CMT News

Every member of award-winning country group Diamond Rio -- save lead vocalist Marty Roe -- has been nominated in instrumentalist categories for The 36th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

Jimmy Olander is included in the guitarist category along with seven-time winner Brent Mason and guitarist-producer Dann Huff, who has crafted albums for Faith Hill and SHeDAISY. Also up for the award are Mark Sissel and 1989 winner Brent Rowan.

Brian Prout will compete for drummer of the year with three-time winner Steve Duncan and reigning champ Eddie Bayers, who has held the title since 1991.

Bassist Dana Williams is up against 1989 winner Michael Rhodes and eight-time winner Glenn Worf.

Keyboardist Dan Truman is nominated with Gary Primm and John Hobbs, who has won the award three times and tied twice.

In the Specialty Instrument category, Gene Johnson (mandolin) will compete with Jelly Roll Johnson (harmonica), Jimmy Henley
(banjo) and eight-time winner Jerry Douglas (Dobro).

For the fiddle category, eight-time winner Mark O'Connor will compete with Aubrey Haynie and three-time winner Stuart Duncan.

Candidates for outstanding steel guitarist include reigning winner Jay Dee Maness, six-time winner Paul Franklin and Bill Johnson.
Maness won his first ACM award in 1970 and has taken home the "Hat" trophy 17 times (15 wins and two ties).

The 36th Annual ACM Awards will air Wednesday, May 9 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, but winners in the musician categories will be
announced about two weeks prior to the broadcast.