Can Taylor Swift finally beat Carrie Underwood at the Academy of Country Music Awards?

Taylor Swift's "Fearless" (2008) won album of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, but she's never won best female vocalist or any other top ACM prize for that matter. Now she battles her toughest foe, Carrie Underwood, for the crown as best female vocalist at the kudocast to be televised Sunday night in Las Vegas (CBS, 8 p.m. PT/ET).

In 2007, Swift won an ACM trophy as a new vocalist, but Underwood claimed the top prize as best female vocalist that year. Underwood also won in 2006 and 2008. Last year, Swift and Underwood lost to the hottest new country diva on the block: Miranda Lambert. Now Swift, Lambert and Underwood face off against Reba McEntire and Lee Ann Womack. Womack's never won. McEntire holds the record in the category with seven wins, but the last was way back in 1996.

Taylor Swift is also overdue to win entertainer of the year. Ditto Keith Urban and Brad Paisley. Underwood won the last two years, but now she isn't nominated. Swift, Urban and Paisley face off against Jason Aldean, Toby Keith and Miranda Lambert. Toby Keith is the only past champ (2002, 2003) in the category, which usually hails the country music star who had the most amazing concert tour of the year.

There's no suspense surrounding what will win best album of the year. Following up on the group's recent Grammy romp, Lady Antebellum is destined to prevail for "Need You Now," which won best single and song last year at the Academy of Country Music Awards. The album competes in the current race because it was technically released in a later eligibility period. See a full list of nominees in all categories here.

Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band to perform at Academy of Country Music Awards

The Academy of Country Music has announced its rundown of musicians who will perform at the awards ceremony in Las Vegas on April 3 (8 p.m. on CBS). Musical acts include Alabama, Dierks Bentley, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, Martina McBride, Reba, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band with James Taylor.

Previously, the academy announced these musicians would perform on the show: Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban. They're all nominated for the entertainer of the year award. See a full list of nominees here.

Award presenters will include Nancy O'Dell and Ryan Seacrest.

-- Tom O'Neil

Photo: Academy of Country Music

Poll: Will Miranda Lambert reign as new CMA Awards queen?

You know something weird is going on at the Country Music Assn. Awards when Miranda Lambert gets two nominations for best single of the year ("The House That Built Me," "White Liar") and Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift don't even make the list! In fact, Lambert is so popular with the music organization that she set a new record for the most CMA nominations  reaped by a female artist with nine.

Will she emerge as the new reigning queen of country Wednesday night when the prizes are bestowed on CBS? If so, those major award victories would come at a nice time — today is her 27th birthday.

Lambert can't escape showdowns with Underwood and Swift in other top races, though. Lambert is up against Underwood for best album and squares off against both in the battle to be named best female vocalist.

For live blogging of the show, check in with my music colleagues on Pop & Hiss.

For a full report of the night's events, come back to Awards Tracker later Wednesday night.

And for a quick check on the winners, click here.

-- Tom O'Neil