Blake Shelton to Co-host the Academy of Country Music Awards with Reba McEntire

The Academy of Country Music Awards and Dick Clark Productions announced today that Blake Shelton will be joining Reba McEntire as the co-host of the 46^th Annual Academy of Country Music Award show to be broadcast live from Las Vegas, NV on Sunday, April 3, 2011.

Reba and Blake were paired together last year to announce the Academy of Country Music nominees. The duo had so much fun together that Reba suggested to the Academy that Blake be a co-host for this year's award show. After viewing the tape of the duo reading the nominees, the Academy realized that Reba and Blake would make a great pair to co-host the award show and made it official.

Both Reba and Blake are no strangers to the Academy of Country Music Awards show. Reba has 12 Academy of Country Music Awards to her credit, including seven Top Female Vocalists and the coveted Academy of Country Music/Home Depot Humanitarian Award. The Humanitarian Award goes to an artist who has exhibited outstanding public service work.

Blake took home the Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Event of the Year in last year's award show for his No. 1 hit, 'Hillbilly Bone,' a duet with Trace Adkins. This will be Shelton's debut as a host, but promises to be an excellent choice. Shelton has a great sense of humor and loves to kid around. Just check out some of his "Pure BS" clips to get an idea of just how crazy he really is!

The Academy will once again let fans decide on the Top New Artists Awards and have partnered with Great American Country (GAC) this year to allow voting from both websites. This year's nominations in the newcomer categories are:

Top New Solo Vocalist

Eric Church

Easton Corbin

Randy Houser

Top New Vocal Duo or Group

The Band Perry

JaneDear Girls

Steel Magnolia

This year's award show will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and will be broadcast live by CBS.

On Monday, April 4, 2011 the Academy will tape a special that will be aired at a later date. The special will be titled, "Girl's Night Out: Superstar Women of Country Music." Proceeds from the tickets sales to this event will benefit ACM's "Lifting Lives" program, which simply lifts lives through country music.

Tickets for the 46^th Academy of Country Music Awards show and Girl's Night Out: Superstar Women of Country Music go on sale January 19, 2011 at 10:00 am Pacific Time for ACM members.

Sources:

Announcement on Blake Shelton's Website

Academy of Country Music Official Website