Toby Keith (AP file)

Toby Keith will toast the arrival of 2012 with his “Red Solo Cup” as part of a nationally televised year-end bash.

The Oklahoma country music star will perform his popular party hit on the “American Country New Year’s Eve Live,” airing at 10 p.m. …

Rodney Carrington

Toby Keith

Multi-talented Tulsa comedian and actor Rodney Carrington will stay up late to host the biggest celebration of the year and ring in 2012 on “American Country New Year’s Eve Live,” airing at 10 p.m. Oklahoma time on Fox.

Carrington, and co-hosts Rick Harrison and Austin “Chumlee” Russell of the reality TV show “Pawn Stars,” will help count down to 2012 during the year-end party featuring some of country’s biggest and brightest musical stars.

Oklahoma country music star Toby Keith will perform his raucous party anthem and …

Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth

7:00 p.m.: Co-host Trace Adkins, dressed in his usual all black, is performing one of his past smashes, “Honkatonk Badonkadonk” while a group of female dancers shake theirs around him. Carrie Underwood is singing along in the crowd. “Now for something completely different,” he says as the dancers shimmy offstage and he starts crooning “Just Fishin’.” Now the dancers are back, the electric guitars are rocking again, and Trace is doing “Ladies Love Country Boys.” The ladies end by surrounding him like a harem, while …

From Monday’s Life section of The Oklahoman. To read my new feature with Kristin Chenoweth, click here.

Thompson Square competing for 7 American Country Awards
Other artists with Oklahoma ties nominated for the second annual ACAs include Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith.

Hot new duo Thompson Square are set to light up the second annual American Country Awards.

The husband-and-wife pair, which includes Miami, OK, native Keifer Thompson, will view for seven commemorative guitars, which are given in lieu of trophies at …

Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood was named the first-ever American Country Awards artist of the year tonight, as Fox debuted its fan-voted country music awards show live from Las Vegas.

The Checotah native earned five other prizes at the inaugural ACAs, including female artist of the year, touring artist of the year, album of the year for “Play On” and single and music of the year by a female artist for “Cowboy Casanova.” She was lucky in Vegas, winning all six awards for which she was nominated.

“I’d like to thank …

Carrie Underwood (Associated Press file photo)

Fox handed out its inaugural American Country Awards in rather convoluted fashion tonight in a show broadcast live at MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Vegas proved lucky for Checotah native Carrie Underwood, who went into the fan-voted ACAs with six nominations and came out perfect, winning six awards, including artist of the year.

Newcomer Easton Corbin and hot trio Lady Antebellum each earned a leading seven nominations. Corbin won three prizes, while Lady A earned four.

Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert and Josh Turner …

Trace Adkins, host of the inaugural American Country Awards

7:00 p.m.: The inaugural American Country Awards are starting with a skit, in which towering country star Trace Adkins refuses to wear meat chaps (a Lady Gaga joke that Brad Paisley already made at last month’s CMA Awards), declines to ride in a tiny car and looks for “trophy girls” with “Honky Tonk Badonkadonks.” Trace is saying he’s not going to do a monologue, adding “It’s a live show, what are they gonna do, fire me?” He’s introducing his pal Blake …

Carrie Underwood (Associated Press file photo)

The inaugural American Country Awards will be handed out tonight amid the dazzling neon of the Las Vegas strip, and many of Oklahoma’s brightest stars in the genre are set to do the shining.

The fan-voted American Country Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas at 7 tonight on Fox.

Several country music stars with Oklahoma ties are competing for, performing at or appearing on the first-ever American Country Awards.

Checotah native Carrie Underwood earned six nominations, including artist, …

Carrie Underwood

Miranda Lambert

From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.

Oklahoma stars to shine at inaugural American Country Awards

The inaugural American Country Awards will be handed out amid the dazzling neon of the Las Vegas strip, but many of Oklahoma’s brightest stars in the genre are set to do the shining.

The fan-voted American Country Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas at 7 p.m. Monday on Fox. Fans can still vote for the top prize, artist of the year, through Saturday …

Toby Keith

Oklahoma star power will shine at next month’s inaugural American Country Awards.

Norman resident Toby Keith, Chockie-born singer Reba McIntire, Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton and country group Rascal Flatts, which includes Joe Don Rooney of Picher, will play the Dec. 6 awards show, reports the Associated Press. Comedian Rodney Carrington,who lives in Tulsa, also will perform.

Other performers will include Josh Turner, Lady Antebellum, Laura Bell Bundy, Jewel and Bret Michaels.

The fan-voted show will take place Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and be …