Kenny Chesney Goes for Fifth Entertainer of the Year Award

Can Kenny Chesney win Entertainer of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards one more time? Sure he can. He's nominated. But he's going to have to get past Brad Paisley, who had the state of West Virginia's governor campaigning for him, Carrie Underwood, who has that American Idol thing going for her, Keith Urban, who is a dark horse favorite, and all-around nice guy George Strait, who is the only nominee besides Chesney that has previously won the award.

What Kenny Chesney has going for him is his wild popularity, his reputation as a great showman, and his ability to stay in the country music spotlight. A prolific songwriter, Kenny Chesney's name constantly comes up during interviews. He isn't afraid to incorporate rockers into his stage show, either, to which Sammy Hagar and Uncle Kracker can attest, which only garners him more listeners in areas he might not normally reach. His eclectic list of guests and opening acts for his shows make them massive sellouts.

According to Billboard's "Moneymakers List," Kenny Chesney was the highest grossing country artist in 2008, pulling in nearly $91 million dollars (most of which was from concert ticket sales). Chesney finished sixth overall on Billboard's list. His "Pirates and Poets Tour" won the Billboard Touring Award in 2008 for Top Package (toured with Brooks & Dunn, Keith Urban, Sammy Hagar, Leann Rimes, and Gary Allan) for the fourth year in a row. The only other two country artists to make the Moneymakers List (not counting the Eagles, who finished 11^th) were not even nominated for Entertainer of the Year: Rascal Flatts (8^th, $63.5 million) and Taylor Swift (16^th, $45.5 million). Taylor Swift opened up for Brad Paisley on much of his tour dates in 2008 but does not get credit for any of those dates.

Chesney also has an album and a hit single currently on the charts. "Lucky Old Sun," Chesney's 12^th album, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The second single from the album, "Down the Road," hit #1 in February.

Even with momentum going into the 44^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, not to mention that Kenny Chesney has won the award four years in a row, winning the award is not guaranteed. George Strait, who won the ACM Award for Entertainer of the Year in 1990, is also being awarded the Artist of the Decade Award Sunday evening. Keith Urban, who toured with Kenny Chesney last year, also just charted a #1 single with fellow nominee Brad Paisley. "Start A Band," which went to #1 in January, was Paisley's 13^th #1 song and Urban's ninth. Carrie Underwood goes into the awards show with a song rising on the charts ("I Told You So," is ready to penetrate the Top Ten, and is potentially her seventh #1 single in a row) and a recent Grammy win.

The 44^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards airs Sunday, April 5 at 8:00 p.m.

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Sources:

CMT.comBillboard.com