May 18 at 8:00 PM ET on CBS
ACM Awards Winners
See who's leaving Las Vegas a winner and what they said when they accepted their awards. Check out the complete list of winners
from the 2008 ACM Awards.
Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
"Thank you so much everybody. This one is really extra special, because long before I had a hit record, the fans always
came to the shows. I want to thank you guys for voting and for being there for me. ... I want to thank my mom and dad for
having sex so many years ago and being responsible for me being up here tonight. But seriously, a lot of great artists and
people who mean a lot to this business have stood up here in years past, and I’m honored to be up here for the fourth year
in a row. God bless y’all. Thank you so much." -- Kenny Chesney
Top Female Vocalist
Carrie Underwood
"Wow. God is good! God is good! I would like to thank the most wonderful family in the world. I have great parents, great
sisters, great family. ... There are so many people who have done so many wonderful things for me, and I know I don’t deserve
it. But I’ll take it!" Suddenly, she added, "Oh, fans! Thank you fans! Duh! Fans got me everything that I have and I owe everything
to you, so thank you fans." -- Carrie Underwood
Top Male Vocalist
Brad Paisley
"A singer is nothing without inspiration. I thank my wonderful wife, Kim, who is not here tonight. I probably ought to
thank my son for the first time for inspiration. I am so honored to carry the torch another year, and thank God for all the
blessings in my life." -- Brad Paisley
Top Vocal Group
Rascal Flatts
"The fans, thank you so much for coming out every night. Thank you all so very much, seriously. We like to give God all
the thanks and all the glory for giving us a stage to stand up and perform on every night. Thank you to Las Vegas for keeping
air conditioners on." -- Gary LeVox
Academy of Country Music Crystal Milestone Award
Garth Brooks
"I just want to say thank you. This is about record sales. I’m hoping it’s about music. I have to thank all of record
retail. Of course, I have to thank all the guys in Nashville and country radio. Country music fans, of course, are still the
greatest and the biggest population out there. I think like all children out here, which I am, I owe this to my mom and dad
since they probably bought half of these records anyway." -- Garth Brooks
The ACM/The Home Depot Humanitarian Award
Rascal Flatts
"We are humbled and honored to receive this tonight, and of all we’ve been given, this is probably one of the most special.
We’ve been firm believers that if you get, you give back. ... I want to challenge everybody out there to give your blessings
back because it will come back to you 100 times over." -- Jay DeMarcus
Vocal Event of the Year
"Find Out Who Your Friends Are" Tracy Lawrence, Tim
McGraw and Kenny Chesney
Produced by Julian King and Tracy Lawrence
Label:
Rocky Comfort/CO5
Produced by Julian King and Tracy Lawrence
Label: Rocky Comfort/CO5
Presented prior to the telecast.
Top Vocal Duo
Brooks & Dunn
"We’re glad Dr. Phil was here because we’re going to need therapy!" -- Kix Brooks
"There’s a little fire in the train now, it’s heated up." -- Ronnie Dunn
"There’s a little fire in the train now, it’s heated up." -- Ronnie Dunn
Song of the Year
"Stay"
"It means so much to me that you guys really relate to this song and that you accept it. Thank you so much to my partner
Kristian Bush and to Gail Gelman [manager] for believing in this song before anybody did. Thank you to Luke Lewis and your
whole staff at Mercury to have big ones enough, that when we came to you and said, 'Hey, let’s put a song without drums on
the radio,' you said, 'Sure!'" -- Jennifer Nettles
Album of the Year
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
"I don’t know what to say. I was not expecting this at all. I was right behind Kenny Chesney, and I just don’t feel right
taking this. But thank you so much to my fans and to the industry for accepting me so much, being a little left of center.
I’m a songwriter. I poured my heart and soul into this album. It’s a part of who I am. Thank you for appreciating it. Thank
you to my family and to ... my boyfriend for supporting me and telling me it's OK to be who I am. Thank you so much. I appreciate
it." -- Miranda Lambert
Top New Male Vocalist
Jack Ingram
"To anybody who dared to dream big dreams and high hopes with me, know this: Live it! Own it! Dreams come true, man. Never
give up." -- Jack Ingram
Top New Duo or Vocal Group
Lady Antebellum
"We want to thank God and our families so much for their support, and we are so humbled." -- Hillary Scott
Top New Female Vocalist
Tayor Swift
"There are so many people who deserve to be thanked for this, but I am going to thank one. And that’s a person that used
to love to go to lunch with her friends and cook dinner for her family and sleep in her bed every night. She gave that all
away and left that all behind to go on the road with her 16-year-old daughter. … And then she was sleeping in rental cars
and in airplanes and rental cars with her mouth wide open because she was so tired. And so Mom, thank you so much! I love
you! This is for you!" -- Taylor Swift
Video of the Year
"Online"
Presented prior to the telecast.
Single Record of the Year
"Stay"
"Thanks everybody for believing in a song that's almost a five-minute acoustic song and making that a hit on the radio.
That's something that wouldn’t have happened without everybody here." -- Kristian Bush
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