Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

ACMAs not whistling Dixie at Mandalay Bay

The rap world can keep its East Coast-West Coast rivalries. It appears country music will be busy with an Oklahoma-Texas border skirmish for a while.

In its first visit to Las Vegas, Wednesday night's "Academy of Country Music Awards" telecast gave clear signs that tensions between the Dixie Chicks and others in the country world -- most notably singer Toby Keith -- may only be increasing.

Roundly booed by the near-capacity Mandalay Bay Events Center audience each time their name was mentioned, the Chicks appeared only via satellite from their hometown of Austin, Texas, the first time in the ACMA's 38 years a live act has not been on-site.

Early in their performance, cameras revealed singer Natalie Maines wearing a T-shirt with "F.U.T.K." across the front.

Maines and Keith have exchanged public barbs in recent months, fueling speculation the lettering stood for a profanity laced jab at Keith (T.K.).

Presenter Vince Gill certainly seemed to think so, making mention of Maines' shirt as he announced Keith winner of the evening's top prize, Entertainer of the Year.

"Well, I think his name was on somebody's shirt. Toby Keith!" Gill exclaimed, as he and host Reba McEntire waited for Keith's triumphant entrance for the show's finale.

But making the night stranger still, the Oklahoman, on hand earlier to perform "Beer for My Horses" with country legend Willie Nelson, had vanished.

"He had to leave early. I don't know why, but we'll accept this on his behalf," a dumbfounded Gill said.

More than 1,000 miles away, the Dixie Chicks remained a focal point throughout the three-hour program, which aired live on CBS on the East Coast and tape-delayed for Las Vegas.

McEntire first mentioned the trio in her opening monologue.

"Of course, everybody comes to Las Vegas to gamble. They're backstage right now checking the latest odds on the Dixie Chicks playing the Bush family reunion," McEntire said to huge applause mixed with a smattering of boos.

The Chicks' loudest boos came when Gill announced them as nominees for Entertainer of the Year.

"Stop. Don't ruin my moment," Gill said, before trying a different tact to quiet the crowd. "You know who gets blessed when you forgive? You."

During a concert on March 10, Maines told a London audience that she was "ashamed" that President Bush was a fellow Texan, setting off a firestorm of controversy that has not died down.

The Dixie Chicks, winners of eight ACMAs since 1998, lost in all three categories for which they were nominated. Keith came up short in his first seven categories before taking Entertainer of the Year honors.

Kenny Chesney picked up a pair of wins for Single Record of the Year (for "The Good Stuff") and, in something of an upset, Top Male Vocalist.

Moved to tears by the latter award, Chesney managed to gain his composure only enough to say, "Thank you, thank you" before exiting the stage.

Although Keith's popular "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" was passed over for both Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year, patriotism was a central theme.

American flags filled the screens during Darryl Worley's "Have You Forgotten?" Lonestar's "I'm Already There" was dedicated to, "the brave men and women of Operation Iraqi Freedom."

And in the show's most emotional moment, three of America's former Iraqi POWs -- Army Spc. Shoshana Johnson, Pfc. Patrick Miller and Chief Warrant Officer Ronald D. Young Jr. -- were brought onstage to a standing ovation from the crowd of approximately 7,000.

And Las Vegas' own Wayne Newton got in a bit of flag waving.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Saddam Hussein has finally left the building," Newton announced early in the show.

The academy honored veteran act Alabama with a Pioneer Award, recognizing the group's stellar 25-year country career. The quartet, which has said it will call it quits this year, played "Tennessee River" off its 1980 debut album.

"I saw them for the first time in Knoxville, Tenn., in the middle of a field and it forever changed my life," Chesney said, presenting the trophy to Alabama.

George Strait was also recognized with a career achievement award, the Special Achievement Award for recording 50 No. 1 hits. The 50-year-old Strait performed a five-song medley that included snippets from "Write This Down," "Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind," "She'll Leave You With a Smile," "Check Yes or No" and "The Chair."

"You've never had to tear holes in your jeans or wear a goatee or anything," Jackson said during his presentation to Strait. "You don't follow any trends. You don't have to. You're just naturally cool."

The program also featured a short dedication to country singer June Carter Cash, who died May 15 at age 73.

Along with Newton, Las Vegas regulars Lance Burton and Penn & Teller served as presenters.

"All we know about country music is the hats we've had on for 24 hours now," Penn Jillette joked in the media room afterward.

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