Kenny Chesney leads ACM pack with 11 nominations

Kenny Chesney grabbed a whopping 11 nominations--almost doubling his nearest competition--for the 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards.

The country music superstar was tapped in every category he was eligible for--including Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year, for his most recent studio set, "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates"--when nominations for the awards were announced Tuesday (3/4) in Nashville.

Chesney, who also was given nods for Top Male Vocalist, Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year (both for "Don't Blink"), has taken home the Entertainer of the Year statue from the ACM ceremony the last three years.

The Academy announced that fans will choose the Entertainer of the Year winner for the first time ever. Fan voting will begin May 5, with details to be announced through the organization's website at a later date.

Following Chesney's haul, the next closest nominee was Rodney Atkins . The Tennessee singer is nominated for six awards, including Top Male Vocalist, as well as Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Watching You" from his latest disc, "If You're Going Through Hell," which also was nominated for Album of the Year.

Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift led all female artists with three nominations each, with both scoring nods for Top Female Vocalist. Lambert was nominated for her album "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and for the song "Famous in a Small Town," while Swift grabbed a nomination for Top New Female Vocalist as well as one for her self-titled debut album.

Last year's Top Male Vocalist winner, Brad Paisley , is nominated again in that category as well as three others, including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year (for "5th Gear") and Video of the Year (for "Online").

Big & Rich and Sugarland grabbed more nominations than any other duos with four apiece. Both pairs are nominated in the Top Vocal Duo category, as well as Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year.

The 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony will take place May 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will air live on CBS-TV. A complete list of nominees is provided below.

Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
George Strait
Keith Urban

Top Male Vocalist
Rodney Atkins
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban

Top Female Vocalist
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
LeAnn Rimes
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Top Vocal Group
Diamond Rio
Eagles
Emerson Drive
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts

Top Vocal Duo
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Halfway To Hazard
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland

Top New Male Vocalist
Luke Bryan
Jack Ingram
Jake Owen

Top New Female Vocalist
Sarah Buxton
Kellie Pickler
Taylor Swift

Top New Duo or Vocal Group
Carolina Rain
Lady Antebellum
The Wreckers

Album of the Year
"5th Gear," Brad Paisley
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," Miranda Lambert
"Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates," Kenny Chesney
"If You're Going Through Hell," Rodney Atkins
"Taylor Swift," Taylor Swift

Single Record of the Year
"Don't Blink," Kenny Chesney
"Famous In A Small Town," Miranda Lambert
"Lost In This Moment," Big & Rich
"Stay," Sugarland
"Watching Airplanes," Gary Allan

Song of the Year
"Don't Blink," Kenny Chesney
"Lost In This Moment," Big & Rich
"Moments," Emerson Drive
"Watching You," Rodney Atkins
"Stay," Sugarland

Video of the Year
"Don't Blink," Kenny Chesney
"Lost In This Moment," Big & Rich
"Online," Brad Paisley
"Stay," Sugarland
"Watching You," Rodney Atkins

Vocal Event of the Year
"Because of You," Reba McEntire Duet With Kelly Clarkson
"Find Out Who Your Friends Are," Tracy Lawrence With Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney
"Shiftwork," Kenny Chesney Duet With George Strait
"Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore," Bon Jovi Featuring LeAnn Rimes
"What You Give Away," Vince Gill With Sheryl Crow

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