Brantley Gilbert ACM Award Fate Is Now in Fans’ Hands

Brantley Gilbert is still celebrating his recent ACM nomination for New Male Vocalist, and he's sharing in the excitement with new fiancée Jana Kramer, who scored a nomination for New Female Vocalist. Whether he takes the prize or not, the "More Than Miles" singer already sees himself as a winner.

"It's always an honor to be nominated," Brantley tells The Boot. "I'm looking forward to going to the show. And having the prettiest date is never a bad thing!"

Brantley's competition in the category is Hunter Hayes and Lee Brice, and while he acknowledges that an award voted on by fans may not be the truest representation of who really is the "best new artist," he adds that the love he gets from fans year-round is more than enough.

"We've had so much support from folks. It definitely means a lot being fan-voted. I think all of us in this business have different kinds of fans. Some may not have a computer or go to that many shows. Other people have folks that may be too busy to get on their computer, so we'll see how it goes. I know I have the best fans around."

Voting for the ACM awards is now open here. The ACM Awards airs live from Las Vegas, Sunday, April 7 at 8:00 PM ET on CBS.

Brantley will kick off his 2013 Hell on Wheels tour on Jan. 31 in Independence, Mo., with Kip Moore serving as his opening act. See a list of upcoming shows here.