LAS VEGAS (Country
Music Awards Press Release) - Winners have been announced for the 39th Annual Academy Of Country
Music Awards. Honorees received their awards during a star-studded ceremony broadcast LIVE on the CBS Television Network from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Reba McEntire, the Academy's "Leading Lady," served as the event's host for a record seventh time.
This evening
Toby Keith won 4 awards,
Alan Jackson and
Martina McBride won 2 each, Willie
Nelson was honored with the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award, Ray Price received the Pioneer Award and
Martina McBride won the Academy of Country
Music / Home Depot Humanitarian Award.
For his unprecedented and genre-defying contributions to popular music over his nearly 50-year career, Willie Nelson was presented with the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award by country music superstars Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney. The award, which acknowledges unprecedented, unique and outstanding individual achievement in country music, has only been presented four times in the Academy's 39-year history. Previous winners include George Strait (2002) and Garth Brooks (1997).
Legendary crooner and Country Music Hall of Fame member Ray Price was awarded the Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award this evening. The award, also known as "The Cliffie" (in honor of Cliffie Stone) is presented to an outstanding pioneer of country music.
Martina McBride won the Academy of Country Music / Home Depot Humanitarian Award. Known as the first "Fan-Voted" award in the Academy's history, this honor salutes an artist or group in the country music industry who is committed to serving others, has a generosity of spirit and a dedication to helping build the dreams of those in need. As the award's winner, McBride will have a community playground built in a city of her choice through the efforts of The Home Depot and KaBOOM!, a non-profit organization that brings together volunteers to build much-needed playgrounds in one-day "barn raising" construction events.
This year's telecast also marked the renaming of the ACM/LAUNCH Video of the Year category (formerly known as Video of the Year). This year "Beer For My Horses" by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson was honored.
The Academy Of Country Music Awards were broadcast LIVE on CBS Wednesday, May 26th, 2004 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Following is the full list of winners of the 39th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: TOBY KEITH
TOP MALE VOCALIST: TOBY KEITH
TOP FEMALE VOCALIST: MARTINA McBRIDE
TOP NEW ARTIST: DIERKS BENTLEY
TOP VOCAL GROUP: RASCAL FLATTS
TOP VOCAL DUO: BROOKS & DUNN
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR: IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE - Alan Jackson, & Jimmy Buffett (Keith Stegall/Arista Nashville)
SONG OF THE YEAR: THREE WOODEN CROSSES - Randy Travis
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: SHOCK 'N Y'ALL - Toby Keith
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR: IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE - Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett
ACM/LAUNCH VIDEO OF THE YEAR: BEER FOR MY HORSES - Toby Keith & Willie Nelson
HUMANITARIAN: Martina McBride
NIGHCLUB: The Trap, Nashville, Tenn.
RADIO STATION: WSIX, Nashville, Tenn.
ON-AIR PERSONALITY: Blair Garner-Syndicated.
Toby Keith won four awards this evening: Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist, Album of the Year and the ACM/LAUNCH Video of the Year. This marked his second consecutive win for Entertainer of the Year.
Martina McBride's win for Top Female Vocalist was her third in as many years.
This evening Brooks & Dunn won the award for Top Vocal Duo; it is their fourth consecutive win in that category.
In the end, Willie Nelson had previously won 6 Academy Of Country Music Awards throughout his career, and added two this evening: the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award and the "Video of the Year Award" - his first ever win in that category.
