It’s the 50th anniversary of the Academy of Country Music Awards, most commonly known as the ACM Awards, and the lineup of performers is unlike any other year. Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line, and Lady Antebellum are just a few of the big names participating in the show. And, there is a big pop cross-over this year with Nick Jonas teaming up with country duo Dan + Shay and Christina Aguilera performing a duet with Rascal Flatts. The hosts of the show are Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton once again and we’re sure to witness a few surprises for the show’s 50th year celebration.
So, how did the Academy of Country Music get started in the first place and where does its awards show come from? The Academy was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles when performer Tommy Wiggins, songwriter Eddie Miller and club owners Mickey and Chris Christensen teamed up with other performers. They then established the Country and Western Music Academy. Their hope was to promote country music in the western 13 states and to support artists based on the West Coast. In 1965, a board of directors was formed and then the Academy hosted its first official country music awards show in 1966 (after three informal ones were held). It was the first country music awards program held by a major company, shining a spotlight on the country music community.
Check out more info on the show, how to vote for your favorite nominees and how to watch the show online via the below links.