(Source: The Academy Of Country Music)

GEORGE STRAIT & GARTH BROOKS TO PERFORM TOGETHER AS A TRIBUTE TO DICK CLARK AT THE 48^TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

The Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions announced today that George Strait and Garth Brooks, the two most recent ACM Artist of the Decade Award recipients, will perform together for the first time in history to pay tribute to Dick Clark at the 48^th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, to be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 7 (8:00 PM-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. The ACM Artist of the Decade Award will be renamed the ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award, in honor of the iconic figure and longtime producer of the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS. The ceremony, to be co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, honors country music’s top talent, as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists.

Dick Clark, who passed away last year, began producing the Academy of Country Music Awards in 1979 and helped introduce audiences all over America to the most talented artists in country music. Clark had long been an ambassador for a wide-range of musical genres and with his guidance, ushered the Academy of Country Music Awards through the decades to become one of the industry’s biggest events.

“It is truly appropriate that we pay tribute to my father, longtime ACM Awards executive producer Dick Clark. As one of the current executive producers and Dick’s son, I’m honored that George and Garth graciously accepted my personal request to pay tribute to a man we all loved,” stated R.A. Clark.

“He was a friend to all of us and helped shape our organization.  There’s no doubt the Academy of Country Music wouldn’t be one of the highest-rated and watched awards shows without Dick’s vision and commitment,” commented Bob Romeo, CEO of the Academy of Country Music.

“Dick helped make country music accessible to a larger fan base and his efforts will not be forgotten. Garth and I were so grateful when we each received the ACM Artist of the Decade Award, so it’s only fitting that we’ll be honoring him with this tribute performance at the ACMs,” said George Strait. 

“I commend the Academy on naming the ACM Artist of the Decade Award after Dick Clark.  Although there is no award the entertainment industry has that can match the magnitude of the star Dick Clark was, and still is, it is an honor to get to be a part of the Academy’s tribute to him.  There may be others who have contributed as much to the music industry, but there is definitely no one that has contributed more than Dick Clark.  He was music’s best friend, and a dear friend to me,” said Garth Brooks.

Recipients of the ACM Artist of the Decade Award include Strait in 2009, Brooks in 1998, Alabama in 1988, Loretta Lynn in 1979 and Marty Robbins in 1969. The ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award is an Academy honor bestowed on a country music artist only once every decade.

Performers:

George Strait has won twenty Academy of Country Music Awards, including the Artist of the Decade award, an award that has only been given to four other acts in the Academy’s history.  He also holds the record for the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. He has sold more than 68 million records, garnering him 32 different platinum or multi-platinum albums resulting in the most RIAA platinum certifications in country music and the third in all genres, behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Strait recently released his newest single, “Give It All We Got Tonight”—the first release from his forthcoming 2013 album, Love is Everything, due in stores on May 14. Strait also placed #1 on Pollstar’s Concert Pulse chart in March after the first leg of his on-going two-year final U.S. tour, “The Cowboy Rides Away Tour” with special guest Martina McBride.

Garth Brooks is a pivotal figure in the history of country music, garnering over twenty ACM Awards, including six Entertainer of the Year Awards, an Artist of the Decade award, and a Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award, honoring individuals who are pioneers in the country music genre. Certified by the RIAA in 2000 as the #1-selling solo artist in U.S. history, Brooks has sold in excess of over 128 million albums and has received every accolade the recording industry can bestow on an artist. With his commercially savvy fusion of post-Merle Haggard country, honky-tonk, post-folk-rock sensitive singer/songwriter sensibilities, and '70s arena rock dramatics, Brooks brought country music to a new audience in the '90s — namely, a mass audience. Before Brooks, it was inconceivable for a country artist to go multi-platinum. He shattered that barrier in 1991, when his second album, No Fences, began its chart domination, and its follow-up, Ropin' the Wind, became the first country album to debut at the top of the pop charts. He is currently raising his children in Oklahoma.
 

About the Academy of Country Music Awards

The 48^th Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry.  The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.  Allen Shapiro, Orly Adelson and R.A. Clark are executive producers.  Barry Adelman is producer, and Bob Bardo is the executive in charge of production. Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music. 

For those that lack a green thumb, hiring a lawn care service or landscaper can ease the burden of beautifying your own yard. But, Better Business Bureau advises consumers to get clear, written expectations for what services the company will provide, and agree on a fee before work starts. Otherwise, dreams of a green wonderland could quickly turn into a brown wasteland.

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Vacation!  The magical word that we love so much. I'm taking a spring break as well, and plan on doing some fishing with my daughter. 

While I have recently taken up fly fishing, nothing beats the banks of the Frio River in Tilden at my folk's house.  That's where I used my daughter's Scooby Doo fishing pole to reel in that monster in the pic above.

While I won't be updating the compelling daily blog posts you've come to expect, I will be hitting up all the social media platforms that you and I are connected on.

Twitter.com/BigFrankEdwards

Facebook.com/BigFrankedwards

BigFrankEdwards.Tumblr.com

Instagram.com/BigFrankEdwards

:::Associated Press:::

:::Texas Motor Speedway:::

Texas Motor Speedway and the National Rifle Association have signed a one-year agreement with a renewal option for America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group to serve as the title sponsor for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on April 13, speedway president Eddie Gossage announced Monday.

The annual spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway will be retitled the "NRA 500" and serve as the first prime-time Saturday evening race of this season. The NRA replaces Samsung Mobile, which had served as the title sponsor of this race since 2002. Gossage made the announcement and unveiled the race logo during Texas Motor Speedway's annual Media Day held in the Grand Ballroom of The Speedway Club.

"The NRA has been involved in the sport for several years and a partner of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. for many years in various aspects, and this race entitlement is just another extension of that business relationship," Gossage said.  "We look forward to another successful partnership with the NRA for our April race week of activities."

The NRA has had a relationship with the NASCAR industry for more than a decade on a variety of platforms. The organization continues to be a generous supporter of SMI's Speedway Children's Charities and its fund-raising events since 2000. The NRA has contributed more than $500,000 to the Texas Chapter of SCC at Texas Motor Speedway alone.

NRA's most recent race entitlement in the sport came last season when the organization was the title sponsor for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race known as the "NRA American Warrior 300" that was held Sept. 1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. NASCAR owner Richard Childress is a current NRA board member and team owners and drivers have donated sponsor space on their cars to support the NRA in the past.

"The NRA 500 is the latest announcement in the long history of a growing partnership between the NRA, Speedway Motorsports and the NASCAR community," LaPierre said. "NRA members and NASCAR fans love their country and everything that is good and right about America. We salute our flag ... volunteer in our churches and communities ... cherish our families ... and WE LOVE RACING! On April 13, we'll all come together at Texas Motor Speedway."

Tickets for the NRA 500 are available by visiting www.texasmotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500.