The Week Vegas Goes Country is in full effect with rehearsals and the ACM Party for a Cause currently underway ahead of Sunday’s (April 7) ACM Awards.
Organization representatives surprised hit-maker Shane McAnally with the 2019 songwriter of the year award at Friday night’s (April 5) ACM Stories, Songs & Stars: A Songwriter’s Event Benefitting ACM Lifting Lives. The ACM Party for a Cause concert had Brantley Gilbert, Little Big Town, Midland, Old Dominion, Jake Owen, Thomas Rhett and Chase Rice perform alongside accomplished songwriters McAnally, Rhett Akins, Ross Copperman, Ashley Gorley, Luke Laird, Lori McKenna, Chase McGill and Josh Osborne.
The fun continues today (April 6) with the ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-off and ACM Decades and the Official ACM Awards After Party presented by Security Benefit tomorrow (April 7). Tickets for select events are on sale through the ACM Party for a Cause website.
The #ACMAwards are ALMOST HERE! Catch up on the 5 things you have GOT to watch for — what are you looking forward to most? pic.twitter.com/Z5pGDB22vG
— CMT (@CMT) April 7, 2019
Reba McEntire will host the 54th annual telecast live tomorrow (April 7) from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Here are top five moments we can’t wait to watch:
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Holy collabs, Batman. The show has 10 of them this year.
Jason Kempin/ACMA2018/Getty Images for ACMJason Aldean will perform at least twice as the reigning entertainer of the year and the newest recipient of the ACM’s Artist of the Decade award. His previously announced collaborations include performances with Kelly Clarkson and Florida Georgia Line.
Paras GriffinRick Diamond/ACM2015/Getty Images for dcpRick Diamond/Getty Images for George StraitRick Diamond/ACMA2017/Getty Images for ACMJason Davis/Getty Images for AIMPErika Goldring/FilmMagic -
Chris Stapleton and Dan + Shay
ibrina Hobson/Getty Images for TheWrap; Emma Mcintyre/ACMA2018/Getty Images for ACMAs the most-nominated acts heading to the show this year, Stapleton and Dan + Shay could get away with playing anything. But our bets are on Stapleton’s “Broken Halos” and the duo’s “Tequila,” both of which are nominated this year.
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Reba McEntire
Kevin Winter/ACM2015/Getty Images for dcpSunday’s telecast marks McEntire’s 16th time to host and she will perform “Freedom,” the newest single from her latest album, Stronger Than the Truth.
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New music from Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton
Bryan and Shelton have each hosted the ACM Awards five times in the past. This year, they return to premiere respective singles, “Knockin’ Boots” and “God’s Country.”
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Celebrity presenters
Michael Tran/FilmMagicPresenting categories and performances this year will be an onslaught of celebrity guests. They are Alaina, Beth Behrs, Clint Black, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Jessie James Decker, Hunter Hayes, Jay Hernandez, Lady Antebellum, Midland, Nancy O’Dell, Danica Patrick, Carly Pearce, Dennis Quaid, Michael Ray, Cole Swindell and Wilmer Valderrama.