The Annual ACM Awards - General Discussion

[UYI]

Airs April 15th at 8 PM Eastern on CBS.

This is for the Academy of Country Music Awards, as opposed to the more prestigious, Nashville-based Country Music Association Awards (CMAs), which are held in November and air on ABC.

The ACMs are traditionally known to be the "West Coast" based country awards show, having been held in cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Dallas, although the distinction is less visible in terms of the awards themselves these days (I think it mattered more in the days when the Bakersfield Sound was actively competing with the Nashville Sound). While less prestigious than the CMAs, there might be a touch more style and glamour (especially when the show is held in Vegas). 

And, in any case, it's still a higher-class award show than the CMT Awards. :P

Edited March 13, 2018 by UYI

[mojoween]

I have no idea why I am watching this because country is so not my bag, but I'm a sucker for an awards show.

Regardless, I feel comfortable saying that this song, “Rich,” by Maren Morris? is not a good nor pleasing song.  The “ah-ah-ahs” were grating.

Reba I like though.  Her opener was amusing.  Also her earrings are beautiful and match her dress perfectly. 

[Jaded]

I'm flipping between this and other stuff since I don't really watch for the music. I like some people in country music but don't really listen to it really. I used to pay attention to it a bit more when music videos on TV were still a thing.

Not surprising to see that Kenny Chesney wore what he probably had on all day to perform.

1 minute ago, mojoween said:

I have no idea why I am watching this because country is so not my bag, but I'm a sucker for an awards show.

Regardless, I feel comfortable saying that this song, “Rich,” by Maren Morris? is not a good nor pleasing song.  The “ah-ah-ahs” were grating.

Reba I like though.  Her opener was amusing.  Also her earrings are beautiful and match her dress perfectly. 

That's mostly why I'm watching too.

I agree with you about that song "Rich" and the tacky huge sign was just tacky.

[Quof]

1.  Why can we see the outline of Nicole Kidman's underwear?

2.  Is there something wrong with the sound?   Everyone sounds sucktacular so far.  

[mojoween]

7 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Not surprising to see that Kenny Chesney wore what he probably had on all day to perform.

His neck area was so gross.

At the beginning when they did the Las Vegas statement it looked like the sound was not matching up with the people talking.  I thought it was my TV.

[Quof]

Is anyone else weary of the Carrie Underwood injury hype?   If she had appeared in public a month ago and said "See, this is my face", people really wouldn't have given a damn.   Now she'll show up caked in makeup (like she usually is) and everyone will be trying to see the scars.

Although I do love the theory that she faked the whole thing as a cover for plastic surgery.

[mojoween]

Yeah Carrie’s whole “I fell” story smacks of a cover up.

Jennifer Nettles is SO ANNOYING to me.  I can’t even explain it.

”Chattahootchie” is a song that has always irritated me for...reasons...but it was really cute to see the crowd attempt to sing along.  I appreciate people who are having a good time.

[Jaded]

8 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Yeah Carrie’s whole “I fell” story smacks of a cover up.

Jennifer Nettles is SO ANNOYING to me.  I can’t even explain it.

”Chattahootchie” is a song that has always irritated me for...reasons...but it was really cute to see the crowd attempt to sing along.  I appreciate people who are having a good time.

”Chattahootchie” is one of those songs that I hate that I know the words to. I was at an age when it came out that I thought it was funny because it had the words "hoochie coochie" in it. 

Jennifer Nettles and that lady from Little Big Town with the squeaky voice both drive me crazy. The latter was on an episode of Beat Bobby Flay which was hard to get through because she seemed to talk more then anyone during it. I know she can't help that her voice sounds like that and feel bad talking about how ear piercing it is.

I admit that a part of why I'm watching to see what Carrie's face looks like. Damn face drama just hasn't gone away because she keeps posting pics on social media to keep it going.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Jaded

[dbell1]

I'm a fan of country music. Maren Morris, Bebe whatever, that is NOT it. 

And someone really needs to give Hillary of Lady A a makeover. Damn girl, don't wear floral bathrobes on tv!!

[Jaded]

Muting Shelton.

Even though I'm liking the dresses Reba has worn they look like ones she's had in storage for years and decided to pull a few out for this hosting gig. 

I missed almost 10 min of the show at the start because my cat decided he needed to have a discussion about wanting to be early. I didn't see the Las Vegas statement or Reba's opener.

[Jaded]

I liked Keith Urban's song the riff is catchy. It looked like most of the people in the audience the camera people panned to had sour puss looks going on except for Nicole Kidman. Still nice to see her happy and carefree as opposed to when she was married to that little troll.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Jaded

[mojoween]

I just wish Nicole would stick with the red hair.  That blonde is too light for her complexion, IMO.

Every time someone comes up to present an award I get surprised all over again that this is not just a concert.

It seems to me, and again I don’t get all that much exposure to country music, that for the most part, there isn’t a heckuva lot of distinction between country and pop.

Except for Scotty McCreery, heh.

[Jaded]

7 minutes ago, mojoween said:

I just wish Nicole would stick with the red hair.  That blonde is too light for her complexion, IMO.

Every time someone comes up to present an award I get surprised all over again that this is not just a concert.

It seems to me, and again I don’t get all that much exposure to country music, that for the most part, there isn’t a heckuva lot of distinction between country and pop.

Except for Scotty McCreery, heh.

There are a lot of country music fans that have been angry for quite awhile because they don't think it sounds like country music anymore.

I saw the camera pan to Howdy Doody earlier. He still creeps me out after all these years. It was nice to see Lauren Alaina earlier in the show who placed 2nd to him that year.

[Dejana]

1 hour ago, Quof said:

Is anyone else weary of the Carrie Underwood injury hype?   If she had appeared in public a month ago and said "See, this is my face", people really wouldn't have given a damn.   Now she'll show up caked in makeup (like she usually is) and everyone will be trying to see the scars.

Although I do love the theory that she faked the whole thing as a cover for plastic surgery.

 

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

Yeah Carrie’s whole “I fell” story smacks of a cover up.

In all the new pictures, though, she pretty much looks...the same? She canceled on scheduled events at the last minute, including an Opry appearance, which is really unlike her. What would be the point? Even in country, it's not a huge deal for a star to get cosmetic work. Dolly's made jokes about it for decades and Reba just shows up looking refreshed. Mentioning that you're going to look different is a good way to call attention to it. I mean, I don't think Gwen Stefani has said she's had a bunch of work done over the years, but look at her next to Blake tonight, I barely recognized her. They are milking Carrie's reemergence but she's launching a new album that will probably be more personal than usual for her, so...it's showbiz.

Did Chris Stapleton and Morgane have two boys, or a boy and a girl? I was so confused by Reba's comments.

Lauren Alaina and Kane Brown grew up together and used to be classmates. So cool that they had a number one song!

I don't love every musical direction that country has gone in during the past decade, but so much stuff that people say "isn't country", if you played it on Z100, 15 seconds in, all the pop fans would be saying, "WTF is this country song?" Genres have to evolve sonically, or else they'll just be irrelevant. There's a long history with country music and purism, though. Way back when, the Opry banned drums, because reasons.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Dejana

[mojoween]

I do stand corrected, because I've never heard of Midland before tonight, but I’m pretty sure the lead guy popped in from 1976.  They definitely had a twang to them.

I was so not a fan of Lauren during AI, but she and Kane were very cute together.

I’m also not a fan of Toby Keith because in a world where we would ever interact, he and I would NEVER EVER EVER be friends, but I was amused how he wandered out, sang, then picked up his red solo cup and wandered back off.

[Thumper]

Awwww, I loved Reba's big curly hair back in the day!

As excited as I was when Carrie won "American Idol," I am so tired of her.  Overexposed in the media.  Watching her now, she looks the same to me, except is that Vaseline under her eyes?

Who were /was the group in which one guy was wearing a bright red, sort of plasticky gym suit?   It was weird and so NOT country.

[ombelico]

So Carrie Underwood looks... the same?

[dbell1]

So glad country still has Miranda Lambert being traditional and Carrie Underwood singing on key and killing it.

My mute button is getting a workout tonight.

[Diana Berry]

3 hours ago, ombelico said:

So Carrie Underwood looks... the same?

I think the right side of her face looks different when she was onstage with Urban.  But she was covering it well with the ' cry pretty ' makeup she sports on her cd cover.  I think eventually she will have a big interview moment where she will show all the pictures .

[unicorn23]

I love Maren Morris so I enjoyed that performance although it wasn't her best vocally. As for the RICH sign, it was probably more tongue in cheek than anything else.

Highlights so far are performances by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. The duet with Lauren Alaina and Kane Brown was adorable. I haven't heard that song before and their performance made me like it. Lady A and Little Big Town were also great, but that's a given.

Kinda wish Kacey Musgraves and Brothers Osborne were performing tonight.

[Gemma Violet]

If there's a difference in the way she looks, it's so minute, no one would have known if she hadn't said anything.  But it's good marketing--got people talking about her again.  

[Dejana]

There's more than a little 80s hair metal/power ballad in "Cry Pretty", but Carrie's never hidden her fandom of that genre. She had on glittery undereye makeup, like the cover art ( though, isn't teary makeup...crying pretty?). For all I said about not being a purist, "The Fighter" isn't even kind of country. Nice little bop, but a dancey pop song. 

I remember Rhett Akins having a run for a few years, but his son is on a whole other level of popularity. He's on the Entertainer of the Year, king of country path.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Dejana

[mojoween]

If Chris Stapleton is up for an award, he’s basically going to win, yeah?

I’m seriously finally glad to know why they kept showing Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell, but I am a little flummoxed why Rebecca was presenting.  The SEAL guys, I get, since it’s a CBS show, but Lindsey Vonn?  Eve?  Rebecca? So random.

[Dejana]

Nice humblebrag from Reba about her dress. I thought it looked rather 90s.

Jason Aldean gets Entertainer of the Year.

They put that "Redneck Life" song on at the end not really caring if he would get cut off, right? 

[Jaded]

11 minutes ago, mojoween said:

If Chris Stapleton is up for an award, he’s basically going to win, yeah?

I’m seriously finally glad to know why they kept showing Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell, but I am a little flummoxed why Rebecca was presenting.  The SEAL guys, I get, since it’s a CBS show, but Lindsey Vonn?  Eve?  Rebecca? So random.

Eve is on The Talk which is a CBS show too. She's the newest host and took Aisha Tyler's seat. Can't explain Jerry, Rebecca or Lindsey though.

I enjoyed Reba and Kelly's duet. I was wondering if Kelly might show up at some point. Their voices sound really good together.

[Jaded]

8 minutes ago, Dejana said:

Nice humblebrag from Reba about her dress. I thought it looked rather 90s.

Jason Aldean gets Entertainer of the Year.

I mentioned earlier that I thought all of Reba's dresses tonight looked like ones she's probably had in her closet for years. Probably since the 80's/90's.

Jason threw out that "Vegas Strong" at the end of his acceptance speech. Up until then I was wondering when he was going to mention the people who were hurt and/or died while going on with giving "thanks" to everyone who called and supported him and his wife. He's one of those people who's always set off my "there's something off about him" radar. 

Edited April 16, 2018 by Jaded

[Diana Berry]

4 hours ago, Gemma Violet said:

If there's a difference in the way she looks, it's so minute, no one would have known if she hadn't said anything.  But it's good marketing--got people talking about her again.  

Agree i wouldn't have noticed any difference if I hadn't been looking for it.  I'm sure it bothers her but she'll figure out that she looks fine.

[Thumper]

Hah, I caught Reba's humblebrag too.   I was a huuuuuuuuge fan of hers when she first came on the scene and still love her old stuff, but ever since she "jokingly" dissed the Dixie Chicks at some awards ceremony, I have given her the side-eye.  I was so disappointed in her.

I do like to watch these shows to help me catch up on the country music scene.   Happy Miranda won, and I like some of the newer young women artists.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Thumper

[Quof]

Question.   Maren Morris, Carrie Underwood, and others with the dresses cut so close to the crotch.   While they are prancing around on the stage, I'm sure people in the front rows can get a good view of the cooter.   Do they wear just their regular underwear, or special "intended to be seen" undies like tennis players?

[SunnyBeBe]

I actually like most everyone who was on the show, with the exception of Chris Stapleton. (Don't get that whole thing.) But, I still couldn't bare to watch it.  For some reason these shows are just so boring now. 

I was curious about Carrie.  I am a huge fan of hers, but, all that hype over her face.....very bizarre and seems so totally un-Carrie like to me.  I don't get it.  Sounds so fishy, but, I don't take Carrie as a liar.  How was her performance?  I do hate I missed that.

I laughed at the comment above about Toby Keith....even in his hey day, I would joke about how he dressed for tv perforances.  (Now, Chesney too?)  It was like he walked into the barn and found an old shirt balled up laying in the dirt and straw, picked it up, shook it out and put it on as he jumped into the limo on his way to the award show! No time for shower or comb. lol  They both have good voices though, so, I do enjoy hearing their songs. 

Was that Lauren Alana I saw performing. (Just a tiny bit.)  How did she do? 

Edited April 16, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[Dejana]

7 hours ago, Quof said:

Question.   Maren Morris, Carrie Underwood, and others with the dresses cut so close to the crotch.   While they are prancing around on the stage, I'm sure people in the front rows can get a good view of the cooter.   Do they wear just their regular underwear, or special "intended to be seen" undies like tennis players?

The latter seems like the practical thing. I've heard Carrie refer to shorts under her stage outfits.

 

2 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I actually like most everyone who was on the show, with the exception of Chris Stapleton. (Don't get that whole thing.) But, I still couldn't bare to watch it.  For some reason these shows are just so boring now. 

I was curious about Carrie.  I am a huge fan of hers, but, all that hype over her face.....very bizarre and seems so totally un-Carrie like to me.  I don't get it.  Sounds so fishy, but, I don't take Carrie as a liar.  How was her performance?  I do hate I missed that.

I laughed at the comment above about Toby Keith....even in his hey day, I would joke about how he dressed for tv perforances.  (Now, Chesney too?)  It was like he walked into the barn and found an old shirt balled up laying in the dirt and straw, picked it up, shook it out and put it on as he jumped into the limo on his way to the award show! No time for shower or comb. lol  They both have good voices though, so, I do enjoy hearing their songs. 

Was that Lauren Alana I saw performing. (Just a tiny bit.)  How did she do? 

Chris Stapleton wasn't there because his wife gave birth to twins earlier in the day (also, his birthday apparently).

With Carrie, I wonder if it's like when you have a zit that you think everyone notices, but actually, they don't, really, times 100. Not to say that she's vain, but she's probably gone through most of her life and entire adulthood being regarded as a very attractive woman, so any sort of facial injury might have freaked her out. More cynically, she is with a new record label, so maybe being so dramatic about whatever happened is part of the reintroduction strategy.

Lauren Alaina sang twice: "What Ifs" with Kane Brown on the big stage and a bit of "Doin' Fine" on the smaller stage later on the show. I liked both performances but preferred the duet.

[Quof]

Quote

 I've heard Carrie refer to shorts under her stage outfits.

I recall once Taylor Swift's flouncy skirt blew up in a breeze, revealing sparkly underpants.   But I figured she wears those everyday.

[Stuffy]

Yeah Carrie has talked/joked multiple times that nobody will see anything because she always wears short.  Sometimes she'll even wear tight shorts under her loose shorts.

As for the injury, she's only posted about it twice.  Once saying she might look different depending on how it heals.  The other post was four months later saying she's healing great.  Everything else has been media or tabloid speculation.  She said the injury was gruesome, and everyone took that to mean she would be deformed. She posted two posts with her face hidden.  One was an add for her scarf while in snowy Canada, and the other was the "End it" movement where she put an X over her mouth.  She had hidden her mouth in previous "End it" posts long before the injury.

I also think there may be more to the story.  I don't mean abuse because her husband wasn't even in the state when the accident happened.  Like I saw someone else say, there's a sadness in her eyes now.  She doesn't have the joy she had before.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Stuffy

[ch1]

Carrie’s injury could have been brutal and ugly at the time she let the public know so she probably had no idea how it would heal.  But she is also someone who has the means to get the best plastic surgeon to fix whatever was wrong.  So when it comes to the fact you can’t tell it just makes me think she had a great doctor and that makeup can be an amazing thing. 

[SunnyBeBe]

Here's this.  It just doesn't sound like the Carrie I used to see and listen to.  She must have really changed or there is something else going on.

Quote

Carrie Underwood 'Was Terrified of People Seeing the Scars' from Facial Injury at ACMs: Source

http://people.com/music/acms-2018-carrie-underwood-terrified-people-seeing-scars/

[Cementhead]

Lauren Alaina.  I figured she must have been a tv singing show contestant.  Why was she YELLING during the duet?  Holy smokes.  She needed to dial her performance down a notch or ten.  Dude is out there all cool and casual and then she comes on stage and starts screaming and over doing her whole performance.  Over the top dramatics or what.  It was a good song, one I had never heard before, but I was cringing for her. 

Country music fan or not, one thing that I always appreciate when watching televised country music awards  -- how nice to see performers actually sing live!  No auto tune or overly obvious back tracks.  Just artists doing their thing. 

Edited April 16, 2018 by Cementhead
Deleted my comments on Carrie Underwood.

[bunnyface]

Didn't get to watch until today.  I liked the Reba and Kelly duet but almost wish they would have tapped Hillary Thomas to sing the other part, since her mother sang the original.  I think that would have been fun.   Otherwise, meh to much of it.  I'm getting old and the music is getting younger.  Kids...lawn...you know.

 

I mean Hillary Scott, not Thomas.  I think I keep making that mistake because I spend all my free time thinking about Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who is married to Hillarie  Thomas.  Dang it.

Edited April 17, 2018 by bunnyface
Wrong name

[SunnyBeBe]

Did Florida/GA Line and Bebe Rexha sing Meant To Be?  I'm NOT wild about FGL.  That song sort of annoys me. It's what I call a pseudo song.  Sort of like a song, but, just bordering on it.  lol 

[Cementhead]

Quote

Did Florida/GA Line and Bebe Rexha sing Meant To Be?  I'm NOT wild about FGL.  That song sort of annoys me. It's what I call a pseudo song.  Sort of like a song, but, just bordering on it.  lol 

Yes, they did.  And I looove that song!  lol.  :)  Those guys are a couple of real dorks though, aren't they? 

Edited April 16, 2018 by Cementhead

[SunnyBeBe]

I'm not sure what it is.  Part of it is that one of them bares a strong resemblance to a neighborhood guy that I grew up with.  I shouldn't hold that against him, though.  I just think they are very fortunate to have been so successful, based on their talent. lol 

It's nice you like the song.  They are fortunate to have so many fans and apparently this song is a big hit for them.  It gets a lot of play time.  

Edited April 16, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[Stuffy]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Here's this.  It just doesn't sound like the Carrie I used to see and listen to.  She must have really changed or there is something else going on.

http://people.com/music/acms-2018-carrie-underwood-terrified-people-seeing-scars/

Maybe the panic attacks from her youth and early career have come back because of the accident. It wasn’t well known she had them. I think the only time I ever heard about it was from when she did a psychology magazine interview. I was a little shocked which is why I remembered it. She also has a bit of OCD which seems to be a common thing with celebrities. 

(I have tons of useless information but unfortunately only entertainment related stuff)

[SunnyBeBe]

This makes sense.  I hope she's doing alright. It could be a result of a number of things.  I suppose competition is fierce when you have younger artists coming into the field, as well. 

[Evenshorter]

20 hours ago, Stuffy said:

Yeah Carrie has talked/joked multiple times that nobody will see anything because she always wears short.  Sometimes she'll even wear tight shorts under her loose shorts.

As for the injury, she's only posted about it twice.  Once saying she might look different depending on how it heals.  The other post was four months later saying she's healing great.  Everything else has been media or tabloid speculation.  She said the injury was gruesome, and everyone took that to mean she would be deformed. She posted two posts with her face hidden.  One was an add for her scarf while in snowy Canada, and the other was the "End it" movement where she put an X over her mouth.  She had hidden her mouth in previous "End it" posts long before the injury.

I also think there may be more to the story.  I don't mean abuse because her husband wasn't even in the state when the accident happened.  Like I saw someone else say, there's a sadness in her eyes now.  She doesn't have the joy she had before.

I felt like she was pretty heavily spackled. She looked very fragile to me.  I'm wondering if she was pregnant when she fell and lost the baby...

[UYI]

On 4/16/2018 at 6:40 PM, Cementhead said:

Lauren Alaina.  I figured she must have been a tv singing show contestant.  

She was on American Idol several years back, so yes. 

On 4/16/2018 at 7:05 PM, Cementhead said:

Yes, they did.  And I looove that song!  lol.  :)  Those guys are a couple of real dorks though, aren't they? 

I call them the Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum of country music. I kind of wonder if they know how to tie their own shoelaces half the time. 

[Happy Belly]

So happy for Miranda. Her song, Tin Man, is such a beautiful, heart-breaking song and I love it! 

[UYI]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACM ceremony has been moved to September 16th. Tonight was the original air date, though, so in its place, a fun idea called ACM Presents: Our Country was devised, where numerous country stars perform their hits from home. I'll be creating a thread for that, too. 🙂 

[Thumper]

Anyone watching?  I am enjoying tonight’s show.  Especially liked Dierks Bentley’s bluegrass-y performance with another group.  Hosts are good.

I also enjoy seeing the different venues in Nashville.

Edited April 19, 2021 by Thumper

[theredhead77]

I'm watching. I'm loving the live performances. 

I cannot wait for 2022 to go see Kenny live. My liver will be preemptively checking itself into the ER ahead of that (those) show(s).

[sugarbaker design]

Did Miranda and Elle lip sync their performance?

[Thumper]

Hello again!  Thought I’d check out the ACMs, but honestly, Billy Ray Cyrus (I think  that’s him hiding behind the scraggly hair and beard) for a Hank Williams Jr. tribute???? Ack!

Not sure I’ll last through the whole show.