LAS VEGAS — Kenny Chesney won entertainer of the year at Sunday's 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards. But he wasn't entirely happy about it.
For the first time, the academy turned over the results to an online vote, and backstage, Chesney sounded off.
"They took it from what the award really represents into a sweepstakes to see who can push people's buttons the hardest on the Internet," said Chesney, who won the award for the fourth straight time. "It's complete disrespect of the artist, what they've lowered it to. It really diminishes the integrity of the music that we're making. And I can say that because I won."
The rest of the trophies were spread around, with the duo Sugarland and Brad Paisley tied with the most (two each), and others going to both veterans (Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts) and newer acts (Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood).
Other winners had different reactions backstage. Lambert was stunned to take album of the year for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, sputtering that hearing her name was confusing because "I'm new, I've never even had a top 10 hit." Vocal duo winner Kix Brooks was more subdued: "Most of my awards are in my daughter's room with Barbie clothes on 'em," he said.
The stars parading in triple-digit heat into the MGM Grand Garden Arena included nominee Keith Urban and wife Nicole Kidman, showing off her pregnancy in an Yves Saint Laurent gown.
Much of the broadcast's excitement surrounded Brooks, who popped in for a one-time-only medley of hits as he collected a lifetime-achievement award. On the carpet, Richie McDonald, former lead singer of Lonestar and now a solo artist, recalled a gig with Brooks opening in the early 1980s in some Texas dive bar. "It's pouring down rain, and before he goes on, he's out in the back pushing a guy out of the mud in his suit. So we went on. Now I'll always get to say I got to open up for Garth Brooks."
