Little Big Town Put ACM ‘Puzzle’ Pieces Together

Little Big Town are once again nominated for Top Vocal Group of the Year at this year's ACM Awards. The group took home Top New Vocal Group honors in 2006 and have been nominated in the Vocal Group category every year since. But they're particularly humbled by this year's nod, citing the category's drastic change in recent years.

"Look at it from when we were nominated the first time to what it is now," Karen tells The Boot. "There were some pretty big names left off that list this year, which was a shock to us, so we never take [it] for granted, because we weren't sure we would be on there. It's great for the bands like us and Rascal Flatts, who have been around for a while now, to know that we led the way a bit on this big group push that's happening now. It's great that we're seeing that [diversity] in the format. Some of the best music in the format is in that category -- the Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum -- it's really exciting, and I feel good that maybe we were a piece of that puzzle in the early days."

In addition to Lady Antebellum and the Zac Brown Band, Little Big Town are also up against the Band Perry and the Randy Rogers Band at the ACMs.

As far as the addition of Blake Shelton as co-host of the ACM Awards, along with Reba McEntire, Little Big Town's Jimi Westbrook believes it will be a win-win for the audience and for fans watching the show from home. "I think it's going to be funny," he says. "Blake's just crazy."

"She'll probably have to rein him in a time or two, but I think it's gonna be awesome. Very entertaining," bandmate Kimberly Schlapman adds.

"[Reba] is funny, and she's so good. She makes it look so easy," Karen says. "I don't think people understand how hard that is -- to make something feel that fluid. If she has to stretch a moment you never know it. She's just so good at it. It'll be fun because Blake's sense of humor is just a little off. My parents don't even get him. They say, 'That Blake Shelton boy, I don't really understand him.' I think he's funny. Hopefully, he'll be a little bit on his best behavior, not like his Twitter behavior."

The 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas April 3 at 8:00 PM ET on CBS. Prior to the ACM Awards, Little Big Town will be showcasing their vocal group talents in Lima, Ohio March 16.

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