It’s a big year for the American Country Music Awards, and the best place to do it big is North Texas. Jerry Jones made a special appearance at last year’s award show to announce with George Strait that the golden anniversary of the American Country Music Awards was to be hosted at AT&T Stadium. “For our 50th Anniversary, we wanted to invite more fans than ever to our party,” Bob Romeo, CEO of the Academy of Country Music said. “Tickets to the ACM Awards sell out in minutes, country fans make their vacation plans around our events. In 2015, we’ll celebrate with the biggest group of mega artists at ACM Party for a Cause and allow more music fans to experience the Awards by hosting it in the premier stadium in the country.” And the goal… to break a world record.
The 50th Annual Country Music Awards
AT&T Stadium was abuzz with fans, stars, media and North Texans in hopes of filling every last seat in the gargantuan stadium. With seating for more than 70,00 on any given day, the ACMs had the opportunity to set a world record for the highest attendance at an awards show broadcast. It took a month to build the stage for the event, and only 18 minutes for tickets to sell out. As expected, the in-person audience at the awards ceremony Sunday night was confirmed at 70,252 setting a new record the Guinness Book of World Records. The three-and-a half-hour show was co-hosted by Blake Shelton and newly-crowned Entertainer of the Year, Luke Bryan.
The 50th Annual Country Music Awards at AT&T Stadium
The ACM Party for a Cause
The 50th Annual Country Music Awards aired on Sunday night, but for North Texas, the party started a lot earlier. Herds of country music fans descended on the region, and not even the weather dampened their spirits. The ACM Party for a Cause: 50 Years of Music and Memories took place at home of the Texas Rangers, Globe Life Park in Arlington. For those who were able to attend the two days of festivities, the concert was a once-in-a-lifetime event because the stars weren’t just there to sing the hits; they were paired together into “Superstar Duets.” Keith Urban and John Anderson, Lady Antebellum and Brandy Clark, Miranda Lambert and Patty Loveless, and The Band Perry and Deana Carter. Reba McEntire convinced Brooks & Dunn to perform with her as a group for the first time in four years. Despite the April showers, these country rockers kept the show rolling. Keith Urban even played a 30 minute set because Eric Church’s equipment was damaged in the rain.
ACM Party for a Cause at Globe Life Park in Arlington
Photos sourced from NBC DFW (cover), Dallas Cowboys (Awards Ceremony) and the American Country Music website (Party for a Cause).