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.
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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Holly collabs, Batman. The show has 10 of them this year.
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 GriffinThis Is Us actress Chrissy Metz will make her ACM Awards debut with a performance of “I’m Standing With You” with Lauren Alaina, Mickey Guyton, Maddie & Tae and Carrie Underwood. The moment will spotlight the organization’s philanthropic initiative, ACM Lifting Lives, and its ongoing dedication to improving lives through the power of music.
Rick Diamond/ACM2015/Getty Images for dcpKelly Clarkson will appear twice onstage for respective performances with Dan + Shay and Jason Aldean.
Rick Diamond/Getty Images for George StraitThe King of Country music George Strait will collaborate with Miranda Lambert, the latter of whom is the most-awarded artist in ACM history with 30 victories.
Brooks & Dunn and Eric Church will perform with new artists of the year Luke Combs and Ashley McBryde, respectively.
Rick Diamond/ACMA2017/Getty Images for ACMKane Brown and Khalid will perform together live for the first time.
Jason Davis/Getty Images for AIMPLongtime friends Maren Morris and Brothers Osborne are set to share the spotlight together. TJ and John Osborne appear on Morris’ “All My Favorite People,” and Morris is a co-writer on the duo’s “Greener Pastures” from Pawn Shop.
Erika Goldring/FilmMagicDierks Bentley and Brandi Carlile will premiere “Travelin’ Light,” a collaboration from Bentley’s latest album, The Mountain.
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Chris Stapleton and Dan + Shay
As 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
Sunday’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
Presenting 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.
