At the ACM's last night, there were great performances, amazing outfits and oh, yeah - some awards were handed out.
Taylor Swift won Entertainer of the Year again this year, as she prepares to cut a new album: “You know, for me I’m always looking forward, and I’m always ahead at what’s next – and I’m writing my next record right now, as I have been for the last two years, but intensely writing my next record right now. I hope it’s good, keep your fingers crossed I would love it if it was good!” Taylor's date was to have been high schooler Kevin McGuire, who is a cancer patient, but he was hospitalized on Friday night and unable to attend. Taylor tweeted, “Please keep him in your thoughts. I’ll make it up to you, Kevin!”
Blake Shelton, co-host and winner of Male Vocalist, watched Dierks Bentley perform "Home" just before he won. Blake noted, “I was standing there listening to Dierks sing that song and the lyrics of that song...I really was thinking, ‘Man...’ That kinda fits where I’m at, you know what I mean? It has been a long time to get to this point for me and I’ve seen a lot of people come and go since I’ve started that passed me and had big hits and I was always the guy that was in the audience wondering what it takes to be that.” On his loss to Taylor in the Entertainer of the Year category, Blake said, “I think she deserves it. I don’t think I said I hope Taylor wins...cause I hoped I would win! But, I remember saying, Taylor deserves it...I mean, she truly does.”
Miranda Lambert won Female Vocalist and Album of the Year for "Four the Record." Her date to the show was her grandmother, and Miranda said, “Nonny had the best night ever. My grandmother is rockin’. She was like, ‘I’m not gonna go to the after parties, I’m going to the slots.’ I was like, ‘Ok!’” About the Album of the Year win, Miranda said, “I really did want this really bad. But, I’m good now. I don’t need to win another ACM ever. I love the ACMs. I love the industry. I’m so thankful. I don’t want to be greedy. I’m so thankful and humbled, but I do believe that a time comes where, for a certain awards, you pass the torch and I do believe I’m ready to do that.”
Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson won two awards for "Don't You Wanna Stay" - Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event. About the song, Jason says, “That song has been huge man for me and my career. I remember sitting around talking about who we wanted to get to sing on the song and she was the first person I came up with. The way that song worked out I’m really glad that it went the way it did because I don’t think it could have been any better. Once she came in and put her voice on it it really made the song take off.”
Eli Young Band seemed completely blown away by their win in the Song of the Year category. “With the success of ‘Crazy Girl’ our life has kinda changed for the better. I think everything we’ve been used to before this has been these baby steps of success. We’ve never gone backwards which is good – it’s always been forward movement. But this song gave us – we took the elevator this time!”
Lady Antebellum took home Vocal Group of the Year after a stripped-down performance of their latest song, "Dancin' Away With My Heart." About the ACM's Hillary Scott remembers their first one: “It was all so new to us. I think literally the second red carpet we’ve walked down. The ACM’s have just been so fantastic to us and all the people involved are really important and special to us. So we are always happy to come back.”
Thompson Square won in the Vocal Duo category, and were given the award on Saturday night as part of the ACM Salute to the Military show. Kiefer recounts their journey to success: “Two years ago today, we did our first showcase for radio. A year ago today, we had the number one song in country. So, it’s been three good years for us.”
Toby Keith won Video of the Year for "Red Solo Cup," and remembers that some of his friends didn't believe they were really filming a video: “They weren’t convinced until about halfway through the video shoot that we were really shooting a video – they thought we were doing an episode of Punk’d. They were going, ‘Alright at what point are you going to tell us this is fake.’ They really were hesitant and reluctant about buying into the thing until we got halfway through the video. Then they finally said, ‘Oh this is the real deal,’ they were all excited.”
Scotty McCreery won the fan-voted New Artist award, and has this to say about his fans: “They never cease to amaze me. They are wild – on Twitter they call themselves the McCreerians and they’re just insane man – they’ve been by my side since American Idol and they keep on coming out so I appreciate them.”
The surprise of the night was that the top nominee went home with no awards. Kenny Chesney went into the night with nine nominations but went 0-fer on the evening.
The song Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw sang last night is Kenny's next single. "Feel Like a Rock Star" is the first single off of "Welcome to the Fishbowl," due out June 19th.
Catch the probably still-astonished Eli Young Band on Jimmy Kimmel tonight.
Happy birthday to Country Music Hall of Famer Emmylou Harris, who turns 65 today.
The tweet of the day is from Justin Moore: "Seen Ashton kutcher at the acms tonight. What a douche! I don't care for people making a mockery of the way country artists' dress."
