Toby Keith Leads ACM Nominations With Six
BMI singer/songwriter Toby Keith got a resounding answer to the musical question "How Do You Like Me Now?!" when nominees were unveiled for the 36th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Angeles (2/27). Keith received six nominations including Top Male Vocalist, Album of the Year for How Do You Like Me Now?!, Single and Song of the Year for "How Do You Like Me Now?!," and Video of the Year for "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This." He also is up for the prestigious Entertainer of the Year trophy, his first appearance in that category.
 Toby Keith |  Dixie Chicks |  Faith Hill |
In addition to Keith, five other BMI writers were recognized with Song of the Year nominations: "How Do You Like Me Now?!" co-writer Chuck Cannon, Harley Allen for "The Little Girl," David Malloy and Don Cook for "One Voice," and Tia Sillers for "I Hope You Dance." (Sillers' smash was named Best Country Song at last week's Grammy Awards and was named both Single and Song of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards in October.)
ACM reigning female vocalist Faith Hill received a total of four nods, including Top Female Vocalist, Video of the Year for "The Way You Love Me," Vocal Event for her collaboration with husband Tim McGraw on "Let's Make Love," and Entertainer of the Year.
BMI double nominees are Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Dixie Chicks, Don Cook, Sara Evans, David Malloy, Tim McGraw and Mark Wright.
The Vocal Group award returns as a separate category this year after being consolidated with the Vocal Duo category in 1997. Five-time group winner Alabama will compete with Dixie Chicks, Lonestar and Diamond Rio. The Judds, the ACM's Vocal Duo of the Year from 1984-1990, also are back as nominees in that category for the first time since 1991.
The ACM Awards will be carried live May 9 on CBS.
Academy of Country Music Awards' BMI Nominees
Entertainer of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Dixie Chicks
Faith Hill
Toby Keith
Top Female Vocalist
Sara Evans
Faith Hill
Martina McBride
Top Male Vocalist
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Top Vocal Duo
Brooks & Dunn
The Judds
The Kinleys
Montgomery Gentry
The Warren Brothers
Vocal Group of the Year
Alabama
Diamond Rio
Dixie Chicks
Lonestar
Top New Male Vocalist
Keith Urban
Top New Vocal Duet/Group
Clark Family Experience
Rascal Flatts
Video of the Year (Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist)
"Goodbye Earl" -- Dixie Chicks
"The Way You Love Me" -- Faith Hill; Producer: Faith Hill
"When It All Goes South" -- Alabama
"You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" -- Toby Keith
Album of the Year (Award to Artist/Producer(s)/Record Company)
How Do You Like Me Now?! -- Toby Keith; Producers: James Stroud and Toby Keith (DreamWorks Records)
I Hope You Dance -- Producer: Mark Wright (MCA Nashville)
One Voice -- Producers: Don Cook, Blake Chancey and David Malloy (Epic Records)
Single Record of the Year (Award to Artist/Producer(s)/Record Company)
"How Do You Like Me Now?!" -- Toby Keith; Producers: James Stroud and Toby Keith (DreamWorks Records)
"I Hope You Dance" -- Producer: Mark Wright (MCA Nashville)
"Kiss This" -- Aaron Tippin; Producers: Aaron Tippin, Biff Watson (Lyric Street Records)
"The Little Girl" -- John Michael Montgomery; Producers: Buddy Cannon, Norro Wilson and John Michael Montgomery (Atlantic )
"There Is No Arizona" -- Producer: Keith Stegall (Mercury Records)
Song of the Year (Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist)
"How Do You Like Me Now?!" -- Toby Keith
- Composers: Toby Keith and Chuck Cannon
- Publishers: Tokeco Tunes and Wacissa River Music Inc. (BMI)
"I Hope You Dance"
- Composer: Tia Sillers
- Publishers: Choice Is Tragic Music and Ensign Music Corporation (BMI)
"The Little Girl" -- John Michael Montgomery
- Composer: Harley L. Allen
- Publisher: Coburn Music Inc.
"One Voice"
- Composers: David Malloy and Don Cook
- Publishers: Starstruck Angel Music Inc., Malloy's Toys Music, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Don Cook Music (BMI)
Vocal Event of the Year (Award to Artist/Producer)
"Buy Me a Rose" -- Alison Krauss, Billy Dean
"I Hope You Dance" -- Producer: Mark Wright
"Let's Make Love" -- Faith Hill w/Tim McGraw; Producers: Byron Gallimore and Faith Hill
"Murder on Music Row" -- Producer: Tony Brown
"That's the Beat of a Heart" -- Warren Brothers featuring Sara Evans
BMI's ACM Instrumentalist Nominees
Final nominees in the Instrumentalist categories for the 36th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards were announced recently. Winners in these musican categories will be declared about two weeks prior to the Wednesday, May 9 awards broadcast on CBS.
Fiddle
Stuart Duncan
Aubrey Haynie
Mark O'Connor
Steel Guitar
Bill Johnson
Jay Dee Maness
Guitar
Brent Mason
Jimmy Olander
Keyboards
John Hobbs
Specialty Instrument
Jerry Douglas -- Dobro
Jimmy Henley -- Banjo
Gene Johnson -- Mandolin
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