Brooks & Dunn News

(5/23/02, 12 a.m. ET) - Brooks & Dunn were the Academy Of Country Music's big winners, breaking country legend Merle Haggard's record to become the artists with the most ACM awards ever--16 total wins. The super-duo took home awards for country video of the year for "Only In America," top vocal duo, and the night's top honor for entertainer of the year.

This Academy Of Country Music Awards night in Los Angeles was a patriotic one with Alan Jackson picking up ACM awards for both single record of the year and song of the year for "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)," a song he wrote in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on America. Jackson's first win for night for "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" brought the singer to tears on the podium: "I've always felt uncomfortable about the attention that this song has brought to me," he said. "I guess I was always uncomfortable about what it was written about. I'm still angry and sad and forever changed about what happened that day. I don't feel like I could accept this award for this song without sharing with and dedicating it to the thousands of people...the men and women and children that died and suffered and are still suffering because of that cowardly and heartless attack on America and mankind. So, this is for all of them."

Last year's top male vocalist winner, Toby Keith, kept the flags waving, performing his self-penned "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue," a patriotic song he wrote for his own father. During the standing ovation performance, everyone in the star-studded crowd waved American flags.

Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson took a lot of ACM camera time from country royalty Tim McGraw and Faith Hill who were late for the show, "caught in traffic," as host Reba McEntire announced. Rock later performed a duet with his musical mentor Hank Williams Jr. that brought the country crowd to its feet. It was that performance introduction that gave McEntire the best quip of the evening: "The song is called 'The F-Word,' which is the love theme from Ozzy Osbourne, the movie," said the singer.

Other highlighted moments in the show included the pioneer award honoree Ronnie Milsap accepting his award, and Hank Williams Jr. paying his respects in word and song to the late Waylon Jennings.

THE 37th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS – COMPLETE WINNERS LIST

Pioneer award – Ronnie Milsap

Home Depot Humanitarian award - Reba McEntire

Entertainer of the year – Brooks & Dunn

Top male vocalist – Alan Jackson

Top new male vocalist – Phil Vassar

Top female vocalist – Martina McBride

Top vocal duo - Brooks & Dunn

Top new female vocalist – Carolyn Dawn Johnson

Top vocal group – Lonestar

Top new vocal group - Trick Pony

Top vocal event of the year (presented to artists and producers) - "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow" - The Soggy Bottom Boys

Album of the year (presented to artists, producers and record label) - O Brother, Where Art Thou? - Soundtrack

Single record of the year (presented to artists, producers, and record label) - "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" - Alan Jackson

Song of the year (presented to artist, composer, and publisher) - "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" - Alan Jackson

Country video of the year - (Presented to artists, producers, and director) - "Only In America," Brooks & Dunn

--Nancy Brooks, Nashville

For more news at LAUNCH, click here.

Got news tips, comments, or questions? Send them to launchnews@yahoo.com.