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Academy of Country Music Award Winners

Editor, Marc Greilsamer

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It was a breakout night for up-and-coming Texan Lee Ann Womack following a breakout year. Womack took home three trophies at last night's 36th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Still, Womack couldn't unseat the heavyweights completely as the Dixie Chicks notched three of their own--including their first Entertainer of the Year Award--and Faith Hill won her third consecutive Top Female Vocalist Award. Here is a list of the top winners, along with our thoughts (and in some cases, our own choices).

Entertainer of the Year
Winner:

 Fly
Dixie Chicks
 After winning Album of the Year and Top Vocal Group the past two years running, the Dixie Chicks graduate to the big time with this nod, one of three they took home. Enough fiddle and steel for the traditional crowd, enough hooks for the mainstreamers, enough glitz and glamour for pop fans: these gals have it all.

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Our Pick:


 If you've seen them live, you know that this trio is not smoke and mirrors--they are talented and genuine and a whole lot of fun to boot.


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Top Female Vocalist
Winner:

 Breathe
Faith Hill
 The reigning queen of country took home only one award, but it was a big one. With Shania Twain retreating a bit from the spotlight--Twain hasn't released a new album in almost four years--Hill's star continued to rise throughout 2000. Her Breathe album has now sold more than 6 million copies and has stayed on the country charts for 77 weeks.

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Our Pick:

Born to Fly
Sara Evans
 Between the biggest names (Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill) and the rising stars (Lee Ann Womack), Sara Evans has a tendency to fall through the cracks. And although her three albums have been progressively less "country," you can't argue with her gorgeous, soulful voice.

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Top Male Vocalist
Winner:

 How Do You Like Me Now
Toby Keith
 Not sure if collect-call commercials constitute big-time success or not, but this award certainly does. For his first five albums, the Oklahoma-born Keith never did make a huge impact but was good enough to stick around. Now his sixth studio album has catapulted him to stardom, thanks to equal doses of pop hooks, country twang, and male attitude.

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Our Pick:

Who Needs Pictures
Brad Paisley
 Brad Paisley's debut turned quite a few heads when it was released two years ago as traditionalists were buoyed by his many talents and his ensuing success. With Part II about to hit the streets, it's time to see whether Paisley--a triple-threat singer, guitarist, and songwriter--can fulfill his potential.

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Top Vocal Duo
Winner:

 Steers & Stripes
Brooks & Dunn
 Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn won this award six consecutive times in the 1990s before the category was merged with Top Vocal Group in 1997. Brooks & Dunn then won their seventh in a row but were unseated by the Dixie Chicks the following two years. This year the category has been split back into two, and with the Chicks safely tucked away in another category, Brooks & Dunn returned to their rightful place.

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Our Pick:

The Judds Reunion Live [LIVE]
The Judds
 Before Brooks & Dunn unseated them in 1991, Naomi and Wynonna had put together an impressive run of their own, winning this award seven consecutive times themselves. Thanks to a triumphant reunion CD and tour, the gals reminded everyone how vital they were in guiding the course of country music's last decade--and how much better they were than much of what followed.

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Vocal Group of the Year
Winner:

 Fly
Dixie Chicks
 Now that the Academy split Top Vocal Duo and Vocal Group of the Year back into two categories, the Dixie Chicks and Brooks & Dunn can both win every year! This makes it three in a row for the Chicks.

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Our Pick:


 The boys of Diamond Rio certainly deserve consideration here, but we'll stick with the Chicks.


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Top New Female Vocalist
Winner:

 Shiver
Jamie O'Neal
 "There Is No Arizona" was a huge hit for Jamie O'Neal, an Australian-born beauty from a musical family. The track went to No. 1 on the country charts, the first debut single by a female artist to top the charts since the 1996 Deana Carter hit "Strawberry Wine."

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Our Pick:

Tammy Cochran
Tammy Cochran
 Considering that Tammy Cochran's debut album came out last week and Carolyn Dawn Johnson's has yet to see the light of day, O'Neal didn't really have much competition here. Still, Cochran is definitely one to watch, and her assured debut album is proof of her notable talent.

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Top New Male Vocalist
Winner:

 keith urban
keith urban
 Urban is another Aussie with a lot of musical experience, having been in a successful Australian band before he moved to Nashville and formed the Ranch. In terms of traditional country values, you could say that his solo album has lived up to his surname.

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Our Pick:

One Voice
Billy Gilman
 This is truly a tough call because, quality of material and production aside, young scamp Billy Gilman has the best pure voice of the three nominees--by a large margin. Unfortunately, his albums haven't always put that incredible instrument to the best use. But hey, he's still young.

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Top New Vocal Duo or Group
Winner:

 Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts
 The boys in Rascal Flatts are as cute as the dickens to be sure, and they have an unabashedly poppy sound. At least they're proud of it, rather than paying lip service to country's roots and so forth. They can also sing a bit too, evidenced by their soaring harmonies, which add a little weight to their otherwise light fare.

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Our Pick:


 Oh boy, another difficult decision here. We'll go with Rascal Flatts too, based on the fact that they have the most potential of the nominees in this category. Hopefully, their music will mature a little bit as they do themselves.


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Vocal Event of the Year
Winner:

 I Hope You Dance
Lee Ann Womack
 "I Hope You Dance" with the Sons of the Desert: In this case, the "event" in question was a record label hoping to have the Sons of the Desert ride on the coattails of a surefire hit song by their labelmate Lee Ann Womack. Perhaps that's a bit cynical. In fact, the counterpoint provided by the Sons helped give the song its unique appeal.

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Our Pick:

Latest Greatest Straitest Hits
George Strait
 "Murder on Music Row" by George Strait and Alan Jackson: Biting the hands that feed you by taking the industry to task for washing away country music's grit and soul--now that's an event. On a night where pop's shine tended to overshadow country's substance, a nod in this direction would have been welcome.

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Album of the Year
Winner:

 How Do You Like Me Now
Toby Keith
 Keith's breakthrough album took home the hardware in one of the night's most intriguing and diverse categories. Keith had to beat out the young, wholesome Billy Gilman and the grizzled legend Johnny Cash, not to mention critical darling Paisley and star-of-the-moment Womack.

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Our Pick:

American III: Solitary Man
Johnny Cash
 Dark, sober, and obsessed with mortality, Cash's album was one of the most engrossing and powerful releases of the year, even though his voice is not what it once was. It was a nice gesture for the ACM to nominate him, but he never really had a chance. Just as well.

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Single Record of the Year
Winner:

 I Hope You Dance
Lee Ann Womack
 "I Hope You Dance": This was the stone-cold lock of the evening. "I Hope You Dance" was destined to win this award the moment it hit the airwaves and enthralled listeners with its grandiose, majestic sound and inspirational lyrics.

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Our Pick:

Shiver
Jamie O'Neal
 "There Is No Arizona": O'Neal's poignant, self-penned tune really gives Womack a run for her money here. In fact, we'll give the nod to O'Neal, but it's one of the toughest to call.

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Song of the Year
Winner:

 I Hope You Dance
Lee Ann Womack
 "I Hope You Dance": For the fourth time in the last five years, the Song of the Year (given to the songwriters) and the Single of the Year (for artist and producer) went to the same track. Songwriters Tia Sellers and Mark D. Sanders crafted an instant classic and a song sure to be on the airwaves for years to come.

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Our Pick:


 Since we gave the Single award to O'Neal, we'll give this one to Womack's hit.


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Video of the Year
Winner:

 Fly
Dixie Chicks
 "Goodbye Earl": The subject matter of this song gave video director Evan Bernard endless possibilities.

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Our Pick:


 This is a perfect example of a song and a video enhancing each other.


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Career Achievement Award
Winner:

 20 Greatest Hits [Big Country]
Kenny Rogers
 If you thought Kenny Rogers's career achievement had ended more than a decade ago, you wouldn't have been the only one. Yet his remarkable resurgence during the last few years has brought Rogers back into the spotlight. In fact, it's not often that an artist receiving an award for career achievement is also nominated for their current work, as Rogers was for "Buy Me a Rose." In his heyday, hard-core country fans derided Rogers for being too pop-oriented. If they only knew what was to follow...

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