Carrie Underwood and fellow superstars Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town and The Band Perry.

Look for more news from the teleconference in my ACM Awards preview running Friday.

-BAM

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Video: Vince Gill pays tribute to George Strait as part of “Sixty for Sixty”

Country music’s biggest stars and fans are helping to make history by joining the “Sixty For Sixty” movement (#60for60), which celebrates George Strait as he approaches the 60th No. 1 single of his career with “Give It All We Got Tonight,” before his 61st birthday on May 18.

“Sixty For Sixty” first started on Valentine’s Day when fans rallied together on Strait’s Twitter and Facebook pages encouraging local country radio to meet the challenge and spin the record. It appears their efforts have paid off as “Give It All We Got Tonight” is the fastest certified gold single of Strait’s career and currently sits in the top 15 on the country radio charts. It is the first single from his forthcoming album, due for release in late spring.

As a tribute to Strait’s incredible career that includes more No. 1 singles than any artist in history, in any genre, fellow country music artists including Oklahoma native Vince Gill, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Josh Turner, Darius Rucker, among others, have joined the “Sixty For Sixty” movement, posting tributes to Strait on YouTube.

By visiting www.sixtyforsixty.com, fans can learn how they can help the movement using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The website will continuously update as more artists, celebrities, and fans join this movement for “King George.”

With more than 68 million albums sold, Strait has influenced and inspired country music, fellow artists and fans for more than 32 years. His current two-year final U.S. tour, “The Cowboy Rides Away Tour,” recently debuted in the No. 1 slot of Pollstar’s “Concert Pulse,” topping Justin Bieber, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Dave Matthews Band, and The Who. So far, the Texas troubadour has sold out 16 venues on the 2013 leg of “The Cowboy Rides Away Tour” within minutes, including record-breaking attendance figures in Knoxville, Tenn., Lexington, Ky., and in upcoming San Antonio and Houston markets.

To read my review of Strait’s Oklahoma City stop on the farewell tour, click here. And check out Gill’s “Sixty For Sixty” video:

-BAM

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