For the first time ever, the three newcomer categories for the Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Top New Female Vocalist, Top New Male Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group will be opened up to interactive fan voting on GACTV.com, beginning Friday, February 13. The winners will then move on to compete in a new category, Top New Artist. For the second year, fans will also select the winner of the Academy’s most prestigious honor, Entertainer of the Year. Online voting will be available at www.voteACM.com, and this year fans will also be able to text their votes for Entertainer of the Year during the broadcast. The winners of each category will be announced live during the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

Video of the announcement of the nominees for the 44th Annual Academy of Country music Awards.

Nominees were announced at a press conference at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum in Nashville. Country Super Stars Julianne Hough, Kellie Pickler, LeAnn Rimes and Jessica Simpson read the nominations live during CBS’ The Early Show broadcast.

Brad Paisley led with six nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. In addition, Paisley was nominated for Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “Waitin’ on a Woman,” and Vocal Event of the Year for “Start a Band” with Keith Urban. Paisley is the reigning Top Male Vocalist.

Heidi Newfield is nominated for five awards, including Top Female Vocalist. She is also nominated for Single Record of the Year and is nominated as an artist and composer for Song of the Year for “Johnny & June,” for which she is also nominated for Video of the Year.

Kenny Chesney is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist and as an artist and producer for Vocal Event of the Year for “Down the Road” with Mac McAnally. If Chesney wins Entertainer of the Year, it will be his fifth consecutive win, which will tie Alabama for the most consecutive wins in this category.

Jamey Johnson received four nominations, including Top New Male Vocalist, Single Record of the Year and as an artist and composer for Song of the Year for “In Color.” This is the first time Johnson has been nominated as an artist. He previously won an Academy of Country Music Award in 2006 for Song of the Year for “Give It Away,” which was recorded by George Strait.

George Strait received four nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist and Song of the Year for “I Saw God Today.” He is also nominated for Video of the Year for “Troubadour.” If Strait wins Entertainer of the Year, it will be his second win in that category, previously winning the award in 1989. Strait has also been named the Academy of Country Music’s Artist of the Decade and will be honored in a television special to air later in the year on CBS.

Carrie Underwood is nominated for three awards, including Entertainer of Year. If Underwood wins Entertainer of the Year, she will be only the 7th female to take the award; previous winners include Loretta Lynn in 1975, Reba McEntire in 1994 and most recently Dixie Chicks in 2000. Underwood is also nominated for Top Female Vocalist, and her video “Just a Dream” is nominated for Video of the Year. If she wins Top Female Vocalist, it will be the third consecutive year she has won the category.

Keith Urban received three nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist and Vocal Event of the Year for his duet with Brad Paisley for “Start a Band.” Urban is a five time ACM award winner, including Top Male Vocalist in 2004 and 2005, Album of the Year in 2004 and Top New Male Artist in 2000. If he wins Entertainer of the Year, he will be eligible for the Triple Crown Award, the Academy’s recognition of those who have taken Top New Artist, Top Artist and Entertainer of the Year awards.

Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, James Otto, Jake Owen, Taylor Swift, Sugarland and The Lost Trailers are each nominated for two awards. Adkins is nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “You’re Gonna Miss this.” Brooks & Dunn are nominated for Top Vocal Duo and Vocal Event of the Year. If they win Top Vocal Duo, it will be their 16th straight win in the category. Miranda Lambert received two nominations for Top Female Vocalist and Single Record of the Year. Little Big Town received two nominations for Top Vocal Group and Vocal Event of the Year. James Otto—a first-time nominee—is nominated for Top New Male Vocalist and as a producer for Song of the Year for “In Color.” Jake Owen is nominated for Top New Male Vocalist and Vocal Event of the Year, and was previously nominated for Top New Male Vocalist in 2007. Swift is nominated in two categories including Top Female Vocalist, and her video “Love Story” is nominated for Video of the Year. She won Top New Female Vocalist last year. Sugarland is nominated for Top Vocal Duo and Vocal Event of the Year. Last year they won Single Record of the Year for “Stay.” The Lost Trailers are nominated for Top Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duo or Group.

Here is the complete list of nominees excluding Album of the Year, which will be announced next month.

Entertainer of the Year

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Carrie Underwood
• Keith Urban

Top Male Vocalist

• Kenny Chesney
• Toby Keith
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

Top Female Vocalist

• Miranda Lambert
• Heidi Newfield
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Lee Ann Womack

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
• Julianne Hough
• 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 Ken Hardley Playboys
  Mercury

• Johnny & June
  Heidi Newfield, Produced by Tony Brown
  Asylum-Curb

• Waitin’ On A Woman
  Brad Paisley, Produced by Frank Rogers
  Arista Nashville

• You’re Gonna Miss This
  Trace Adkins, Produced by Frank Rogers
  Capitol Nashville

Song of the Year [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

• I Saw God Today
  George Strait
  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, Lee Thomas 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: Deanna Bryant, Heidi Newfield, Stephony Smith
  Publishers: Amylase Music (ASCAP), Big Hit Makers Music (BMI), Rainy Graham Publishing LLC (BMI), Souljet Music Tell Texas Tune III (ASCAP)

• Waitin’ On A Woman
  Brad Paisley
  Composers: Don Sampson, Wynn Varble
  Publishers: EMI April Music, Inc. (ASCAP), Sea Gayle Music LLC (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

• You’re Gonna Miss This
  Trace Adkins
  Composers: Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller
  Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI), Music of Windswept (ASCAP), Noah’s Little Boat Music (BMI), Song of Combustion (ASCAP), Songs of Sea Gayle (BMI)

Video of the Year [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

• Johnny & June - Heidi Newfield

Producer: Karen Martin
Director: Eric Welch

• Just A Dream – Carrie Underwood
  Producer: Randy Brewer
  Director: Roman White

• Love Story – Taylor Swift
  Producer: Trent Hardville
  Director: Trey Fanjoy

• Troubadour – George Strait
  Producer: Dominic Cancilla
  Director: Trey Fanjoy

• Waitin’ On A Woman – Brad Paisley
  Producer: Mark Kalbfeld, Jim Shea
  Director: Jim Shea, Peter Tilden

Vocal Event of the Year [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]

• Another Try – Josh Turner Featuring Trisha Yearwood
  Produced by: Frank Rogers
  MCA Nashville

• Cowgirls Don’t Cry – Brooks & Dunn Featuring Reba McEntire
  Produced by: Kix Brooks, Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn
  Arista Nashville

• Down The Road – Kenny Chesney With Mac McAnally
  Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
  Blue Chair/BNA

• Life In A Northern Town – Sugarland Featuring Little Big Town & Jake Owen
  Produced by: Not listed
  Mercury

• Start A Band – Brad Paisley Duet With Keith Urban
  Produced by: Frank Rogers
  Arista Nashville

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – NATIONAL

• Blair Garner – After MidNite with Blair Garner
• Crook & Chase – Crook and Chase Countdown
• Danny Wright – Danny Wright All Night
• Lon Helton – Country Countdown USA

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – MAJOR MARKET

• KEEY-FM (Minneapolis, MN) – Donna Valentine, Muss and Fish
• KSCS-FM (Arlington, TX) – Dorsey Gang
• KSON-FM (San Diego, CA) – Cliff & Company: Cliff, Morgan, Tanner and Tori
• KYGO-FM (Denver, CO) – Kelly Ford & Mudflap McGrew with Ed Greene
• WIL -FM (St. Louis, MO) – The Cornbread Show featuring Cornbread, Pat James, Producer Annie, Captain Mac Douglas & Father Harry Shroeder

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – LARGE MARKET

• WFMS-FM (Indianapolis, IN) – JD Cannon
• WFMS-FM (Indianapolis, IN) – Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt & Kevin Freeman
• WMIL-FM (Milwaukee, WI) – Karen, Scott & Radar ? The Moo Crew
• WTQR-FM (Greensboro, NC) – Jeff Roper & Angie Ward
• WUBE-FM (Cincinnati, OH) – Chris Carr & Amanda Orlando

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM MARKET

• WBBS-FM (Syracuse, NY) – Tom and Becky ? B104.7 Morning Show
• WBCT-FM (Grand Rapids, MI) – The Electric Barnyard with Broadway (and Crawl)
• KFDI-FM (Wichita, KS) – Brian Pierce & Kellie Michaels
• WIVK-FM (Knoxville, TN) – Gunner
• WIVK-FM (Knoxville, TN) – Andy Ritchie, Alison West, Jimmy Holt

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – SMALL MARKET

• KUAD-FM (Ft. Collins, CO) – Brian Gary and Todd Harding (The Good Morning Guys)
• WCTY-FM (Norwich, CT) – Jimmy Lane and Shelly Martinez
• WFYR-FM (Peoria, IL) – Rick Stephenson & Lisa Franks
• WOKQ-FM (Dover, NH) – Mark & Danielle
• WYCT-FM (Pensacola, FL) – Brent Lane and Dana Cervantes

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – MAJOR MARKET

• KMPS-FM (Seattle, WA) – Today’s Country
• KYGO-FM (Denver, CO) – Denver’s #1 For New Country
• WKLB-FM (Boston, MA) – Country 102.5
• WQYK-FM (Tampa, FL) – Tampa Bay’s Country Station
• WSOC-FM (Charlotte, NC) – Charlotte’s # 1 Country

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – LARGE MARKET

• WFMS-FM (Indianapolis, IN) – The Country Station
• WMIL-FM (Milwaukee, WI) – Continuous Country Favorites of Yesterday and Today
• WQDR-FM (Raleigh, NC) – Today’s Best Country
• WSIX-FM (Nashville, TN) – The Big 98 WSIX
• WUBE-FM (Cincinnati, OH) – Cincinnati’s Country!

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM MARKET

• KFDI-FM (Wichita, KS) – Today’s KFDI
• KUZZ AM/FM (Bakersfield, CA) – Bakersfield’s Best Country
• WGNA-FM (Albany, NY) – Country 107.7
• WIVK-FM (Knoxville, TN) – Today’s Best Music and the All?Time Country Legends
• WYRK-FM (Buffalo, NY) – Today’s Country & Your All Time Favorites

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – SMALL MARKET

• WFYR-FM (Peoria, IL) – River Country
• WKXC-FM (Augusta, GA) – Number One for New Country and More Variety
• WXCL-FM (Peoria, IL) – Number One For New Country
• WXXQ-FM (Rockford, IL) – Rockford’s Country
• WYCT-FM (Pensacola, FL) – Cat Country

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

• Buddy Cannon
• Dann Huff
• Frank Rogers
• Nathan Chapman
• Tony Brown

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

• Chuck Ainlay
• Greg Droman
• John Kelton
• Mills Logan
• Steve Marcantonio

TOP BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Dave Hungate
• Glenn Worf
• Jimmie Lee Sloas
• Larry Paxton
• Mike Brignardello

TOP PERCUSSIONIST/DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

• Chad Cromwell
• Eddie Bayers
• Greg Morrow
• Lonnie Wilson
• Paul Leim

TOP FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Aubrey Haynie
• Joe Spivey
• Jonathan Yudkin
• Larry Franklin
• Rob Hajacos

TOP GUITARIST OF THE YEAR

• Brett Mason
• Bryan Sutton
• J.T. Corenflos
• Kenny Greenberg
• Tom Bukovac

TOP PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Gordon Mote
• John Hobbs
• John Jarvis
• Steve Nathan
• Tony Harrell

TOP SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Eric Darken
• Ilya Toshinsky
• Jelly Roll Johnson
• Randy Kohrs
• Rob Ickes

TOP STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Bruce Bouton
• Dan Dugmore
• Mike Johnson
• Russ Pahl
• Steve Hinson

VENUE OF THE YEAR

• DTE Energy Music Theatre – Clarkston, MI
• Meadowbrook US Cellular Pavilion – Gilford, NH
• The Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
• Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC
• Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheatre – Virginia Beach, VA

NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR

• Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace – Bakersfield, CA
• Coyote Joe’s – Charlotte, NC
• Joe’s Bar – Chicago, IL
• The Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
• Wild Bill’s – Duluth, GA

CASINO OF THE YEAR

• Casino Rama – Orillia, Ontario
• Chumash Casino – Santa Ynez, CA
• Mystic Lake – Minneapolis, MN
• The Peppermill Resorts at Wendover – West Wendover, NV
• Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR

• David Snowden – Triangle Talent
• Fran Romeo – Romeo Entertainment
• Gary Osier – Gary Osier Presents
• Suzanne Wilson – Wilson Events
• Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

• Ben Farrell – Varnell Enterprises
• Darin Lashinsky – Outback Concerts
• Gary Weinberger – Red Mountain Entertainment
• Louis Messina – The Messina Group
• Steve Moore – AEGLive