Newlywed Chesney’s night rings true at ACMAs

Leah Robinson

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 | 8:26 a.m.

Winning an Academy of Country Music award might bring clout, respect, even some southern-fried gravitas, but can it give the winner the ability to comment on Kenny Chesney and Renee Zelwegger's recent nuptials? It better, because the question will be asked.

Mandalay Bay Events Center played host Tuesday night to the 40th annual ACMAs, where the media frenzy surrounding Chesney's wedding to Zelwegger somehow made its way into just about every post-award interview. The two were married in a surprise secret ceremony a little more than a week ago.

Chesney took home the night's big award, Entertainer of the Year. Although he didn't mention his new wife in his acceptance speech, he couldn't dodge the media's interest.

Chesney was peppered with so many newlywed questions that his handlers threatened to cut the interview off if he got one more "Renee" question.

"Stick to questions about the award," they said -- to which there was complete silence, broken by Chesney:

"It's just not that interesting, is it?" he said with a laugh. Chesney credits his success as an entertainer to the fact he's been on the road since 1993.

"Whether it was a county fair, or a free radio show, or whatever it was, we wanted those people to leave there and go tell somebody else, and then those people go tell somebody else for the next time we came through. It's just been a lot of hard work," he said. "But the point is always, you have to, connect with people."

Two country music up-and-comers, Keith Urban and Gretchen Wilson, beat considerable star-power competition to garner Top Male and Female Vocalist nods.

Wilson, who kicked off the show performing her breakout hit "Redneck Woman," has had a whirlwind year. At last year's ACM awards, she made her debut to a national country fan base on the same Las Vegas stage.

This year she owned it, taking not only Top Female Vocalist, but also winning the Top New Artist category.

"This is so much more than I expected in one short year," she said as she accepted her award while shaking and holding back tears.

"I am completely floored by all of this. I was certainly not prepared to win this award, but I've been winging it so far, and it seems to have worked for me."

Urban also reaped double statuettes, winning not only in the Top Male Vocalist category, but also for Album of the Year for "Be Here." Urban accepted his awards via satellite from Belfast, Ireland, where he is currently on tour. He also performed via satellite, singing "Days Go By," which was up for Single Record of the Year, but did not win.

For the third year in a row, Rascal Flatts was awarded Top Vocal Group. Only Alabama has won more top group awards.

Brooks & Dunn took home the prize for Top Vocal Duo, collecting the award for a record 12th time. Even they didn't think they would win again.

"I sure felt like this was the year that we weren't gonna be up here," said Kix Brooks, accepting the award. They were able to dodge the Kenny and Renee question.

The average viewer was not subjected, thankfully, to endless questions about celebrity weddings, but what they saw on TV was a lackluster awards show devoid of a standout performance.

Many of the big names -- including Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill -- introduced new cuts from recent albums. Nominated duo Montgomery Gentry delivered one of the night's few upbeat, high-energy songs with the hit "Gone."

Even the awards for individual songs went to slow, thoughtful, almost mournful tunes. McGraw's hit "Live Like You Were Dying," won for both Song of the Year and Single of the Year. Brad Paisley's duet with Alison Krauss, "Whiskey Lullaby," garnered awards for Vocal Event of the Year and Video of the Year.

Toby Keith, last year's big winner in the entertainer, album and video categories, was shut out this year. He performed via satellite from Iraq, where he was entertaining American troops.