ACM nominees include Lambert, Shelton, Underwood, BOK Center, Hard Rock Tulsa, local radio and more

BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
2/13/13 at 12:44 PM


This year’s nominees for top Academy of Country Music Awards include several surprising Okies. That’s because they’re venues.

The BOK Center is nominated for Venue of the Year for a 2013 ACM award as it goes toe-to-toe with venues in Indiana, Ohio, New Hampshire and even the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Also, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa and WinStar World Casino in Thackerville both vie against venues in Las Vegas, California and Washington for Casino of the Year honors.

Also, last year’s reigning “king and queen” of country, husband and wife Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, each are nominated for Entertainer of the Year against Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Taylor Swift.

Shelton and Lambert won Male and Female Vocalist of the Year awards in 2012. Both are nominated in the same categories this year, too. Shelton fights against fellow Oklahoma native Toby Keith for the award, as well as Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Eric Church. Lambert defends her crown against Checotah beauty Carrie Underwood, as well as Martina McBride, Kacey Musgraves and Taylor Swift.

Lambert earned a total five nominations, including her second nomination for Entertainer of the Year and seventh consecutive nod for Female Vocalist of the Year. Lambert also was nominated for Single Record of the Year and twice nominated for Song of the Year, as artist and as composer for “Over You.”

Shelton earned three nominations total, including one with his wife for Song of the Year with “Over You.”

Other Oklahoma-tied acts include Miami husband-wife duo Thompson Square for Vocal Duo of the Year and New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year.

Underwood raked in a second nomination for Album of the Year with “Blown Away.”

Oklahoma City-raised Vince Gill is nominated for Vocal Event of the Year with singer Kelly Clarson for their duet of “Don’t Rush.” In the same category, Picher-tied Rascal Flatts is nominated with Natasha Bedingfield for “Easy.” Two local market radio stations were nominated for On-Air Personality of the Year, including Cash and Carey of KWEN-FM and Rowdy Yates, Sunny Leigh & Carly Rush of KVOO-FM.

Shelton and Bryan will host the awards show as it is broadcast live 7 p.m. April 7 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on the CBS network.

Again this year fans will help select Entertainer of the Year and New Artist of the Year categories. Voting starts March 25.

The Academy of Country Music’s professional membership selects the nominees and winners and selects the final top five nominees of the Entertainer of the Year category. New Artist of the Year final nominees were selected by a combined vote of the fans and professional members.

Presenters and performers will be announced soon.


Country Music Association Awards nominees

For a full list and to vote, visit tulsaworld.com/cmas

Entertainer of the Year

Miranda Lambert **
Blake Shelton **
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Taylor Swift

Male Vocalist of the Year

Toby Keith **
Blake Shelton **
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church

Female Vocalist of the Year

Miranda Lambert **
Carrie Underwood **
Martina McBride
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift

Vocal Duo of the Year

Thompson Square **
Big & Rich
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
Sugarland

Vocal Group of the Year

The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Zac Brown Band

New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year

Thompson Square **
Florida Georgia Line
Love & Theft

Album of the Year (Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company)

Blown Away, Carrie Underwood **
Chief, Eric Church
Red, Taylor Swift
Tailgates & Tanlines, Luke Bryan
Tornado, Little Big Town

Single Record of the Year (Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company)

Over You, Miranda Lambert **
Even If It Breaks Your Heart, Eli Young Band
Pontoon, Little Big Town
Springsteen, Eric Church
Wanted, Hunter Hayes

Song of the Year (Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s))

Over You, Miranda Lambert **
A Woman Like You, Lee Brice
Even If It Breaks Your Heart, Eli Young Band
Springsteen, Eric Church
Wanted, Hunter Hayes

Vocal Event of the Year

Don’t Rush, Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill **
Easy, Rascal Flatts Featuring Natasha Bedingfield **
Feel Like A Rock Star, Kenny Chesney (Duet With Tim McGraw)
Let It Rain, David Nail Featuring Sarah Buxton The Only Way I Know, Aldean With Luke Bryan & Eric Church

Casino of the Year (off-camera awards)

WinStar World Casino, Thackerville **
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tulsa **
Agua Caliente Casino, Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, Wash.
Red Rock Casino & Resort, Las Vegas

Venue of the Year

BOK Center, Tulsa **
Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Klipsch Music Center, Noblesville, Indiana
Meadowbrook, Gilford, N.H.
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tenn.

Fiddle Player of the Year

Joe Spivey (he plays with Vince Gill’s band, The Time Jumpers) **
Glen Duncan
Larry Franklin
Aubrey Haynie
Hank Singer

On-Air Personality of the Year, Medium Market

Cash and Carey, KWEN-FM Tulsa **
Rowdy Yates, Sunny Leigh & Carly Rush, KVOO-FM Tulsa **
Jack Ryan.WMYL-FM Knoxville, Tenn.
Party Marty Mitchell, WKMK-FM Monmouth, Ocean, N.J.
Tom and Becky, WBBS-FM Syracuse, N.Y.


Associated Images:

Image

The BOK Center back in February 2011. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World File



Copyright © 2013, Tulsa World All rights reserved.