ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC CELEBRATES
ACM AWARDS UPCOMING 50th ANNIVERSARY WITH
THIS IS COUNTRY: A BACKSTAGE PASS TO THE
ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS
RETROSPECTIVE BOOK FEATURES FOREWORD BY REBA,
PLUS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM COUNTRY MUSIC’S BIGGEST STARS
The Academy of Country Music is announcing that the first-ever ACM commemorative book, This Is Country: A Backstage Pass to the Academy of Country Music Awards will be available to music fans everywhere on Tuesday, September 23, 2014, at booksellers nationwide, and is available NOW for pre-order at Amazon. Written by the Academy’s own Lisa Lee, with a foreword by Reba, the gorgeous 224 page book invites fans to peek behind the scenes of the ACM Awards. All of the Academy’s proceeds from sales of the book will go to ACM Lifting Lives.
Featuring contributions by country music’s biggest stars from the 1960s to the present day, including Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Loretta Lynn, Alabama’s Randy Owen, Reba, Blake Shelton, George Strait, and Marty Stuart, and commentary from Kenny Chesney, Merle Haggard, Faith Hill, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and many more, This Is Country is a must-have for fans of music everywhere.
From the first informal ceremony at the Hollywood Palladium in the mid-’60s to today’s star-studded LIVE telecast viewed by millions, generations of country’s biggest superstars have graced the Academy of Country Music Awards stage. Now, in anticipation of the 50th ACM Awards telecast next spring, the Academy has opened its archive for the first time ever to reveal candid, never-before-seen photographs and memorabilia capturing some of the greatest moments in the history of country music. Rich with backstage and performance photographs, compelling behind-the-scenes stories, and firsthand accounts from country legends and contemporary artists, This Is Country: A Backstage Pass to the Academy of Country Music Awards (Insight Editions / $50.00 / September 2014) offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the past, present, and evolution of the Academy.
“For five decades, the Academy of Country Music Awards has proudly showcased the best in country music, to the delight of millions of viewers,” said Bob Romeo, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “We are so excited to share some of the most candid moments in our history with music fans. ‘This Is Country’ truly is a backstage pass to the ACM Awards.”
“It’s an incredible honor to help tell the story of the Academy as well as the stories of the amazing artists and people behind the scenes who have built it over the last 50 years,” said Lee. “To flip through the pages and watch the show evolve from a Southern California banquet to a network television powerhouse is a sight to behold.”
“It’s been a wonderful experience working with the Academy and Lisa Lee,” said Robbie Schmidt, Insight Editions’ acquisitions editor. “The ACM has an incredibly rich history and we’re excited to offer country music fans this intimate look behind the scenes. A special thank you to the iconic artists whose participation and support made this book possible.”
All of the Academy’s proceeds from sales of the book will go to ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music, dedicated to improving lives through the power of music. Through partnerships with artists and strong ties in the music industry, ACM Lifting Lives develops and funds music-related therapy and education programs, and serves members of the community who face unexpected hardships through its Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund. Through generous donations and the support of artists and fans, ACM Lifting Lives is able to fund everything from disaster relief and helping communities in need, to music education in schools and music camps for those with disabilities, to supporting programs that use music therapy as a means to help our veterans and wounded warriors, while providing grants to help them ease back into life. For more details on the book or for more information on ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music, please visit www.ACMcountry.com or www.ACMLiftingLives.org.
About the Academy of Country Music Awards:
The Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The 50th ACM Awards celebrating the golden anniversary of Country Music’s Party of the Year® is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, on Sunday, April 19, 2015, at 8:00 P.M. live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.
About the Author:
Based in Los Angeles after a decade of living in Nashville, Lisa Lee has been covering country music for more than twenty years. She has written, produced, and corresponded for CMT/MTV Networks and The Nashville Network. Her credits include CMT Insider and TV news specials Controversy: Tammy Wynette and the Prism Award–winner Addicted to Addiction. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Lee is currently the Academy’s Senior Vice President of Creative & Content Production and editor of the quarterly magazine, ACM Tempo.
About Insight Editions:
Insight Editions is a publisher focused on creating superlative illustrated books on photography, music, and popular culture. Lavishly produced and visually stimulating, every volume from Insight is dedicated to the skillful interplay of word and image. The books produced are unique works that combine the highest quality print production values with time-honored traditions of publishing and rich subject matter. Elegant and informative, books from Insight showcase the best of art and photography in exquisite presentations of the bookmaker’s craft. For more information, visit www.insighteditions.com.
This Is Country: A Backstage Pass to the Academy of Country Music Awards
By Lisa Lee; Foreword by Reba
Insight Editions | September 2014 | 9.25 x 12 | 224 pages
Music / Country
Hardcover | World | $50.00
ISBN-13: 978-1608873159