Country Music People May 2017 | Page 4

cmp MAY 2017 Volume 48 Number 5 Issue 567 News Walt Trott in Nashville Duncan Warwick in London ACM scores Editor Duncan Warwick Contributors David Allan, Janet Aspley, Donnie Ayers, Craig Baguley, Larry Delaney, Don Cusic, Julie Flaskett, Kelly Gregory, Michael Hingston, Spencer Leigh, John Lomax III, , Douglas McPherson, Stephen O’Hanlon, Roland Purdy, Adrian Peel, Paul Riley, Wayne Smart, Chris Smith, Alison Stokes, Tom Travis, Walt Trott, Jack Watkins Special projects coordinator Kelly Gregory Photographers Helen Parish, Patricia Presley, Ian Tilbury, Barry Dixon, Billie McAleer Printed by The Magazine Printing Company Mollison Avenue Brimsdown Enfield Middx. EN3 7NT www.magprint.co.uk Distributor Seymour International Press Distributors Ltd. 2 East Poultry Avenue London EC1A 9PT Telephone [phone] Fax [phone] Country Music People is published the last Thursday of each month by KICKIN’ CUTS LIMITED 24 Darley Close, Wittering, Peterborough PE8 6EQ, UK Telephone [phone] - 783689 [email protected] www.cmpcountry.com ©2017 Kickin’ Cuts Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of the Publisher. The Publisher accepts no responsibility for statement of fact or opinion expressed by contributors. The views of the contributors are not necessarily those of Country Music People or its editor. 4 cmp - MAY 2017 The 52nd Academy of Country Music awards proved a ratings winner for CBS. Hosted once again by Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley (above) televised live from Las Vegas, April 2, with Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line emerging double winners. Although Keith Urban led in number of nominations (seven), his take-home tally was zip. Jason Aldean eclipsed him as well for the night’s top trophy Entertainer of the Year, repeating last year’s win of that prize. Seemingly surprised, Jason blurted, out “You guys don’t know how much I love getting up and doing what I do every day!” Then in a respectful salute to losing nominees Urban, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line and Carrie Underwood, he added, “I have nothing but respect for all you guys. Such an amazing group of artists, I’m just glad to get to be a part of it.” Here are the other winners: Lambert, best female vocalist; Rhett, best male vocalist; The Brothers Osborne, best vocal duo; Little Big Town, best group; Lambert’s Weight of These Wings, best album; Rhett’s Die a Happy Man, best song (shared with co-writers Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur); Florida Georgia Line’s H.O.L.Y., best single; Florida Georgia Line’s May We All with Tim McGraw, best vocal event; and Forever Country, Artists of Then, Now & Forever (project), won director Joseph Kahn, a best video award. Voted best new singers are: Maren Morris, female; and Jon Pardi, male. Big closer for the telecast was the 1990s pop-rock group Backstreet Boys’ collaboration (inset) with Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley. The latter pair amazed front-row onlookers like Tim McGraw, by accurately rendering Backstreet Boys’ intricate dance moves, following their God, Your Mama and Me and the boy band’s classic Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), as all seven executed BB’s dance steps, making for an exciting super-finale.