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Move over, Taylor Swift -- there's a new Lady in Nashville.
With seven nominations, including album of the year, top vocal group and song of the year (for Need You Now), Lady Antebellum led the way for the 45th annual Academy of Country Music awards.
"You always hear about the power of a great song, and there's no doubt that Need You Now has definitely been a career-changer for us ... but seven nominations?" Lady Antebellum guitarist Dave Haywood said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. "We are blown away."
The nominees were announced Tuesday in New York by Blake Shelton, a nominee himself for vocal event of the year, and Reba McEntire, who will host this year's ACM broadcast. The event will air live April 18 from Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena on CBS (KTVT/Channel 11 locally). McEntire's appearance will be her 12th time hosting the event.
Other performers earning multiple nods included Lindale native Miranda Lambert, whose third album, Revolution, racked up six nominations -- tying her with Carrie Underwood and including a shot at album of the year and top female vocalist.
"She's blown away," Lambert's boyfriend, Shelton, told The Associated Press. "I think she's on cloud nine. It's one thing to get a nomination here or there. It's another thing whenever you dominate the nominations. She and Lady Antebellum I think did that."
Taylor Swift earned five nominations, while Kenny Chesney, the Zac Brown Band and Brad Paisley received four apiece.
The entertainer of the year features Toby Keith, George Strait, Keith Urban, the Zac Brown Band, Chesney, Underwood, Paisley and Swift duking it out for supremacy.
Chesney has won the prize four times, although Underwood is looking to repeat last year's victory.
Among the Texans vying for ACM trophies are George Strait, who was nominated twice; Denton's Eli Young Band, nominated for top new vocal group of the year, and Austinites Jack Ingram and Patty Griffin, whose duet Seeing Stars was nominated for vocal event of the year.
Additionally, the ACM/Home Depot Humanitarian Award recipient will be Montgomery Gentry for "their ongoing community service and charitable giving of their time and talent," according to the ACM.
PRESTON JONES IS THE STAR-TELEGRAM POP MUSIC CRITIC. 817-390-7713
