ACM Pays Tribute To Special Award Winners, MBI Winners

Don Schlitz & Kenny Rogers

The ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC (ACM) held its 4th annual ACM HONORS last night (9/20) in NASHVILLE at the RYMAN AUDITORIUM, recognizing the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 45th Annual ACM AWARDS in APRIL. The sold-out event was hosted by MCA/NASHVILLE artist LEE ANN WOMACK, featuring a mix of live music, historical video retrospectives and current video tributes & interviews with industry veterans.

The honorees of the evening included Special Awards recipients ROD ESSIG, the late MARTY ROBBINS, DON SCHLITZ, MEL TILLIS, KEITH URBAN, the late CINDY WALKER and the film “Crazy Heart,” Musician, Bandleader, Instrumentalist (MBI) winners STUART DUNCAN, SHANNON FORREST, PAUL FRANKLIN, DANN HUFF, BRENT MASON, JUSTIN NIEBANK, MICHAEL RHODES, MICHAEL ROJAS and RANDY SCRUGGS, as well as Industry Award winners TODD BOLTIN, VARIETY ATTRACTIONS, INC., BRIAN O’CONNELL, LIVE NATION, BILLY BOB’S TEXAS (FT. WORTH, TX), GREEN VALLEY RANCH RESORT, SPA AND CASINO (LAS VEGAS, NV) and SOMMET CENTER later renamed the BRIDGESTONE ARENA (NASHVILLE, TN).

Artists who performed in tribute to honorees included:

BUXTON HUGHES, performing “Big Blue Sky” for ROD ESSIG 

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER & DON SCHLITZ, performing DON SCHLITZ’s “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” 

LARRY & STEVE GATLIN with RONNY ROBBINS, performing MARTY ROBBINS’ “El Paso” 

MARTINA McBRIDE performing “In My Daughters Eyes” for ROD ESSIG 

JOHN RICH, performing MEL TILLIS’ “Coca Cola Cowboy” 

KENNY ROGERS, performing DON SCHLITZ’s “The Gambler” and MEL TILLIS’ “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town” 

THE SECRET SISTERS performing CINDY WALKER’s “Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)” 

MARTY STUART with KENNY VAUGHAN and PAUL MARTIN of THE FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES, along with WOODY PAUL and JOEY THE COW POLKA KING, from RIDERS IN THE SKY, performing MARTY ROBBINS’ “Big Iron” 

RANDY TRAVIS, performing a medley of DON SCHLITZ’s “On The Other Hand” and “Forever and Ever, Amen” 

LEE ANN WOMACK, performing CINDY WALKER’s “You Don’t Know Me” 

MBI winners STUART DUNCAN, SHANNON FORREST, BRENT MASON, MICHAEL RHODES, and MICHAEL ROJAS performing EARL SCRUGGS’ “Passin’ Thru” 

In addition, reigning ACM Top New Artist LUKE BRYAN presented the Industry awards, two-time ACM Award winning producer FRANK LIDDELL presented the MBI awards and ACM Milestone Award Winner KIX BROOKS presented the JIM REEVES International Award. 

JERRY LAWRENCE & MOLLY DUSENBERRY, nieces of CINDY WALKER, accepted on WALKER’s behalf. RONNY ROBBINS, son of MARTY ROBBINS, accepted on ROBBINS’ behalf. BRIAN PHILIPS, CMT President and co-executive producer of the “Crazy Heart” soundtrack, accepted on behalf of production companies, INFORMANT MEDIA and BUTCHER’S RUN FILMS for “Crazy Heart.”

The ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC Special Awards are voted on by the ACM Board of Directors and are awarded during years where the Board of Directors feels there are clear and deserving candidates.

For more information, go to www.acmcountry.com.

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