AP Photo/Eric JamisonKeith Urban lost out to Kenny Chesney for Entertainer of the Year, but wife Nicole Kidman's burgeoning belly practically upstaged everyone at Sunday's 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
Kidman had no qualms about showing off her bump to the photographers as she and Urban arrived at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for the ACMs. The couple are expecting their first child this summer. (Photo after the jump.)
As for the awards themselves, the ceremony was a virtual replay of last year (and the year before that, and the one before that...), as Chesney won the top prize, Entertainer of the Year, for the fourth consecutive year. Only Alabama, with five straight wins, has had a better run.
This was the first year that fans selected the award, which elicited a mixed reaction from Chesney.
"This one is really extra special because long before I had a hit record, the fans always came to the shows. I want to thank you guys for voting and for being there for me," he said at the podium.
But once backstage, the 40-year-old Tennessee native knocked organizers for allowing fans, rather than members of the ACM, to choose. "It really diminishes the integrity of the music," groused Chesney, who also shared the Vocal Event of the Year Award with Tracy Lawrence and Tim McGraw for the collaboration "Find Out Who Your Friends Are."
Of course, Chesney failed to mention that his website and MySpace page encouraged fans to vote for him.
Sticking with the rerun theme, Brad Paisley won the hat award for Top Male Vocalist and Carrie Underwood earned Top Female Vocalist, both for the second year in a row; and Brooks & Dunn won Top Vocal Duo, marking their 25th win at the ACMs. Paisley also won Video of the Year for "Online."
While Alabama still retains the Entertainer of the Year consecutive-year record, the venerable group saw its mark fall in another category as Rascal Flatts scored its sixth straight Top Vocal Group trophy. The band also took home the Humanitarian Award.
Garth Brooks collected the inaugural Crystal Milestone Award, honoring sales topping 128 million, making him the biggest-selling solo artist of all time.
Brooks performed a medley of some of his best-known songs before being presented the hardware by host Reba McEntire. Billy Joel, Dick Clark and Jay Leno all appeared via satellite to congratulate him.
Complete list of winners at 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards:
- Entertainer of the Year: Kenny Chesney
- Top Male Vocalist: Brad Paisley
- Top Female Vocalist: Carrie Underwood
- Top Vocal Group: Rascal Flatts
- Top Vocal Duo: Brooks & Dunn
- Top New Male Artist: Jack Ingram
- Top New Female Vocalist: Taylor Swift
- Top New Duo or Vocal Group: Lady Antebellum
- Album of the Year: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Miranda Lambert
- Single of the Year: "Stay," Sugarland
- Song of the Year: "Stay," Sugarland
- Video of the Year: "Online," Brad Paisley
- Vocal Event of the Year: "Find Out Who Your Friends Are," Tracy Lawrence, with Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney