ACM Award Nominations Announced; Vince Gill is Only Veteran to Get a Nod in a Major Category

The Academy of Country Music has announced the nominees for their 48th annual awards on Wednesday morning with a huge nod to the latest in country artists.

When all was done, Eric Church led with seven nominations followed by Hunter Hayes with six, Miranda Lambert with five and Luke Bryan, Kacey Musgraves and Little Big Town each receiving four.

The only veteran artist to make the cut in a major category was Vince Gill who is up for Vocal Event of the Year for his support on the song Don't Rush with Kelly Clarkson; however, backing musicians who have been recording for 25 years are more are all over the instrumentalist categories.

The awards will be held on Sunday, April 7 with hosts Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Miranda Lambert
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church
• Toby Keith
• Blake Shelton

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• Kacey Musgraves
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

• Big & Rich
• Florida Georgia Line
• Love and Theft
• Sugarland
• Thompson Square

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

• The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Zac Brown Band

NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Lee Brice
• Brantley Gilbert
• Hunter Hayes

NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Jana Kramer
• Kacey Musgraves
• Sunny Sweeney

NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Florida Georgia Line
• Love and Theft
• Thompson Square

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY KOHL'S DEPARTMENT STORES [Winners of New Male, New Female & New Vocal Duo or Group Of The Year]

• Florida Georgia Line
• Brantley Gilbert
• Jana Kramer

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• Blown Away – Carrie Underwood
• Chief – Eric Church
• Red – Taylor Swift
• tailgates & tanlines – Luke Bryan
• Tornado – Little Big Town

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR

• Even If It Breaks Your Heart – Eli Young Band
• Over You – Miranda Lambert
• Pontoon – Little Big Town
• Springsteen – Eric Church 
• Wanted – Hunter Hayes

SONG OF THE YEAR

• A Woman Like You – Lee Brice (Composers: Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford, Jon Stone)
• Even If It Breaks Your Heart – Eli Young Band (Composers: Will Hoge, Eric Paslay)
• Over You – Miranda Lambert (Composers: Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton)
• Springsteen – Eric Church (Composers: Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, Ryan Tyndell)
• Wanted – Hunter Hayes (Composers: Hunter Hayes, Troy Verges)

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

• Rodney Clawson
• Dallas Davidson
• Josh Kear
• Luke Laird
• Shane McAnally

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

• Creepin' – Eric Church
• Merry Go 'Round – Kacey Musgraves
• Tornado – Little Big Town
• Wanted – Hunter Hayes
• We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift
• The Wind – Zac Brown Band

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

• Don't Rush – Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill
• Easy – Rascal Flatts Featuring Natasha Bedingfield
• Feel Like A Rock Star – Kenny Chesney (Duet With Tim McGraw)
• Let It Rain – David Nail Featuring Sarah Buxton 
• The Only Way I Know – Jason Aldean With Luke Bryan & Eric Church

MUSICIAN/BANDLEADER/INSTRUMENTALIST (MBI) AWARDS:

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

• Brett Beavers
• Buddy Cannon
• Dann Huff
• Jay Joyce
• Michael Knox

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

• Chuck Ainlay
• Derek Bason
• Mills Logan
• Steve Marcantonio
• F. Reid Shippen

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Dennis Crouch
• Kevin "Swine" Grantt
• Larry Paxton
• Jimmie Lee Sloas
• Glenn Worf

PERCUSSIONIST/DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

• Eddie Bayers
• Matt Chamberlain
• Chad Cromwell
• Chris McHugh
• Greg Morrow

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Glen Duncan
• Larry Franklin
• Aubrey Haynie
• Hank Singer
• Joe Spivey

GUITARIST OF THE YEAR

• Tom Bukovac
• J.T. Corenflos
• Jay Joyce
• Rob McNelley
• Brent Mason

PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• John Jarvis
• Charlie Judge
• Gordon Mote
• Steve Nathan
• Michael Rojas

SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Eric Darken
• Glen Duncan
• Jim Hoke
• Bryan Sutton
• Ilya Toshinsky

STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Dan Dugmore
• Mike Johnson
• Greg Leisz
• Russ Pahl
• Scotty Sanders