Dolly Parton hosts Monday’s Academy of Country Music Awards; Carrie Underwood to perform

Dolly Parton attends a red carpet gala event honoring her as the MusiCares person of the year, ahead of the Grammy Awards, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., Feb. 8, 2019. Image: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

LOS ANGELES — Dolly Parton will take center stage on Monday at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards, hosting the Las Vegas event alongside fellow singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen and rising star Gabby Barrett.

The awards ceremony will feature a tribute by Grammy-winning singer Kelly Clarkson to the 76-year-old Parton, one of country music’s most beloved artists and a cultural icon who transcends the genre.

This year’s Academy of Country Music Awards marks the first time viewers can watch the show exclusively via livestream. It will appear on Amazon.com Inc’s Prime Video in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Singer Carrie Underwood arrives for the 42nd Annual Kennedy Awards Honors in Washington, U.S., Dec. 8, 2019. Image: Reuters/Joshua Roberts

Carrie Underwood, nominated for her fourth entertainer of the year award, is one of the artists scheduled to perform at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Underwood’s three entertainer of the year awards so far are the most won by any woman.

Also nominated for that top award are Eric Church, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton. Church and Stapleton will also perform live at the ceremony.

Leading the field of nominees at this year’s awards are Chris Young with seven, including album of the year. “Famous Friends,” his hit duet with Kane Brown, is up for single of the year.

Miranda Lambert is nominated for five awards, including her 16th female artist of the year nod, tying a record set by Reba McEntire. Walker Hayes, best known for his smash hit “Fancy Like,” is nominated five times.

Parton began her career in the late 1960s, often partnering with Porter Wagner, and has sold more than 100 million albums in the more than five decades since. JB

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