Alan Jackson Tops '04 ACM Noms

Alan Jackson has once again lassoed himself a bunch of country music award nominations.

The longtime fixture on the Nashville circuit has scored a leading eight nods for the 2004 Academy of Country Music Awards, including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. His duet with Parrothead Jimmy Buffett, "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," is a contender in the Song, Video and Vocal Event of the Year categories.

Ironically, Jackson's up against, well, himself in the Song category with his "Remember When," which is also a nominee for Single Record of the Year.

In all, it hasn't been a bad year for the men of country.

Hot on Jackson's heels are Toby Keith and Brooks & Dunn, each with five nods. Keith is getting props for Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. His patriotic "American Soldier" is up for Top Single, his "Beer for My Horses" with Willie Nelson is up for Top Video, and his Shock 'n Y'All is up for Album of the Year.

Meanwhile, Brooks & Dunn will be giving Keith and Jackson a run for their money in the Entertainer of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year categories. The pardners are also up for Top Vocal Duo and Album of the Year.

Let's also send out a yee-haw for Martina McBride, who is tied with Kenny Chesney with three nominations. She's up for Top Female Vocalist, Album of the Year and Video of the Year.

The late Johnny Cash scored a nod in the Video of the Year category for his remake of the Nine Inch Nails tune "Hurt."

Helmed by Dick Clark, the ACMs, join the Country Music Association Awards (the CMAs) and the TNN Awards as the great triumvirate of country music prize shows. Voted on by some 5,000 music-biz types, the Hats are the only major country honors not handed out in Nashville. This year's awards, the 39th edition of the show, will be handed out May 26 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Vegas.

For the third year in a row, country and TV star Reba McEntire will host the shindig, which will air live on CBS.

Here's a rundown of the nominees in the top categories:

Entertainer of the Year: Brooks & Dunn Kenny Chesney Alan Jackson Toby Keith Tim McGraw

Female Vocalist: Terri Clark Sara Evans Patty Loveless Martina McBride Shania Twain

Male Vocalist: Kenny Chesney Alan Jackson Toby Keith Tim McGraw Keith Urban

Top New Artist: Dierks Bentley Pat Green Buddy Jewell Josh Turner Jimmy Wayne

Top Vocal Group: Alabama Diamond Rio Lonestar Rascal Flats Trick Pony

Top Vocal Duo: Blue Country Brooks & Dunn Montgomery Gentry The Bellamy Brothers The Warren Brothers

Album of the Year: Honkeytonkville, George Strait Martina, Martina McBride Mud on the Tires, Frank Rogers Red Dirt Road, Brooks & Dunn Shock 'N Y'All, Toby Keith

Song of the Year: "American Soldier," Toby Keith "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett "Red Dirt Road," Brooks & Dunn "Remember When," Alan Jackson "Three Wooden Crosses," Randy Travis

Vocal Event of the Year: "How's the World Treating You," James Taylor, Alison Krauss "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett "The Truth About Men," Tracy Byrd, Andy Griggs, Blake Shelton, Montgomery Gentry "Working for a Living," Phil Vassar, Huey Lewis "Young Man's Town," Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris

Video of the Year: "Beer for My Horses," Toby Keith, Willie Nelson "Celebrity," Brad Paisley "Concrete Angel," Martina McBride "Hurt," Johnny Cash "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett

Single Record of the Year: "American Soldier," Toby Keith "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett "Red Dirt Road," Brooks & Dunn "Remember When," Alan Jackson "Three Wooden Crosses," Randy Travis