The 2023 ACM Awards nominations represent some of the best country music had to offer in 2022. With major names like Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs and Kane Brown–to newer acts who’ve caught the attention of fans and the industry alike–scoring nominations, the show will highlight what’s stood out in country music.
Videos by American Songwriter
Lambert, Jon Pardi, Lainey Wilson, Ashley McBryde, Caitlyn Smith and hit songwriter/producer Luke Dick all shared thoughtful reflections on their nominations exclusively with American Songwriter. Read on to see what these stars have to say about their nominations at the 2023 ACM Awards, which air live from the Ford Center in Texas on May 11 on Amazon Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET.
Miranda Lambert on being nominated for Album of the Year for Palomino (this is the second time in ACM history that three albums by all-female acts have been nominated for Album of the Year in the same year. Lainey Wilson and Ashley McBryde are also nominated.):
“The conversation of women in country [music] is always a conversation. Sometimes I feel like it gets too much heat and it’s unjust and sometimes I feel like it needs more heat, but what we do is lift each other up. We know the grind we have to go through to get where we’re going. … I love friendly competition though. I love when girls are kicking ass. Makes me want to kick ass. I love getting to write songs with women and I love champions like Luke [Dick] that appreciate what we have to offer and a lot of the amazing male artists that have taken us under their wing all this time and champion the females. I really think it should be a big family with a little bit of, ‘I can kick ass too.’
“Anybody that pours into a record, I want them to be lifted up. They deserve to be nominated. All the songwriters. And this is just our story. Everybody in this town has stories like this. But everybody has their story and their way that they do things and I’m glad there’s a platform like award shows. … All the rest of it is bells and whistles. It starts with a song and everybody pours their heart into that. There’s something for everybody in country music. So let’s just open the doors and let everybody in. That’s how I feel.”
Jon Pardi on being nominated for Album of the Year for Mr. Saturday Night:
“It really means a lot for this album to be nominated for ACM Album of the Year. We’ve always made the music we wanted to and made sure it sounded exactly as we wanted and being a producer on my projects is such an important aspect to me. I’m really proud of Mr. Saturday Night and really happy to share this with Bart [Butler] and Ryan [Gore]-my co-producing team. We think about every element of the music from beginning to end and someone said this is the third time we’ve been nominated in a row for album, and it just really means a lot to be recognized that way.”
Lainey Wilson on being nominated for Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Visual Media of the Year & Music Event of the Year:
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around six nominations! A few years ago, I wouldn’t even have been able to dream of a day like this. I’m so blessed to be supported by the family that is country music. Thank you to the Academy of Country Music for believing in me and my work, this is an absolute honor!”
Ashley McBryde on being nominated for Album of the Year for Lindeville, Female Artist of the Year & Single of the Year:
“What an honor it is to be recognized by my heroes and peers in the Academy. I’m so proud to be nominated alongside so many women I admire, and I’m thrilled to share two nominations with these gifted collaborators I’m grateful to also call my friends – from a duet with Carly [Pearce] that has brought us to one amazing peak after another, to the entire cast of Lindeville, who were brave enough to join me in making a crazy dream come true.”
Caitlyn Smith on being nominated for New Female Artist of the Year:
“What a week! I’m both honored and grateful to be nominated for an ACM Award for New Female Artist of the Year. What a joy it is to be in the company of such incredible artists. I moved to Nashville to chase this dream over a decade ago and to get that news the day before my third album drops is beyond anything I could have ever dreamed. This record is so personal and stepping into the producer chair for it was both terrifying and empowering, but I knew in order to grow I had to allow myself to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. I’m so excited to finally share it with the world.”
Luke Dick on his first Producer of the Year nomination:
“It feels awesome to be recognized amongst people that I find to be really talented people. It’s really a town full of talented people. … I love country awards because I feel like it’s homey and these are my friends and my people, and people treat you really well and it’s fun. I also know that the song and the joy of writing songs is really the biggest, most important thing to me. The connection that you have between people when it comes to creativity and having the magic of creation together, it can be a really beautiful thing and it really is the award to me.
“When people recognize you in your community, it feels really great. … I could still be beating my head against the wall in this town and that’s not lost on me – that I get to work with brilliant people and brilliant writers and brilliant spirits who have a vision for things and to be able to do that. To be a producer to me is to help either create or be a part of that vision and so to be recognized for that I feel like it’s absolutely tied to the artists that I get to work with and who trust me to come into their world and I really am just so thankful.”
Photo Credit: Robert Ascroft for foureleven. agency/Courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media
