ACM Awards Top New Artist Nominees Announced

Gloriana, the reigning American Music Award Breakthrough Artist of the Year, has now scored a nomination for Top New Vocal Group as the first acts vying for the upcoming Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards have been announced. Finalists in the Top New categories (Solo Vocalist, Vocal Duo and Vocal Group) will be opened to interactive voting at www.VoteACM.com and will culminate in the announcement of one Top New Artist from nine total nominees. The Top New Solo Vocalist honor takes the place of the Top New Male and Top New Female Vocalist categories presented in previous years.

"It is an absolute honor to be nominated for an ACM Award," says the group's Rachel Reinert. "We are going from just attending the ACM Awards and playing Freemont Street last year, before our CD was even released, to being nominated this year. We are all just so thankful for that and for all the support we have been getting – it's amazing."

GAC (Great American Country) will present two specials spotlighting the Top New nominees. The first will be hosted by reigning ACM Top New Male Vocalist Jake Owen, and will feature the nine nominees, three from each newcomer category.

That special will premiere Thursday, Feb. 25 at 10:00 PM ET and will re-air through March 12, when voting closes. Then on March 23, GAC will tape a second special which will name the winner in each of the three categories, presenting them with the award for Top New Solo Vocalist, Top New Vocal Duo and Top New Vocal Group. Each winning act will perform on the special, which will premiere Thursday, April 1, at 10:00 PM ET, and air several times before the Academy of Country Music Awards are presented live on Sunday, April 18 at 8:00 PM ET. The winner of Top New Artist category will then be awarded on the ACM telecast.

The remaining ACM Award nominees will be announced next month.



TOP NEW VOCAL GROUP NOMINEES

Eli Young Band

Gloriana

The Lost Trailers

TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST NOMINEES

Luke Bryan

Jamey Johnson

Chris Young

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO NOMINEES

Bomshel

Joey + Rory

Steel Magnolia