March 20, 2013
Phot Credit: YouTube
For the first time ever, Garth Brooks and George Strait will perform together on the 48th Annual ACM Awards Show to honor Dick Clark.
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) and Dick Clark Productions announced today that the ACM Artist of the Decade Award will be renamed the ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award to honor the late Dick Clark. In a fitting tribute performance to mark the change, the latest recipients of the award Garth Brooks (1998 honoree) and George Strait (2009 honoree) will perform together the first time ever live from Las Vegas on the ACM Awards Show.
Dick Clark, who passed away last year has been the producer of the ACM Awards Show since 1979. He helped introduce the best country music had to offer to a worldwide audience. Dick Clark spent his life as an ambassador of a wide range of music genres and helped guide the ACM Awards through his decades of involvement to become one of the industry’s biggest annual events.
Dick’s son R.A. Clark said: “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.”
Talking about being a part of the tribute, George said: “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.”
Garth added: “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.”
The 48th Annual ACM Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 7 starting at 7 p.m. central time on the CBS Television Network. Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan will co-host the awards show that will honor country music’s top talent, as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists.
By: Buck Stevens