To quote Hank Williams Jr.: "Are you ready for some football?"
Too soon? OK. How about "Are you ready for some country -- a lot of country -- in the fanciest football venue around?"
That's what's planned when CBS airs the Academy of Country Music Awards from 7 to 10 p.m. today. It's the 50th anniversary of the honors and the show will roll out live before a packed house at the $1.25 billion AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The 50,000 fans on hand will mean that this will be the largest live awards show ever staged. Tickets to the event sold out last spring in 18 minutes. Thank goodness for the stadium's giant video screen or those in the upper seats wouldn't be able to see co-hosts Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan.
Naturally, the Academy of Country Music is going whole hog with star power for the special occasion.
The academy's prestigious 50th Anniversary Milestone Award will be handed out to eight superstars: Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Reba, George Strait, Taylor Swift and Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn).
Aside: Note that Reba McEntire is so famous now that she goes by a single moniker. Have I ever told you about my half-hour lunch with Reba? She picked our table on a press tour a few years ago. We chatted about how they make sweet tea in her native Oklahoma. I'll save the details for another time.
At any rate, the gleaming Milestone Award Trophy was created by renowned jewelry and timepiece designer David Yurman. There will be no bedazzling necessary.
Sculpted out of more than 1,010 grams of sterling silver on a zinc base, the trophy features curved silver flutes rising to a Western hat edged with 4.16 carats of black diamonds. The band is 18k gold and it's all topped with black onyx with the numeral 50 inlaid in 18k gold.
The award recognizes artists who have advanced the popularity and acceptance of country music by accomplishing milestones unique to the Academy of Country Music. The awards were voted on by the academy's board of directors and are sure to be the new centerpieces on a few mantels after tonight.
Why these stars? Here's the Academy of Country Music's reasoning.
Brooks: Has won 21 ACM Awards, including six Entertainer of the Year trophies -- the most in the academy's history.
Chesney: Has received 11 ACM Awards, including four Entertainer of the Year trophies. In 2008, he became the first in academy history to be named Entertainer of the Year by the fans.
Lambert: The academy's most-awarded solo female artist has won 18. This year, Lambert leads with eight nominations.
Reba: Has earned 13 ACM Awards and is the academy's most awarded Female Vocalist of the Year of the past 50 years with seven awards.
Strait: The "king of country music" has 21 ACM Awards spanning four decades.
Swift: Has won two Entertainer of the Year awards and, at the tender age of 21, was the youngest in the academy's history.
Brooks & Dunn: The best-selling duo in country music history, they have won the most ACM Awards in the past 50 years with a total of 27.
Handing out a fancy award is one way to guarantee the big stars show up. Others will be on hand to sing. After all, there are three long hours to kill.
Scheduled to perform are Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Brooks, Chesney, Eric Church, Lambert, Reba, Florida Georgia Line, Strait, Keith Urban, Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett and Cole Swindell.
More? You hankerin' for more?
Also taking the stage will be Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, plus special duets by Christina Aguilera and surprise artists, as well as Nick Jonas with Dan + Shay.
Worth the price of admission will be a special reunion performance by Brooks & Dunn. This will be their first televised performance together since going their separate ways in 2010.
THE NOMINATIONS
Here are the nominations for several important categories, beginning with the most prestigious.
Entertainer of the Year: Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line.
Male Vocalist: Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton.
Female Vocalist: Brandy Clark, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Kacey Musgraves, Carrie Underwood.
Vocal Duo: Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Maddie & Tae, The Swon Brothers.
Vocal Group: Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, The Band Perry, Zac Brown Band.
New Artist: Brett Eldredge, Tyler Farr, Sam Hunt, Kip Moore, Thomas Rhett, Chase Rice, Cole Swindell, Dan + Shay.
Album of the Year: Old Boots, New Dirt, Jason Aldean; Pain Killer, Little Big Town; Platinum, Miranda Lambert; Riser, Dierks Bentley; The Outsiders, Eric Church.
Style on 04/19/2015