The 43nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

 

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Rascal Flatts

2008 Orange Carpet

Rascal Flatts at the 43rd Annual ACM Awards

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Carrie Underwood

2008 Show Highlights

Carrie Underwood at the 2008 ACM Awards

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Host Picks

Who will win at the 2008 ACM Awards?
Check out who your favorite GAC hosts have picked to take home trophies!

Entertainer of the Year
Bill Cody: Brad Paisley It’s as if fate has choreographed his personal life and musical career for this bright shining moment.
Storme Warren: Kenny Chesney
Suzanne Alexander: The fans vote, so it's anyone's game. But I'm still gonna go with Kenny Chesney. Big shows, big press & I think his fans may have this.
Nan Kelley: Kenny Chesney I love 'em all but I think the fans will pick Kenny. He continues to bring on the biggest tours with those sold-out shows.
Top Male Vocalist
Bill Cody: Brad Paisley I’m telling you, it’s his night!
Storme Warren: Brad Paisley
Suzanne Alexander: Goes to Brad. No wait, Keith Urban. No, Brad. Shoot, I think Keith! No, Brad!!
Nan Kelley: Keith Urban Tough call. It's going to come down to Brad and Keith, though Rodney has had a huge year! I think Keith will be the pick.
Top Female Vocalist
Bill Cody: Martina McBride She remains a vocal master!
Storme Warren: Carrie Underwood
Suzanne Alexander: I really think Carrie Underwood will hold on to her title — and I believe if she stays the course she's on, she'll be the winner here for the next 5 year or more!
Nan Kelley: Carrie Underwood Carrie's on a roll here and I think she'll grab it again.
Top Vocal Group
Bill Cody: Rascal Flatts They continue to live the dream to its fullest.
Storme Warren: Rascal Flatts
Suzanne Alexander: Rascal Flatts again.
Nan Kelley: Rascal Flatts What a line up! Truly, just to be nominated with the Eagles would be enough. Emerson Drive's had a stellar year with "Moments" and Little Big Town is really BIG to me, but I think the Academy will choose The Flatts.
Top Vocal Duo
Bill Cody: Sugarland Jennifer Nettles should be a female vocalist nominee, too. In reality, "Stay" may have been the vocal, video & live performance event of the year.
Storme Warren: Sugarland
Suzanne Alexander: Will it be Sugarland? They did it at the other awards show. But I think I'm gonna go with Brooks & Dunn. They had a big year again.
Nan Kelley: Sugarland With the success of "Stay," I think Jennifer and Kristian may bring it home!
Top New Male Vocalist
Bill Cody: Jack Ingram Jack’s song "Great Divide" says it best. “…and the skies gets wider and wider, today’s gonna be your day…”!
Storme Warren: Luke Bryan
Suzanne Alexander: Jack Ingram
Nan Kelley: Jack Ingram All three have had a great year. I think it might go to Jack, though.
Top New Female Vocalist
Bill Cody: Taylor Swift The sheer volume of sales numbers and 45 million MySpace hits say it all.
Storme Warren: Taylor Swift
Suzanne Alexander: Taylor Swift
Nan Kelley: Taylor Swift What a ride she is on — it's huge! Taylor's going to grab this one!
Top New Duo or Vocal Group
Bill Cody: Lady Antebellum No question, it’s Lady A. That’s what their hippest fans call them.
Storme Warren: Lady Antebellum
Suzanne Alexander: Lady Antebellum
Nan Kelley: Lady Antebellum Great sound — they are out of the gate and burnin' it up!
Album of the Year
Bill Cody: 5th Gear — Brad Paisley Mechanically speaking, 5th GEAR is also overdrive isn’t it? Please merge right. Brad’s passing everyone on the left (Produced by Frank Rogers; Arista Nashville)
Storme Warren: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend — Miranda Lambert (Columbia; Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke)
Suzanne Alexander: First can I say how happy I was to see Miranda and Taylor here! It's great for the format & for the female artists! With that said, I don't think they will take it this year, but I do believe Brad Paisley will with 5th Gear.
Nan Kelley: 5th Gear — Brad Paisley With "Ticks" and "Online," 5th Gear is it!
Single Record of the Year
Bill Cody: Stay — Sugarland Proving the simplicity of a gifted vocalist and a lone guitar, still gets it done. (Produced by Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore, Jennifer Nettles; Mercury)
Storme Warren: Don't Blink — Kenny Chesney (Produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney; BNA)
Suzanne Alexander: I'm going with "Stay" by Sugarland. Jennifer Nettles' performance on this song has been the most talked about that I've seen in a while.
Nan Kelley: Don't Blink — Kenny Chesney Great song, great sound!
Song of the Year
Bill Cody: Don't Blink — Kenny Chesney Truer words never spoken, or should I say, written. Touches you where you live. (Writers: Casey Beathard, Chris Wallin; Publishers: Lavender Zoo Music (BMI), Mama’s Dream Music (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Acuff Rose (BMI), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP))
Storme Warren: Moments — Emerson Drive (Writers: Dave Berg, Annie Tate, Sam Tate; Publishers: Gravitron (SESAC), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP))
Suzanne Alexander: This was such a well-written song, something that fans really identified with. So Rodney Atkins with "Watching You," congratulations!
Nan Kelley: Moments — Emerson Drive An amazing song. I'm touched everytime I hear it, though I know exactly how it goes!
Video of the Year
Bill Cody: Stay — Sugarland Yes! You go girl. Go ahead Jennifer, accept your Oscar, too. (Producer: Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore, Jennifer Nettles; Director: Shaun Silva)
Storme Warren: Online — Brad Paisley (Producer: Frames Per Second; Director: Jason Alexander)
Suzanne Alexander: This should go to Brad for "Online." It was a fun song, & bringing in the cast that he did was a bonus. If it loses? Sugarland with "Stay." I just had to cover my bases.
Nan Kelley: Stay — Sugarland "Online" is so entertaining, but "Stay" has moved so many people and was in the Top 5 for many weeks on the "Top 20."
Vocal Event of the Year
Bill Cody: What You Give Away — Vince Gill With Sheryl Crow Their sound really transcends how they feel, you can tell they truly believe what they're singing. As a listener, you share the emotion. (Produced by Vince Gill, John Hobbs, Justin Niebank; MCA Nashville)
Storme Warren: Find Out Who Your Friends Are — Tracy Lawrence with Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney
Suzanne Alexander: Everyone knows I'm a Reba fanatic, but as much as I love Reba, I think the voters are going with Tracy Lawrence. What an event to reunite 3 guys who started out together all those years ago. It's a great story.
Nan Kelley: Shiftwork — Kenny Chesney duet with George Strait Kenny with King George—tough to beat, but I love Vince and Sheryl Crow too! On the fence on this one.

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