ACM Awards | Special Programming
Get ready for the biggest names in country, on the 2018 Academy of Country Music Awards channel. From the rising-stars to legendary chart dominators, this star-studded selection features all the nominated artists from this year’s awards. The special programming channel will be available April 3 to April 30, 2018.
Listen to our ACM Awards Special Programming Channel
The ACM Awards' Mission
“Improving lives by connecting fans, artists, and the industry.” That’s the overriding mission of the Academy of Country Music---whether, through the annual ACM Awards show or the organization’s charitable arm, ACM Lifting Lives. In the 50-plus years since its inception, the Academy has grown from a regional Southern California trade organization to a national powerhouse dedicated to a higher purpose.
The Academy was officially founded in 1964 in Los Angeles when performer Tommy Wiggins, songwriter Eddie Miller and club owners Mickey and Chris Christensen teamed up with other performers, radio and record label executives to establish the Country and Western Music Academy. Their vision was to promote country music in the western 13 states and to support artists based on the West Coast such as Billy Mize, Johnny Bond, Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, Buck Owens, Wynn Stewart, Jimmy Wakely and Tex Williams. In 1965, an official board of directors was formed. The Academy hosted its first official country music awards show in 1966 (after three informal awards banquets held at the Christensens’ Red Barrel Niteclub) honoring the industry's accomplishments during the previous year. It was the first country music awards program held by a major organization, propelling country music into the public spotlight for the first time. Winners that year included Kay Adams, Merle Haggard, Bonnie Owens and Buck Owens.
In 2015, the Academy marked a major milestone---the 50th anniversary of the ACM Awards. To celebrate, the ACM partnered with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, bringing the ACM Awards to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 19th for what became the largest live awards show ever staged, setting a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the Highest Attendance at an Awards Show Broadcast with a total of 70,252 fans in attendance. The show---as well as the two-day ACM Party for a Cause Festival at Globe Life Park---sold out in just 18 minutes, paving the way for Country Music’s Party of the Year® to invade Texas.
(from https://www.acmcountry.com/mission)
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