NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kenny Chesney's steamy duet, "You and Tequila" with Grace Potter, continues to radiate heat.
The song helped Chesney to nine Academy of Country Music Awards nominations Thursday morning, including the top honor of entertainer of the year. Jason Aldean, next with six nominations, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and 2011 winner Taylor Swift round out the fan-voted category.
Lady Antebellum had five nominations, Paisley had four and several were deadlocked at three, including Swift.
Nominees were announced via social media with the help of stars like Reba McEntire and Lionel Richie. Fans were chosen to announce the entertainer of the year candidates. They'll have a chance to pick the winner in that category and new artist of the year for the 47th annual ACM Awards, which will air live April 1 from Las Vegas on CBS with McEntire and Shelton hosting.
Chesney is a four-time entertainer of the year winner and was the first victor under the academy's current fan-voted format. He's nominated for a 10th time in the male vocalist category and received double nominations as artist and producer for album of the year for "Hemingway's Whiskey" and single record of the year and vocal event of the year for "You and Tequila." He also receives a song of the year nomination as performer on "You and Tequila," written by Matraca Berg and Deana Carter.
Potter, best known as an indie rock performer with her band The Nocturnals, received three nominations for the collaboration.
Aldean also is up for male vocalist, album of the year for "My Kinda Party," single record and vocal event of the year for the duet "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Kelly Clarkson, and video of the year for "Tattoos on This Town."
Lady Antebellum will compete for its third straight vocal group of the year win. The trio of Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley also is up for album of the year for "Own the Night" as artist and producer, and both song and video of the year for "Just a Kiss."
Along with his fifth straight entertainer nomination, Paisley will be going for another win in the male vocalist category. He's won it five times in a row. He also scored a double nomination in the vocal event category for "Old Alabama" with Alabama and "Remind Me" with Carrie Underwood.
Eric Church's "CHIEF" and Miranda Lambert's "Four the Record" round out the album of the year category. Lady A won last year for its breakthrough "Need You Now."
Nominees for the new artist of the year will be announced after the close of online voting Jan. 30. Fans are currently picking the nominees in that category from a list of eight semifinalists.
Fans can begin voting at the ACM website for entertainer and new artist nominees on March 19. The other award winners are picked by the academy's membership.
It's Shelton's first nomination for the academy's top award. The news comes the week after Shelton's father, Dick, passed away.
"The support I have felt this week is overwhelming," Shelton said in a statement. "Thank you everyone for this honor."
JASON ALDEAN KENNY CHESNEY BLAKE SHELTON TAYLOR SWIFT BRAD PAISLEY
Male Vocalist Of The Year:
JASON ALDEAN KENNY CHESNEY BRAD PAISLEY BLAKE SHELTON CHRIS YOUNG
Female Vocalist Of The Year:
SARA EVANS MIRANDA LAMBERT MARTINA McBRIDE TAYLOR SWIFT CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Vocal Group Of The Year:
THE BAND PERRY ELI YOUNG BAND LADY ANTEBELLUM RASCAL FLATTS ZAC BROWN BAND
Vocal Duo Of The Year:
LOVE AND THEFT MONGTOMERY GENTRY STEEL MAGNOLIA SUGARLAND THOMPSON SQUARE
Songwriter of the Year:
RHETT AKINS DALLAS DAVIDSON BEN HAYSLIP LUKE LAIRD DAVID LEE MURPHY
Vocal Event Of The Year:
“Country Boy” - AARON LEWIS f. GEORGE JONES & CHARLIE DANIELS “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – JASON ALDEAN f. KELLY CLARKSON “Old ALABAMA” – BRAD PAISLEY f. ALABAMA “Remind Me” – BRAD PAISLEY f. CARRIE UNDERWOOD “You & Tequila” – KENNY CHESNEY f. GRACE POTTER
Video Of The Year:
“Tattoos On This Town” – JASON ALDEAN “Homeboy” – ERIC CHURCH “Red Solo Cup” – TOBY KEITH “Just A Kiss” – LADY ANTEBELLUM “Mean” – TAYLOR SWIFT
Single Record Of The Year:
“Crazy Girl” – ELI YOUNG BAND “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – JASON ALDEAN f. KELLY CLARKSON “Red Solo Cup” – TOBY KEITH “Tomorrow” – CHRIS YOUNG “You & Tequila” – KENNY CHESNEY f. GRACE POTTER
Song Of The Year:
“Crazy Girl” – ELI YOUNG BAND “Home” – DIERKS BENTLEY “Just A Kiss” – LADY ANTEBELLUM “Threaten Me With Heaven” – VINCE GILL “You & Tequila” – KENNY CHESNEY f. GRACE POTTER
Album Of The Year:
“Chief” – ERIC CHURCH “Four The Record” – MIRANDA LAMBERT "Hemingway’s Whiskey" – KENNY CHESNEY “My Kinda Party” – JASON ALDEAN “Own The Night” – LADY ANTEBELLUM
Producer of the Year:
MARK BRIGHT BUDDY CANNON NATHAN CHAPMAN JAY JOYCE FRANK LIDDELL
Audio Engineer of the Year:
JEFF BALDING DEREK BASON JOHN KELTON MILLS LOGAN JUSTIN NIEBANK
Bass Player of the Year:
MIKE BRIGNARDELLO KEVIN "SWINE" GRANTT MARK HILL MICHAEL RHODES JIMMY LEE SLOAS
Percussionist/Drummer of the Year:
MATT CHAMBERLAIN CHAD CROMWELL SHANNON FORREST CHRIS MCHUGH GREG MORROW
Guitarist of the Year:
J.T. CORENFLOS KENNY GREENBERG JAY JOYCE BRENT MASON ADAM SHOENFELD
Fiddle Player of the Year:
GLEN DUNCAN STUART DUNCAN LARRY FRANKLIN JOE SPIVEY JONATHAN YUDKIN
Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year:
TONY HARRELL JOHN HOBBS JOHN JARVIS CHARLIE JUDGE MICHAEL ROJAS
Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year:
ERIC DARKEN AUBREY HAYNIE ILYA TOSHINSKY JOHN WILLIS JONATHAN YUDKIN
Casino of the Year:
AGUA CALIENTE CASINO - RANCHO MIRAGE, CA IP CASINO - BILOXI, MS ISLAND RESORT CASINO - HARRIS, MI MANDALAY BAY HOTEL & CASINO - LAS VEGAS, NV WINSTAR WORLD CASINO - THACKERVILLE, OK
Nightclub of the Year:
BILLY BOB’S TEXAS - FT. WORTH, TX BUCK OWENS’ CRYSTAL PALACE - BAKERSFIELD, CA GRIZZLY ROSE - DENVER, CO TOBY KEITH'S I LOVE THIS BAR & GRILL - MINNEAPOLIS, MN WORMY DOG - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Venue of the Year:
BOK CENTER - TULSA, OK BRIDGESTONE ARENA - NASHVILLE, TN FIRST MIDWEST BANK AMPHITHEATRE - CHICAGO, IL JIFFY LUBE LIVE - BRISTOW, VA SPRINT CENTER - KANSAS CITY, MO
DON ROMEO Talent Buyer of the Year:
ETHAN HIRSCH - WILSON EVENTS JIMMY JAY - JAYSON PROMOTIONS, INC. R.J. KALTENBACH - KLEIN’S ATTRACTIONS GARY OSIER - GARY OSIER PRESENTS HUSTON POWELL - C3 PRESENTS
Promoter of the Year:
BEN FERRELL - VARNELL ENTERPRISES, INC. BRAD GARRETT - POLICE PRODUCTIONS BRIAN O’CONNELL - LIVE NATION GLENN SMITH - GLENN & LINDA PRESENT ED WARM - JOE’S BAR
On-Air Personality Of The Year – National
CODY ALAN, CMT RADIO LIVE WITH CODY ALAN KIX BROOKS, AMERICAN COUNTRY COUNTDOWN WITH KIX BROOKS CROOK AND CHASE, CROOK AND CHASE COUNTDOWN LON HELTON, CMT COUNTRY COUNTDOWN USA LIA, THE LIA SHOW
On-Air Personality Of The Year – Major Market
KELLY FORD & RIDER, KYGO-FM, DENVER, CO CLEDUS T. JUDD, DAVE MCKAY, VERONICA, WQYK-FM, TAMPA, FL LISA DENT and RAMBLIN’ RAY, WUSN-FM, CHICAGO, IL TRISH BIONDO, WUSN-FM, CHICAGO, IL EDWARDS & LEE (CHUCK EDWARDS & LINDA LEE), WYCD-FM, DETROIT, MI
On-Air Personality Of The Year – Large Market
RANDY CARROLL & JAMIE MARTIN, KAJA-FM, SAN ANTONIO, TX DAVE O’BRIEN, WLHK-FM, INDIANAPOLIS, IN MIKE, MARTY AND JANIE, WQDR-FM, RALEIGH, NC BILL CODY, WSM-AM, NASHVILLE, TN BIG DAVE AND CHELSIE, WUBE-FM, CINCINNATI, OH
On-Air Personality Of The Year – Medium Market
STEVE & GEOFF IN THE MORNING, KUZZ AM/FM, BAKERSFIELD, CA CASH AND CAREY (NATALIE CASH AND JIM CAREY), KWEN-FM, TULSA, OK TOM & BECKY, WBBS-FM, SYRACUSE, NY ROGER, TOM & MELISSA, WPCV-FM, LAKELAND, FL SCOTT WYNN & SUE WILSON (WYNN AND WILSON IN THE MORNING), WQMX-FM, AKRON, OH
On-Air Personality Of The Year – Small Market
SCOTTY & CARISSA IN THE MORNING, KCLR-FM, COLUMBIA, MO BILL BARRETT, TIM FOX AND TRACY BERRY, KKNU-FM, EUGENE, OR PHILIP GIBBONS, WGSQ-FM, COOKEVILLE, TN BEARMAN AND KEN IN THE MORNING, WUSY-FM, CHATTANOOGA, TN BRENT LANE, WYCT-FM, PENSACOLA, FL
Radio Station Of The Year – Major Market
KUPL-FM, PORTLAND, OR KYGO-FM, DENVER, CO WQYK-FM, TAMPA, FL WXTU-FM, PHILADELPHIA, PA WYCD-FM, DETROIT, MI
Radio Station Of The Year – Large Market
KAJA-FM, SAN ANTONIO, TX WLHK-FM, INDIANAPOLIS, IN WQDR-FM, RALEIGH, NC WUBE-FM, CINCINNATI, OH
Radio Station Of The Year – Medium Market
KATM-FM, STOCKTON, CA KUZZ-AM/FM, BAKERSFIELD, CA WBBS-FM, SYRACUSE, NY WYRK-FM, BUFFALO, NY
Radio Station Of The Year – Small Market
KCLR-FM, COLUMBIA, MO KUAD-FM, WINDSOR, CO WUSY-FM, CHATTANOOGA, TN WXFL-FM, FLORENCE, AL
Singer Taylor Swift speaks onstage at the 47th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards on April 1, 2012, in Las Vegas.
(CBS News) The star-studded 47th annual Academy of Country Music Awards saw big wins by Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift and Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson.