OFF-CAMERA NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 45th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

OFF-CAMERA NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 45th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

NEW YORK, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Academy of Country Music is announcing nominations for the following categories, which, due to time constraints, will not be televised during the 45th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS:

MUSICIAN/BANDLEADER/INSTRUMENTALIST (MBI) AWARDS
(MBI awards are presented to honorees at "ACM Honors," an annual event
held in Nashville in the fall.)

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
--------------------
Buddy Cannon
Nathan Chapman
Dann Huff
Frank Liddell
Frank Rogers

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
--------------------------
Ben Fowler
Steve Marcantonio
Justin Niebank
Ed Seay
Clarke Schleicher

TOP BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
---------------------------
Dennis Crouch
Mike Brignardello
Mark Hill
Michael Rhodes
Jimmie Lee Sloas

TOP PERCUSSIONIST/DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
-------------------------------------
Eddie Bayers
Mark Beckett
Chad Cromwell
Shannon Forrest
Chris McHugh

TOP GUITARIST OF THE YEAR
-------------------------
Pat Buchannan
J.T. Corenflos
Kenny Greenberg
Brent Mason
Bryan Sutton

TOP FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
-----------------------------
Stuart Duncan
Larry Franklin
Rob Hajacos
Deanie Richardson
Jonathan Yudkin

TOP PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
-------------------------------------
Tim Akers
John Hobbs
Charles Judges
Steve Nathan
Michael Rojas

TOP SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR
----------------------------------------------
Nashville String Machine
Randy Scruggs
Bryan Sutton
Ilya Toshinsky
Jonathan Yudkin

TOP STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
-----------------------------------
Bruce Bouton
Paul Franklin
Mike Johnson
Gary Morse
Russ Pahl

INDUSTRY AWARDS
(Industry awards are presented to honorees at "ACM Honors," an annual
event held in Nashville in the fall.)

VENUE OF THE YEAR
-----------------
BOK Center - Tulsa, OK
Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion - Gilford, NH
Sommet Center -Nashville, TN (effective March 2, 2010, this venue was
renamed the Bridgestone Arena)
Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO
Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion - Raleigh, NC

NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR
---------------------
Billy Bob's Texas - Ft. Worth, TX
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace - Bakersfield, CA
Cotton Eyed Joe - Knoxville, TN
George's Majestic Lounge - Fayetteville, AR
Wild Bill's - Duluth, GA

CASINO OF THE YEAR
------------------
Agua Caliente Casino - Rancho Mirage, CA
Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa and Casino - Las Vegas, NV
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel - Prior Lake, MN
Peppermill Casino - Wendover, NV
WinStar World Casino - Thackerville, OK

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR
----------------------------------
Todd Boltin - Variety Attractions, Inc.
Jimmy Jay - Jayson Promotions, Inc.
Gary Osier - Gary Osier Presents
David Snowden - Triangle Talent, Inc.
Suzanne Wilson - Wilson Events, Inc.

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
--------------------
Brad Garett - Police Productions
Ali Harnell - AEG/The Messina Group
Darin Lashinsky - Outback Concerts of TN, Inc.
Brian O'Connell - LiveNation
John Ruffino - Red Mountain Entertainment

RADIO AWARDS
(NOTE: Radio awards nominees were previously announced. Winners will
be presented awards at a reception in Las Vegas on Saturday, April
17, prior to the ACM Award telecast.)

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR - NATIONAL
-----------------------------------------
Blair Garner After MidNite with Blair Garner
Cody Alan CMT Radio Live with Cody Alan
Crook & Chase Crook and Chase Countdown
Kix Brooks American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks
Lia The Lia Show

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR - MAJOR MARKET
---------------------------------------------
KNIX-FM (Phoenix, AZ) Ben Campbell & Matt McAllister
KSON-FM (San Diego, CA) Cliff & Company: Cliff, Morgan, Tanner
and Tori
KYGO-FM (Denver, CO) Kelly Ford & Rider
WIL-FM (St. Louis, MO) The Cornbread Show featuring: Cornbread,
Pat James, Annie Henson, Harry Schroeder,
Mac Douglas
WSOC-FM (Charlotte, NC) Catherine Lane

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR - LARGE MARKET
---------------------------------------------
KUBL-FM (Salt Lake City, UT) Tommy & Joe Johnson
WFMS-FM (Indianapolis, IN) Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt & Kevin
Freeman (Jim, Deb & Kevin)
WSIX-FM (Nashville, TN) Gerry House, Mike Bohan, Al Voecks,
Duncan Stewart, Richard Falken
The Jeff Roper in the Morning Show
WTQR-FM (Greensboro, NC) (Jeff Roper, Angie Ward & Adam "Flash"
Dellinger)
WUBE-FM (Cincinnati, OH) Chris Carr & Company (Chris Carr,
Statt & Maverick)

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR - MEDIUM MARKET
----------------------------------------------
KIIM-FM (Tucson, AZ) Buzz Jackson
WBBS-FM (Syracuse, NY) Tom and Becky - B104.7 Morning Show
(Tom Owens and Becky Palmer)
WKSJ-FM (Mobile, AL) Dan Brennan & Shelby Mitchell, The 95
KSJ Breakfast Club
WPCV-FM (Lakeland, FL) Roger Todd, Tom O'Brien & Melissa Moran
WYRK-FM (Buffalo, NY) Clay and Dale

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR - SMALL MARKET
---------------------------------------------
KCLR-FM (Columbia, MO) Scotty & Carissa in the Morning
KKNU-FM (Eugene, OR) Barrett, Fox & Berry
WFRE-FM (Frederick, MD) Jess Wright
WGSQ-FM (Cookeville, TN) Gator & The Styckman
WKSF-FM (Asheville, NC) Eddie Foxx and Sharon Green

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR - MAJOR MARKET
----------------------------------------
KKGO-FM (Los Angeles, CA) Southern California's Country Station
KMPS-FM (Seattle, WA) Today's Country
KSCS-FM (Dallas, TX) The Texas Original
KYGO-FM (Denver, CO) Denver's #1 For New Country
WUSN-FM (Chicago, IL) America's Country Station

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR - LARGE MARKET
----------------------------------------
KNCI-FM (Sacramento, CA) News Country 105.1
WFMS-FM (Indianapolis, IN) The Country Station
WQDR-FM (Raleigh, NC) Today's Best Country
WUBE-FM (Cincinnati, OH) Cincinnati's Country!

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR - MEDIUM MARKET
-----------------------------------------
KIZN-FM (Boise, ID) Kissin' 92
KUZZ AM/FM (Bakersfield, CA) Bakersfield's Best Country
WGNA-FM (Albany, NY) Country 107.7
WKSJ-FM (Mobile, AL) 95 KSJ
Today's Country & Your All Time
WYRK-FM (Buffalo, NY) Favorites

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR - SMALL MARKET
----------------------------------------
KMDL-FM (Lafayette, LA) Acadiana's Best Country
WGSQ-FM (Cookeville, TN) The Country Giant
WKSF-FM (Asheville, NC) 99.9 Kiss Country
Number One for New Country and More
WKXC-FM (Augusta, GA) Variety
Chattanooga's Best Country & The
WUSY-FM (Chattanooga, TN) Legends!

About the Academy of Country Music Awards

The 45th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 18, 2010 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Orly Adelson and R.A. Clark are executive producers, Barry Adelman is producer and Bob Bardo is executive in charge of production. For more information, please visit www.acmcountry.com.

Source: Academy of Country Music

CONTACT: Julie Smith of PMK-BNC, +1-310-854-4800,
julie.smith@pmkbnc.com, for Academy of Country Music

Web Site: http://www.acmcountry.com/

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