Carrie Underwood To Host America's Grand Ole Opry Weekend ACM Awards Special

NASHVILLE, TN (Academy of Country Music) - Carrie Underwood, the 2005 American Idol winner with the triple platinum debut album Some Hearts, has been tapped to host the upcoming America's Grand Ole Opry Weekend Academy of Country Music Awards Special set to air nationally the weekend of May 19. The special will feature Opry performances recorded live by the some of this year's top Academy of Country Music nominees including Underwood's six-week No 1 single 'Jesus Take The Wheel.' Among other nominees appearing in the special are Rascal Flatts with 'Skin (Sarabeth),' Opry member Brad Paisley performing 'When I Get Where I'm Going,' Sugarland's 'Baby Girl,' and Keith Urban's 'Making Memories of Us.'

Programmers interested in the special should contact Westwood One at (212) 641-2005. America's Grand Ole Opry Weekend presents top artists' performances from the Opry stage each week. The show, which launched in May 2003, is serviced by Westwood One and airs on more than 200 country radio stations across the country and on the American Forces Radio Network.
The 41st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2006 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.