40 th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

Hotel: Mandalay Bay Times: 4:45 PM Seating: Reserved Seating 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89119 LIVE! at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Tuesday May 17, 2005 at 4:45PM. Tim McGraw lead with 6 Nominations. Kenny Chesney, Alison Krauss and Gretchen Wilson each receive 5 Nominations. Toby Keith, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban receive 4 Nominations each. Big & Rich, Rascal Flatts and Lee Ann Womack receive 3 Nominations. Krauss is nominated for five awards this year, four for her duet with Brad Paisley and one with Union Station for Top Vocal Group. Both Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney are up for Entertainer of the Year. If either wins, they will then be honored with the Merle Haggard Award, which recognizes the academy's triple-crown winners of Entertainer of the Year or Top Male. The ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS will be broadcast LIVE on CBS Tuesday, May 17th, 2005 at 8:00PM ET/PT. Presenters and performers who will appear on the special has not been announced. Final Nominees ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR Brooks & Dunn Kenny Chesney Toby Keith Tim McGraw Keith Urban TOP VOCAL GROUP Alison Krauss & Uniion Station Diamond Rio Lonestar Rascal Flatts The Notorious Cherry Bombs TOP NEW ARTIST Big & Rich Josh Gracin Julie Roberts Josh Turner Gretchen Wilson TOP VOCAL DUO Big & Rich Blue County Brooks & Dunn Montgomery Gentry The Warren Brothers TOP FEMALE VOCALIST Terri Clark Sara Evans Martina McBride Gretchen Wilson Lee Ann Womack