Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 2 March 2018
Chris Stapleton leads ACM nominations, Reba returns as host

By KRISTIN M. HALL woke up to a flurry of text Carly Pearce, Luke Combs,
Associated Press messages Thursday, but Devin Dawson and Russell
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — otherwise it was a typical Dickerson.
Chris Stapleton, who re- morning for the family. Also included in the album
leased two top-selling al- "I got Ada out of her bed of the year category, Little
bums last year, leads the and told Lauren that I had Big Town earned a nomina-
Academy of Country Music six nominations and she said tion for "Breaker," Jon Pardi
Awards with eight nomina- 'Congrats babe' and then got a nod for "California
tions, including his first en- we went and changed a Sunrise" and Old Dominion
tertainer of the year nomi- diaper," Rhett said. scored a nomination for
nation. Rhett said he was surprised their second album, "Hap-
Reba McEntire announced to have won male vocalist py Endings."
the nominations Thursday last year, so he was grateful In the song of the year cat-
on "CBS This Morning" as to see his name in the cate- egory, only four nominees
well as her return as host gory again this year, along- were selected instead of
for a record 15th year. The side Aldean, Stapleton, Ur- five. Those include Hunt's
show will air April 15 from ban and Chris Young. big smash "Body Like a
Las Vegas on CBS. "I have been off the road Back Road," which broke
Thomas Rhett earned six since November, just trying the record for the most In this July 18, 2017, file photo, Chris Stapleton performs on NBC's
"Today" show at Rockefeller Plaza in New York.
nominations, Keith Urban to take a break and figure weeks atop the Billboard Associated Press
had five nominations, and out this whole dad thing," Hot Country chart, Lam-
songwriter and producer Rhett said. "So there was bert's "Tin Man" and "Fe- 2015 "Traveller" record. "Better Man," ''Body Like a
Shane McAnally had five a time there I was like, 'I male" by Urban. Stapleton's In the single record of the Back Road," ''Drinkin' Prob-
nods. Miranda Lambert think the world is just forget- "Whiskey and You" was a year category, nominees lem" by Midland and "I'll
and Maren Morris had four ting who I am.' So to have surprise inclusion because it include Stapleton for "Bro- Name the Dogs," by Blake
nominations each. The top these nominations was a was an album cut from his ken Halos," Little Big Town's Shelton.q
category of entertainer of nice surprise during an off-
the year was an all-male season for me."
line-up including Staple- Urban earned nominations
ton, Urban, Jason Aldean, in the categories of male
Garth Brooks and Luke Bry- vocalist, song of the year
an. for his song "Female" and
McEntire, who recently vocal event of the year.
took on the role as the first Lambert, a perennial fa-
female Colonel Sanders for vorite at the ACMs, is the
KFC advertisements, has current record holder for
hosted the awards show most consecutive wins in
more than anyone, dating the female vocalist of the
back to 1986. She has co- year category and is cur-
hosted the show with Hank rently tied with Brooks and
Williams Jr., Alan Jackson Dunn as artists with the
and Blake Shelton, and most awards in ACM history
hosted solo for several with 29 wins each. Lambert
years. McEntire is also nomi- is nominated in female vo-
nated for female vocalist of calist, song of the year and
the year. video of the year catego-
Stapleton is nominated ries.
twice as an artist and pro- Morris is nominated for fe-
ducer for album of the year male vocalist and is nomi-
for his "From A Room: Vol- nated twice in the vocal
ume 1" and single record event of the year category,
of the year for "Broken Ha- once with Rhett and anoth-
los." He's also nominated as er for a duet with Vince Gill
artist and songwriter in the called "Dear Hate," which
song of the year category was released after the
for "Whiskey and You." He mass shooting at a Las Ve-
is also nominated for male gas country music festival
vocalist of the year. last year.
Rhett's nominations include Other nominees for female
album of the year for "Life vocalist include Kelsea
Changes" and male vocal- Ballerini and Carrie Under-
ist of the year, which he wood, who is also nomi-
won last year. He is also nated for vocal event with
nominated for vocal event Urban for their song "The
of the year with Morris for Fighter."
their duet "Craving You" Sam Hunt, Little Big Town
and music video of the and Midland all have three
year. nominations each. First
Rhett, who has two daugh- time nominees this year
ters with his wife Lauren in- include Midland, LANCO,
cluding his youngest Ada High Valley, Runaway
who was born last year, June, Danielle Bradbery,