The 9513 Previews the ACM Awards
It is difficult to imagine, but The 9513 was not even in existence at the time of last year’s Academy of Country Music Awards. The 9513 now includes five regular contributors who together represent a diversity of musical taste and opinion. Four of The 9513’s editors recently sat down to offer their predictions of this year’s winners in the ACM Awards’ on-camera categories.
This year’s picks aren’t as diverse as one might expect, primarily because everyone except Brody picked Carrie Underwood to win each of the five awards for which she is nominated. Other categories like Top Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Group or Duo seem to have very predicable outcomes. Much of this is due to the ACM’s excessive number of categories. Nominations for Diamond Rio and Lonestar in 2007 is a strong argument for merging the Vocal Group and Vocal Duo categories, and three separate awards for new artists seems superfluous and results in nominations for artists as unaccomplished as Chris Young and as veteran as Craig Morgan. Still, there are some intriguing questions: the editors disagree about whether Rascal Flatts will steal Entertainer of the Year from Kenny Chesney and if Keith Urban will successful defend his Top Male Vocalist crown. Check The 9513 on Tuesday night to find out; we’ll be updating live throughout the awards ceremony.
This year’s on-camera nominees:
Entertainer of the Year
- Brooks & Dunn
- Kenny Chesney
- Rascal Flatts
- George Strait
Top Male Vocalist
- Kenny Chesney
- Toby Keith
- Brad Paisley
- George Strait
- Keith Urban
Top Female Vocalist
- Sara Evans
- Faith Hill
- Miranda Lambert
- Martina McBride
- Carrie Underwood
Top Vocal Group
- Diamond Rio
- Emerson Drive
- Little Big Town
- Lonestar
- Rascal Flatts
Top Vocal Duo
- Big & Rich
- Brooks & Dunn
- Montgomery Gentry
- Sugarland
- The Wreckers
Top New Male Vocalist
- Rodney Atkins
- Craig Morgan
- Chris Young
Top New Female Vocalist
- Miranda Lambert
- Kellie Pickler
- Taylor Swift
Top New Vocal Duo or Group
- Heartland
- Little Big Town
- The Wreckers
Album of the Year
- Hillbilly Deluxe - Brooks & Dunn
- It Just Comes Natural - George Strait
- Me and My Gang - Rascal Flatts
- Some Hearts - Carrie Underwood
- These Days - Vince Gill
Single Record of the Year
- “Before He Cheats” - Carrie Underwood
- “Give It Away” - George Strait
- “I Loved Her First” - Heartland
- “What Hurts The Most” - Rascal Flatts
- “Would You Go With Me” - Josh Turner
Song of the Year
- “Amarillo Sky” - Jason Aldean. Written by John Rich, Big Kenny, Rodney Clawsen, Bart Pursley
- “Before He Cheats” - Carrie Underwood. Written by Chris Tompkins, Josh Kear
- “Give It Away” - George Strait. Written by Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson
- “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)” - Rodney Atkins. Written by Sam Tate, Annie Tate, Dave Berg
- “Would You Go With Me” - Josh Turner. Written by Shawn Camp, John Scott Sherill
Video of the Year
- “8th of November” - Big & Rich
- “Amarillo Sky” - Jason Aldean
- “Before He Cheats” - Carrie Underwood
- “Hillbilly Deluxe” - Brooks & Dunn
- “The Seashores of Old Mexico” - George Strait
Vocal Event of the Year
- “Building Bridges” - Brooks & Dunn with Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow
- “I Don’t Want To” - Ashley Monroe and Ronnie Dunn
- “Me and God” - Josh Turner featuring Dr. Ralph Stanley and Marty Roe, Dana Williams and Gene Johnson of Diamond Rio
- “Politically Uncorrect” - Gretchen Wilson featuring Merle Haggard
- “That’s How They Do It in Dixie” - Hank Williams Jr. with Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich and Van Zant
| Matt | Jim | Brody | Brady | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 9/13 | 8/13 | 6/13 | 7/13 |
| Entertainer of the Year |
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| Top Male Vocalist |
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| Top Female Vocalist |
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| Top Vocal Group | ![]() |
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| Top Vocal Duo | ![]() |
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| Top New Male Vocalist |
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| Top New Female Vocalist |
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| Top New Duo or Vocal Group |
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| Album of the Year |
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| Single Record of the Year |
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| Song of the Year | ![]() |
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| Video of the Year |
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| Vocal Event of the Year |
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May 13, 2007 at 1:18 pm Permalink
Are these the folks you’d pick to win, or the one’s you think will win? Or both?
May 13, 2007 at 1:26 pm Permalink
These are definitely just predictions, or in other words, who we think will win. Based on the voting criteria that the ACMs publish, however, I’m not sure the artists that “should” win would be much different. If we were voting based on our own personal criteria, I’m sure all of us would have some different picks.
May 13, 2007 at 1:41 pm Permalink
I definitly agree with you guys on Carrie Underwood winning all of those awards! She has come incredibly far in just a few years and I think she deserves them more than anyone else nominated!
May 13, 2007 at 2:13 pm Permalink
A Carrie Underwood fan heard from :) I just haven’t warmed to her yet, but obviously lots of folks have.
I do have her hit song memorized, whether I like it or not; you can’t listen to country music stations and not hear it a zillion times a day.
May 13, 2007 at 7:27 pm Permalink
Funny thing about dog shows. No matter who wins you ultimately just get a dog.
May 14, 2007 at 6:34 am Permalink
Craig Morgan isn’t even a new singer!!
May 14, 2007 at 7:17 am Permalink
I hear you Jenna, it seems like putting him in the new category takes a little bit away from the show’s credibility.
May 14, 2007 at 11:01 am Permalink
Becoming a duo seems like a good way to get nominated for awards.
May 14, 2007 at 11:29 am Permalink
I just feel like he should be getting nominated for bigger and better things. He’s been around since 2000 and even had song of the year in 2005..that was 2 years ago. Why is he in the new artist category?? I don’t understand!
May 14, 2007 at 1:14 pm Permalink
Craig’s inclusion is strange on the face of it, but actually does fit the criteria for the “New Artist” category, which seems to entirely miss the point of what a “new artist” is. Note the “or significantly greater recognition” part:
New Artist:
This award is presented to an outstanding individual male vocalist (herein called artist), female vocalist (herein called artist), duo or group featuring a vocalist (herein called “duo or group”) in the country music industry who gains either initial fame or significantly greater recognition through their efforts during the preceding calendar year. The artist, duo or group must have charted a single in the top 30 on Billboard or Radio & Records Country Airplay charts; and / or sold 100,000 album units reflected in Sound Scan during the qualifying period. The nominees shall be determined by a nomination ballot(s) and are subject to the approval of the board. The winner shall be determined by a vote of the membership of the ACM. An artist, duo or group may be a nominee in this category for two consecutive years. If an artist, duo or group is a winner in this category their first year on the ballot, they will not be eligible in this category for a second year.
May 14, 2007 at 1:44 pm Permalink
That’s the same kind of criteria that the CMA Horizon Award uses to justify things like Ray Charles’ nomination in 1985. Still, Craig’s nomination even fails the criteria that you cited. Craig’s success this year pales in comparision to the run he had with “That’s What I Love About Sunday.” Really a mystifying group of new male nominees this year. Think Trent Tomlinson feels snubbed?
May 14, 2007 at 2:10 pm Permalink
Does anyone remember Morgan’s single from the late 90s called “Something To Write Home About?”
New???
These are predictions. Not personal choices. If I had my way, Sugarland would win everything.
May 14, 2007 at 2:30 pm Permalink
Jenna - while we’re talking about artists who deserve awards nods, how about Trace Adkins for Male Vocalist? I wouldn’t call myself a “fan” of his, but surely he’s had a bigger year than Paisley or the King.
May 14, 2007 at 2:51 pm Permalink
There ought to be a clause in there, maybe something tying it to first appearance on a Billboard chart (which for Craig would be 2000).
May 14, 2007 at 4:30 pm Permalink
Oh, yes, Trace should definitely be on the list somewhere. He is absolutely amazing. And I agree with Matt, Trent Tomlinson should have been in the new artist category, i think he is fantastic, especially “One Wing In The Fire.”
May 14, 2007 at 6:56 pm Permalink
i just thought the little face pictures were cute, hi brody :)
May 14, 2007 at 8:32 pm Permalink
ohmygod. this is the face of country music…If Taylor Swift wins I think I will shoot my television. At least Miranda Lambert, George and Brad are up there. Thank God. And at least Carrie Underwood can really sing. I don’t care for the songs too much, but her vocals are undeniable…unlike Kenny Chesney, who’s success baffles me more than I can say. And calling Sugarland a “duo” is about as authentic as calling Rascal Flatts a “band”!! Sugarland is a solo act, and she sure can sing…
I actually like Rodney as well. want to hear more from him!
And Brody, I love what you’ve done with the mag…
Ashley Monroe is amazingly talented…
ok, thats my thoughts…
May 14, 2007 at 8:42 pm Permalink
Hi Vanessa!
Harley, thanks for browsing around the blog and leaving your thoughts. Also, I have a lot of help (Brady, Matt, Jim, and Jenna) keeping things running. I’d say those guys come up with the bulk of quality content, I just post in bigger quantities since I’m in charge of news roundups :P
May 14, 2007 at 9:15 pm Permalink
That’s interesting calling Sugarland a solo act rather than a duo. No doubt, Nettles is as charismatic as they come today. She might have blown Frank Sinatra off the stage or at least held her own. That’s not “what’sisnamethemandolinplayer’s” fault. She’s just huge, him, not so much.
I gotta believe he pulls his weight. They ditched the woman they started with and never looked back. Nettles could do the same here, but hasn’t. I really don’t want to believe the third member was ditched because she’s a lesbian.
May 15, 2007 at 12:29 pm Permalink
Funk: Kristen Hall on Why She Left the Band Sugarland
May 15, 2007 at 1:23 pm Permalink
It’s a shame Kristen left so soon, for whatever reason. First because the second Sugarland album was a disappointment, and second because she really could have had a positive impact on country music’s attitude toward homosexuals.
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