Country music radio luminaries Blair Garner, Shawn Parr and Storme Warren – along with winners in ACM radio categories and Westwood One – played a key role in the success of the Week Vegas Goes Country® preceding the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. The telecast reached more than 13 million viewers and won the night for the CBS Television Network.
Two-time ACM National On-Air Personality of the Year Award winner Blair Garner, of After MidNite with Blair Garner, emceed the Academy’s two days of free, open-to-the-public all-star concerts held on two stages at Fremont Street Experience, a five-block entertainment zone in downtown Las Vegas. On-air talent including from both local Las Vegas country radio stations, KCYE and KWNR also co-emceed on one night each. Rick Kelly and Jason Rooney from KCYE and Bob Bishop from KWNR participated on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
A record 45,000 fans crowded the stages on Friday and Saturday night, April 16 and 17 to see headliners Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert, and performances by newcomer category winners Luke Bryan, Joey + Rory and Gloriana. The concerts also featured Danny Gokey, David Nail, Emily West, The Band Perry and Randy Rogers Band. ACM Weekend on Fremont Street Experience is sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Shawn Parr, KKGO-FM Go Country 105 Los Angeles’ morning man and host of the nationally syndicated The Country’s Hotlist, was back for the 18th consecutive year as the official voice of the Academy of Country Music Awards. In addition, Parr hosted the ACM All-Star Jam after the live Sunday telecast, which featured performances by Jason Aldean, Ash Bowers, Luke Bryan, Laura Bell Bundy, Eric Church, Billy Currington, Jack Ingram, Jaron and The Long Road To Love, Joey + Rory, Lady Antebellum, Montgomery Gentry, Justin Moore, Joe Nichols, James Otto, John Rich, Darius Rucker, Jordyn Shellhart, Steel Magnolia, Glenn Templeton, The Band Perry, Thompson Square, Trailer Choir, Cowboy Troy, Carrie Underwood, Clay Walker, James Westley, Gretchen Wilson, Chris Young, Eli Young Band and more.
Parr also hosted and played in the KKGO-FM listener poker tournament held Saturday, April 17 at the MGM Grand Poker Room. Participants of the tournament were selected in a pre-Awards on-air station promotion, winning a spot to play in the tournament with artist Joe Nichols and tickets to the ACM Awards, with the tournament winner receiving VIP fan pit tickets for the ceremony.
Storme Warren, host of GAC’s Headline Country, SiriusXM Highway Channel’s Music Row Happy Hour and co-host of the recently launched radio show Music City Saturday Night, rode in the ACM Chairman’s Ride and then emceed the USO Concert in Partnership with ACM Lifting Lives™ on Saturday, April 17 at Nellis Air Force Base. The free, private con
cert for the troops and their families featured Dierks Bentley, LeAnn Rimes, Josh Thompson and USO tour veterans Randy Houser, James Otto, Anthony Smith and Montgomery Gentry, who were also honored with the 2010 ACM/The Home Depot Humanitarian Award.
The event was the first-ever partnership for ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music, and the USO. It was open to all military ID holders and their families and was attended by approximately 3,000 people.
Radio category winners attended an Academy reception in their honor at the MGM Grand on Saturday, April 17, where Miranda Lambert presented them with their trophies. Attendees included CMT Radio Live’s Cody Alan, KIIM’s Buzz Jackson, KIZN’s Rich Summers, KMPS’ Becky Brenner & Erica Hall, KNIX’s Ben Campbell & Matt McAllister, KSCS’ Chris Huff & Cari Swartzell, KUZZ’s Evan Bridwell, Toni Marie & Mel Owens, WFRE’s Jess Wright, WGSQ’s Gator Harrison, WQDR’s Janie Carothers, Billy Dukes, J.J. Herr, Lisa McKay, Dede Wakefield & Mike Wheless, WSIX’s Keith Kaufman (winner Gerry House, Mike Bohan, Al Voecks, Duncan Stewart and Richard Falken were regretfully unable to attend), and WUSY’s Jay Cruze, Jared Stehney & Brian Stewart.
Reception hosts Bill Mayne, President of the Academy of Country Music, Charlie Cook, Chairman of the ACM Radio Task Force and Bob Romeo, ACM Executive Director, in turn encouraged the radio winners to surprise Lambert with her trophy and the news she had won the Video of the Year category for “White Liar.” Video producer Tameron Hedge and director Chris Hicky were regretfully unable to attend but were notified of their win that night via telephone by the Academy.
Westwood One, an Academy corporate partner for almost a decade, brought out 26 radio stations from across the country to participate in radio remotes on Friday and Saturday, April 16 and 17, driving tune-in and consumer awareness of the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Artists who participated include Dierks Bentley, Billy Currington, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, Jake Owen, Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood and more.
Category: Artist, Awards, Featured, Organizations, Radio
