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Kenny Chesney grabs top honor at ACM Awards
Kenny Chesney continued his string of wins at the Academy of Country Music Awards show last night (5/15), taking home his third consecutive Entertainer of the Year trophy.
Chesney sat quietly most of the evening before his name was called, however, watching others take awards before winning one himself. Multiple winners at the 42nd annual edition of the awards show, which was broadcast live on CBS-TV from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, included Carrie Underwood , George Strait , and Brooks & Dunn , the latter of whom who ended the evening with an unprecedented career total of 23 ACM awards.
In accepting the night's biggest award, Chesney--one of only four artists to win the honor three or more years in a row, joining Alabama, Garth Brooks and Hank Williams Jr.--paid tribute to fellow musicians Strait and Keith Whitley.
"When I first started playing music, I was in college and I would go rent all my equipment and put it in the back of a pickup truck," the performer said during his acceptance speech. "The only thing I wanted to do was cut a record as good as Keith Whitley did, and I listened to that music over and over again."
Veteran performer Strait won a pair of awards for his song "Give It Away" (Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year), while the 24-year-old Underwood represented the opposite end of country music's age spectrum with her win as Top Female Vocalist.
"It's absolutely amazing, I was so excited," Underwood said following her win, Reuters reported. "It's a great night. I feel blessed." The singer also nabbed honors for Album of the Year and Video of the Year.
In other main categories, Brad Paisley took home the trophy for Male Vocalist of the Year, the only category in which he was nominated, while Rascal Flatts' win for Top Vocal Group tied the band with Alabama for most consecutive wins in the category at five straight.
A full listed of winners is included below.
Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Top Male Vocalist
Brad Paisley
Top Female Vocalist
Carrie Underwood
Top Vocal Group
Rascal Flatts
Top New Male Vocalist
Rodney Atkins
Top New Female Vocalist
Miranda Lambert
Top New Duo or Vocal Group
Little Big Town
Album of the Year
"Some Hearts," Carrie Underwood
Single Record of the Year
"Give it Away," George Strait
Song of the Year
"Give it Away," George Strait
Video of the Year
"Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood
Vocal Event of the Year
"Building Bridges," Brooks & Dunn with Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow
