Rockie Lynne Photo Courtesy of Universal South

What's it like to attend the ACM Awards for the first time? New artist Rockie Lynne is going to let you in on the experience! Rockie, whose first single, "Lipstick," has topped the singles charts, has just released his self-titled debut album on Universal South. Now he's heading to Vegas as GAC's special correspondent. Rockie will keep a daily journal--exclusively for GAC--chronicling all of the sights, sounds and stars surrounding The 41st Annual ACM Awards Show.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Hello again everyone:

What an honor it is for GAC to allow me once again to give you a first timer’s impression of a major event. The ACM awards!

I love country music.I have been a fan of country music my entire life. First and foremost, I am a fan--just like you. I grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry and watching award shows on television--just like you.

I can clearly remember watching Alabama as they won the ACM Award for Entertainer Of The Year. I am from the Carolinas--where they were discovered playing in a small club in Myrtle Beach--it planted a seed of hope that I might someday be able to go to the show myself.

The Academy of Country Music Award are being held at the MGM Grand in Vegas!And what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...Look out Storme, I am watching you!

Seriously, I hope to be able to bring a fan's perspective of the inner workings of ACM week. I am going to try to give you a backstage glimpse of what happens behind the curtain and take you to places that we only dreamed we could go. Activities will include the motorcycle ride on Sunday, the concert following the ride, some recreational activities and of course, on the day of the show, I will show you what I see on the Orange Carpet (formerly known as the Red Carpet) and the Awards show, as well.

Thanks for logging on to my ACM blog. I can’t wait to share this special week with you! Love -- Rockie

Rockie Lynne with Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry in Las Vegas for the 2006 ACM Awards Show!

Photo Courtesy of Universal South

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Hey gang...you know the great thing about ordering a Double Tall Nonfat Latte at Starbucks in Las Vegas at 6:00 a.m. ? No line! None. Notta A Latte people up at 5:45 in the morning at the MGM grand in Las Vegas ! There were a few mega million jackpot slot machine junkies still barely hanging on to the handle just before the sun came exploding over the Stratosphere bringing another day of one hundred degree excess and joy, but by and large I was alone. Just four short hours ago these walkways were jammed with country music superstars, agents, managers, fans and one really blonde lady with daisy duke shorts and really, really large ... hmm...shoes. Yeah she had big shoes. Just going into my room last night I passed Aaron Tippin standing in the middle of the lobby, Jamie O'Neal visiting with a young man named Brian in a wheel chair, Buddy Jewell signing autographs by the fountain and Storme Warren in a Speedo hanging from a chandelier smoking a cigar and singing "Oh Lonesome Me" at the top of his lungs (just kidding). Did I mention she had really big shoes?

Today is the first day of the festivities for the ACM Awards in Las Vegas , Nevada . My day actually started yesterday in Detroit Michigan a t the Motown Hoedown sponsored by Tim Roberts, Ron Chapman and all of the folks at WYCD --a big shout out to Mia and all of her team for their assistance. There were great shows by Shurman, The Forbes Brothers, Danielle Peck, Eric Church, Tracy Byrd, Clay Walker and ME.

I finished my show, caught a late flight and arrived several hours ahead of my luggage in Las Vegas. Checked in to my hotel, took a nap and woke up early to get ready for the ACM Motorcycle Ride.

My Harley Davidson Dyna-Wide Glide was brought down from Minnesota (where I live) by my friends Gregg Schmitt and Randy Vaughn. Gregg is the co-founder and Randy is a 'ride captain' for my own ride called "Tribute to the Troops." www.tributetothetroops.org

It was a joy to be able to ride my own motorcycle and I was grateful that they were able to bring it out for me. For those artists who did not have their own bikes out here, Ricky Kelly of Cool Springs Harley Davidson provided a tractor trailer load of incredible machines for us to ride. Before the start of the ride, Troy and Eddie gave a pep talk about safety and thanked everyone for coming. The ride left from the Las Vegas Harley Davidson shop ( where it was about a hundred degrees) and went to the top of a mountain ( where there was snow and it was around forty degrees) then back down the mountain to Freemont street where we all got to play a couple songs each for about four thousand people. It was amazing! The lady with the big shoes was everywhere, and apparently she has a sister! The ride was a huge success and a lot of money was raised for music charities and everyone was safe.

I was able to catch several of the artists at the concert. Montgomery Gentry kicked it off with a huge bang. Little Big Town was amazing! Their harmonies blow me away! It is so reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac but with a country feel that is so uniquely their own. Shannon Lawson played two great acoustic songs all by himself. I did my thing, then Brian McComas kicked a**. Trent Tomlinson rocked the house with his own style of kid rock meets David Allen Coe country. Trent Willmon is an awesome singer and he closed the show. I missed some of the shows in the middle but I'm sure it was awesome.

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. Thanks for checking in. Love -- Rockie

Rockie Lynne with GAC host Suzanne Alexander on the Orange Carpet at the 2006 ACM Awards Show.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

50 million Elvis fans can't be wrong. Today, Elvis fans in Las Vegas, together with music fans from all over the world, came together at the MGM Grand and crowned country music King. The pageantry and spectacle that is the Academy Of Country Music Awards actually begins many months before on the planning table of ACM president Bob Romeo and his surprisingly small team of incredibly talented people.

Thousands of hours of hard work, hundreds of false starts and millions of headaches will air live in front of the whole world as a seemingly effortless three hours of music, conversation and fun. It is not! If I had a hat, it would be off to the folks at the Academy for taking an impossible task and pulling it off like the true champions they are. Yay for them!

My alarm went off at five a.m. this morning. As much as I want you to believe that I can operate at my highest level with only two hours of sleep, I cannot. My best laid plans to work out were completely trashed for one more hour of sleep. Sooo........

My alarm went off at six a.m. Thirty-five radio stations were set up and ready to interview all of us at 8:00 a.m. As much as I needed to get up and shower and prepare to be brilliant on the air, something possessed my right arm, unplugged the alarm and threw it across the room!

... Who knew those things had batteries? I reluctantly got up at 7:00 a.m.. The evil alarm clock sat uninjured on the sofa in my suite having a cup of tea and mocking my every move toward the shower (o.k. a little melodramatic, but he was having a cup of tea.)

I'm early for life, so I was in the lobby waiting for my friend, amazing singer and labelmate Joe Nichols (late for life) at 7:45. Shortly after 8:00 we went to the radio round robin. We saw a bunch of our radio friends and spent some time visiting on the air with you. It was wonderful. The radio guys were in much worse shape than me. I don't drink. Deejays occasionally have a cocktail or two.

After the radio seminar and lunch, time for the orange carpet. I always thought it was called a red carpet, but that must be an old school thing because the "Walk the Line" premiere was black (probably for 'man in black') and the ACM carpet is orange. (probably for 'man in orange'?) All of us newcomers go first. It is very exciting.

The really big difference for me between the CMAs (for which I also blogged) and the ACMs is that I now know the participants. Last time I was so caught up in the spectacle of it all. It was so overwhelming to just be present, I hardly noticed little other than the peripheri. This time I got much more of the sense of camaraderie.

The schedules that folks with record deals keep is so demanding that we seldom have the opportunity to see each other with any time to visit at all. The award shows are kind of like a family reunion. Even though this was my first ACMs and I have only been at the table for a year or so, I knew most of the nominees, presenters and participants. I was really happy to see their success and watch my friends' dreams come true .

Thanks to GAC for allowing me to write this blog. I am so proud to be a part of this amazing network.

See you soon.

Love, Rockie