Heidi Newfield Leads List of BMI ACM Award Nominees
The Academy of Country Music announced nominees for the organization’s 44th annual awards Wednesday, February 11 in Nashville, and BMI artists, songwriters, and producers decisively populate category after category.Heidi Newfield leads the pack of BMI nominees, underscoring the success of her solo debut with five nominations, including top female vocalist, and single and song of the year for “Johnny & June.” Jamey Johnson garnered a resounding four nominations, including top new male vocalist and song and single of the year nods for his co-written hit “In Color,” off his Grammy-nominated That Lonesome Song album. The nominations mark Johnson’s first as an artist; he won the song of the year trophy in 2006 for co-penning George Strait’s chart-topper “Give It Away.”
Heidi Newfield
Jamey Johnson
Carrie Underwood earned yet another prestigious career first: She counts an entertainer of the year nod among her three nominations, which also feature top female vocalist and video of the year taps. Keith Urban also boasts three nominations. In addition to vying with Underwood for the entertainer of the year crown, he counts top male vocalist and vocal event of the year nods among his nomination tally. Perennial favorites Brooks and Dunn secured a top vocal duo nomination along with a vocal event of the year nod for “Cowgirls Don’t Cry,” which coincidentally also snagged individual nominations for Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks as producers of the song. Producer Tony Brown garnered three nominations as well, including a pick for producer of the year.
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Little Big Town, the Lost Trailers, Jake Owen, and video director Trey Fanjoy all garnered two nominations each. Singer-songwriter James Otto also earned two nods for top new male vocalist and song of the year as co-writer Jamey Johnson’s “In Color.” Hit songwriter Lee Thomas Miller contributed two compositions in the song of the year ranks: The third co-writer of Johnson’s “In Color,” Miller also co-penned Trace Adkins’ hit “You’re Gonna Miss This.” Additional song of the year nominee composers include Stephony Smith for “Johnny & June,” Wynn Varble for Brad Paisley’s “Waitin’ on a Woman,” and Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell, and Wade Kirby for George Strait’s “I Saw God Today.”
Fans will vote for top new male vocalist, top new female vocalist, and top new vocal duo at GACTV.com, where the polls will open Friday, February 13 and close Thursday, March 5. The winners in each of the three categories will be announced on March 9 and will then proceed to compete in a new ACM category, Top New Artist.
The Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony is slated for Sunday, April 5 at 8 p.m. EST. for more information and a complete list of nominees, please visit http://www.acmcountry.com target=”_blank”>www.acmcountry.com.
2009 BMI ACM Nominees
Entertainer of the Year
Keith Urban
Carrie Underwood
Top Male Vocalist
Toby Keith
Keith Urban
Top Female Vocalist
Miranda Lambert
Heidi Newfield
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Top Vocal Group
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts
Randy Rogers Band
The Lost Trailers
Top Vocal Duo
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
Top New Male Vocalist
Jamey Johnson
James Otto
Jake Owen
Top New Female Vocalist
Sarah Buxton
Ashton Shepherd
Top New Vocal Duo or Group
Eli Young Band
The Lost Trailers
Zac Brown Band
Single Record of the Year
[Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
“Gunpowder & Lead”
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke (Columbia)
“In Color”
Jamey Johnson
Produced by The Kent Hardley Playboys (Mercury)
“Johnny & June”
Heidi Newfield
Produced by Tony Brown (Asylum-Curb)
Song of the Year [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
“I Saw God Today”
Composers: Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell, Wade Kirby
Publishers: Big Red Toe Music (BMI), Blind Mule Music (BMI), Extremely Loud
Music (BMI), Steel Wheels Music (BMI)
“In Color”
Jamey Johnson
Composers: Jamey Johnson, LeeThomas Miller, James Otto
Publishers: Big Gassed Hitties (BMI), Eldorotto Music Publishing (BMI), EMI Blackwood
Music, Inc., Lucky Thumb Music (BMI), New Song of Sea Gayle (BMI), Noah’s Little Boat Music (BMI)
“Johnny & June”
Heidi Newfield
Composers: Heidi Newfield, Stephony Smith
Publishers: Big Hit Makers Music (BMI), Rainy Graham Publishing LLC (BMI)
“Waitin’ On A Woman”
Composers: Wynn Varble (co-writer)
Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
“You’re Gonna Miss This”
Composers: Lee Thomas Miller (co-writer)
Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI), Noah’s Little Boat Music
(BMI), Songs of Sea Gayle (BMI)
Video of the Year
[Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
“Johnny & June”
Heidi Newfield
“Just A Dream”
Carrie Underwood
“Love Story”
Taylor Swift
Director: Trey Fanjoy
“Troubadour”
Director: Trey Fanjoy
Vocal Event of the Year
[Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
“Another Try”
Josh Turner
(MCA Nashville)
“Cowgirls Don’t Cry”
Brooks & Dunn
Produced by Kix Brooks, Tony Brown, and Ronnie Dunn (Arista Nashville)
“Life In A Northern Town”
Sugarland Featuring Little Big Town & Jake Owen
(Mercury)
“Start A Band”
Featuring Keith Urban
(Arista Nashville)
Producer of the Year
Nathan Chapman
Tony Brown
Top Bass Player of the Year
Dave Hungate
Larry Paxton
Mike Brignardello
Top Fiddle Player of the Year
Aubrey Haynie
Joe Spivey
Jonathan Yudkin
Larry Franklin
Rob Hajacos
Top Guitarist of the Year
Brent Mason
J.T. Corenflos
Kenny Greenberg
Top Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year
Gordon Mote
John Hobbs
Tony Harrell
Top Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year
Eric Darken
Randy Kohrs
Rob Ickes
Top Steel Guitar Player of the Year
Dan Dugmore
Mike Johnson
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