Live from Las Vegas: 45th Academy of Country Music Awards

Reporting from Las Vegas -- For most people, the 2 a.m. closing-time phone call to an ex- is an act of desperation, but Lady Antebellum turned it into a source of inspiration in their hit “Need You Now,” which brought the Augusta, Ga., trio top awards, including vocal group, single and song of the year Sunday at the 45th Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony here.

The ACM’s reigning entertainer of the year, Carrie Underwood, made it two in a row in something of an upset over country-pop princess Taylor Swift, who outsold every other act in pop music in 2009 and otherwise dominated country and pop, also launching her first headlining arena tour with a slate of sold out shows across the country. Swift gave Underwood a hug as the “American Idol” winner took the stage to accept the award, which was voted on by fans during the show and over the last several weeks.

Opening the entertainer of the year award to fan voting is part of an expanding effort by the West Coast-based ACM to make its yearly honors more interactive. This year, viewers also got to text in their choices of which song soon-to-part duo Brooks & Dunn would sing during their farewell ACM performance together. "My Maria” was the winner.” Fans also voted to select the finalists for the top new artist award, and gave the win to former peanut farmer Luke Bryan, who noted, “It is impossible for a human being to shake more than right now” as he clutched the trophy.

In many respects the results this year carried a “life is a bar” flavor, from Lady Antebellum’s rookie ascension to a valedictory duo award to Brooks & Dunn that gave them one more for the road, even though Sugarland’s career was more impressive last year by most standards.

Firebrand Miranda Lambert collected both female vocalist and album awards for her third effort, “Revolution,” which was a significant step forward for her artistically. “You’ve got to be kidding!” she said when she accepted the female vocalist trophy. “Reba McEntire, Lee Ann Womack, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift….and me,” she said as boyfriend and country star, Blake Shelton, looked on with a wide grin.

The awards themselves, however, were almost an afterthought in a three-hour show, broadcast on CBS, in which musical performances outnumbered envelope-ripping about two to one, and acceptance speeches were limited, sometimes brutally, to 30-second slots to keep the momentum from flagging.

The ACM has studied the market well, noting recent research showing country fans love award shows more than the average TV viewer—hence the strong ratings uptick for last year’s show—and the stat that 72% of country record buyers are women—hence the presence of Matthew McConaughey and Josh Duhamel among other hunky non-musicians chosen as presenters.

The show opened with a fiery run-through of a 40-year-old Creedence Clearwater Revival rock hit, “Travelin’ Band,” sung by Underwood and Lambert, who were soon joined by the song’s composer, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member John Fogerty, and country’s demon fiddler, Charlie Daniels.

Among the show’s other highlights, singer-songwriter-guitarist Brad Paisley took a dunk in a mid-arena pool at the end of his performance of his song “Water,” which was immediately followed by the wisecracking Paisley being crowned, still dripping wet, as the ACM’s top male vocalist.

Lambert gave a moving reading of her reflective autobiographical song “The House That Built Me,” bypassing the pyrotechnics and hell-on-wheels personality that’s characterized many of her TV performances. 

Swift soared above the audience on a suspended platform for her featured number, “Change,” from her blockbuster album “Fearless.” Stepping off the platform once it touched down again amid the seats, she ripped off the flowing white gown she had on to reveal a black body-hugging ensemble better suited for her to stride through the crowd to the stage, trailed by several dozen fans. After leading a choir in the inspirational rock-gospel anthem, holding one climactic note for a good 15 seconds, she fell backward into the crowd, Peter Gabriel style, to be carried off and set down.

It was a dramatic statement of possibility from a young artist who, despite her extraordinary accomplishments, is still expanding on those possibilities. It also quickly erased the memory of her sketchy performance on the Grammy Awards that prompted much grousing from detractors.

Toby Keith saluted his friend, NBA star turned jazz bassist Wayman Tisdale, who last year lost his fight against cancer, in “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song).” The segment was pegged to the ACM’s philanthropic campaign called ACM Lifting Lives.

Duo Montgomery Gentry was given this year’s humanitarian award for their charity efforts. The Zac Brown Band, one of eight entertainer of the year nominees in a field expanded this year a la the Oscars’ broadening of the best picture field, drew cheers from thousands of fans who filled the MGM Grand’s Garden Arena during the group’s taped performance on its current USO trip to entertain troops in the Middle East.

Reba McEntire hosted for the 12th year.

--Randy Lewis

Related:

Reporter's Notebook: Offstage at the Academy of Country Music Awards

Photo: Charles Kelley, left, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood of the band Lady Antebellum perform at the ACM show. Credit: Matt Sayles / Associated Press

Comments

[Bill Carter]

To allow electronic voting gives an undue advantage to a nominee with keen electronic proficiencies, and less than the best ethics. It’s a bad idea.

Carrie Underwood is Entertainer of the Year? The tadpoles are scratching their heads in L’il Abner’s Dogpatch.

The country-music community doesn’t realize what it owes Taylor Swift. She brought new people to the genre, and brought back people who had become bored to tears with the present crop of singers. She didn’t heat up the cash registers for county tunes, she ignited them in an inferno. I hope each performer who attended last night’s fiasco asks, “Gee, how much money did that little girl put in my pocket last year? Was it an increase of 10%? 20%? 40%? More? Maybe we shouldn’t ought’a have dissed her. Ya think?”

I’m guessing that the young Taylor Swift doesn’t really care what happened last night, but she has an outstanding team around her, whose musical instincts have been proven through success. They might not be quite as forgiving toward the country-music industry.

Last night was the dumbest event in country-music history since Faron Young put the moves on Johnny Cash’s girlfriend.

[Allycat]

Why did you take away from Carrie Underwood's well deserved WIN by using a photo of over-rated Taylor Swift and basically ignoring Carrie? Carrie is 10000x the artist singer and person that Swift is, and the voters know this. You didn't even mention Carrie's amazing performance of Temporary Home, which stole the show. Carrie is the country QUEEN, so why mention the over-rated pop princess who is not even as country as SNoop Dog? Unreal how much favoritism your paper gives to Taylor, while you ignore or Snub Carrie. CONGRATS CARRIE UNDERWOOD! Even if this paper hates, you, the voters and fans LOVE YOU!

[Francesca]

Taylor's performance was terrible as always. Once again, she used gimmicks to distract people from her terrible singing.

How can you not mention Carrie's performance, when it was a highlight of the night? Carrie sings circles around the over-rated, over-exposed Swift.

I am very tired of your paper ignoring Carrie and not giving her the credit she deserves. Carrie won Entertainer of the Year-- NOT TAYLOR! So why is this article about Taylor instead??? Bias maybe? go cArrie!

[michael]

Please see Alan Parsons Project - "Eye in the Sky" if you wonder where Lady Antebellum "found" the chorus for "Need You Now." It was driving me and my friends crazy because we'd sworn we'd heard this song somewhere before and then one of us remembered where, "Eye in the Sky." Probably not an intentional lift, but Alan Parsons would have a case if he ever took it to court

[Bryan Foster]

Taylor Swift is not helping the genre of country music: she is hurting it. She is not bringing in new fans to the genre: she is only bringing in teen fans that love her, but are not about to go to a George Strait show or buy a Merle Haggard album. They do not like country music asa they are mainly pop fans, and still are. They justlike Taylor because she writes about tween love songs they can relate to, and they can sing her songs (often better then her) because they are in a very limited range with easy notes to sing. Swift is over-rated and not even country. She hasn't helped country music at all as her fans are all teen pop fans who never go out and buy country albums of other country acts. Ie- Kellie Pickler, Taylor's opening act, is selling very poorly despite being on Taylor's tour for a year now. Taylor's little 12 year old fanbots boast proudly that they cannot stand country music and only like Taylor because she is more pop, doesn't sound twangy, and isn't really country. True, all of that. She is not even from the South and makes Snoop Dog look like Merle Haggard by comparison. Bottom line: Taylor remixes her songs to pop radio, sells out to pop and sings with Kathy Perry and John Mayer instead of real country singers. She is not helping the genre- she is hurting it and dilluting it. She has not made it better, but much much worse. She cannot sing, and I am sick of her fake act when she wins awards belonging to better artists. Your paper worships her, but honestly, why cannot you admit she cannot sing and is not really country at all? She hasn't turned new fans to the genre. She only helps Taylor Swift sell more albums, but not her country peers. My niece loves Taylor but hates country music and says she and all her little friends do not think of Taylor as country, and would never ever go to a country concert or buy a country album. Therefore, once they move on from Taylor as she is just an over-rated teen fad, what new fans will she have brought to the genre? none. They will go back to pop music like before, and move on to better artists once they grow up and realize Swift is a terrible singer and her songs are bubble gum tween pop drivel. If anyone has helped the genre, it is the under-rated Carrie Underwood, whom your paper ignores or despises depending on your mood. Carrie's fans actually go to other country music concerts and buy albums of the opening acts for Carrie to support them, because they are older and willing to give country music a chance. Carrie has helped the genre alot by bringing new adult fans to love country music as a whole, not just Carrie Underwood. The Taylor worship and frenzy has really gotten old. The big fat elephant is in the room and we all see it, but some of you won't admit the truth, that she cannot sing and is just a pop teen blonde girl riding on her looks and popularity, but not real talent.

[Brad]

For Michael: Thank you so much. "Need You Now" is "Eye in the Sky". Perhaps not in a court of law, but certainly in my well-trained ear. "Corporate country" is mostly corporate, hardly country, except for the circus-like trappings that turn up in these award shows. Take away the cowboy hats, and the guys are just soap opera actors. The girls are kewpie dolls designed by an ad agency. And the music is as disposable as yesterday's LA Times.

[Beth Grant]

Watching the 45th Academy of Country Music Awards was really inspirational for our rising country artist Sandra Piller. She has been trying to figure out her professional “look” and country artists like Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, have been a blessing in helping Sandra figure out her style.