SECOND ROUND OF PERFORMERS SET FOR THE "40TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS," TO BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS, MAY 17 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Big & Rich, Sara Evans and Tim McGraw Set to Perform

Big & Rich, Sara Evans and Tim McGraw have been set to perform at the 40TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, to be broadcast live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Tuesday, May 17 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. They will join previously announced performers Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts and George Strait.

First-time nominees Big & Rich are up for three awards including Top New Artist, Top Vocal Duo and Video of the Year (for "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy"). John Rich has also received two additional nominations as associate producer of Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman" (nominated for Single Record of the Year) and Here for the Party (nominated for Album of the Year).

Evans has been nominated for nine Academy of Country Music Awards, including current nominations in the Top Female Vocalist and Album of the Year (Restless) categories. Evans has had four past nominations for Top Female Vocalist and two nominations for Vocal Event of the Year.

McGraw leads this year's nominations with six nods in the Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist categories along with four nominations for "Live Like You Were Dying," including Single Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Video of the Year.

During the broadcast, 11 awards honoring the past year's elite in country music will be handed out. Awards will be presented to Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist, Top Female Vocalist, Top New Artist, Top Vocal Group, Top Vocal Duo, Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Vocal Event of the Year and Video of the Year. He is also nominated in two of these categories as producer. McGraw's 10 past wins include two for Top Male Vocalist, two for Vocal Event of the Year, two for Single Record of the Year and one each for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year and Top New Male Vocalist. If McGraw wins Entertainer of the Year, he will be honored with the Merle Haggard Award, which recognizes the Academy's triple-crown winners of Entertainer of the Year, Top New Male and Top Male.

The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 with a mission to support, promote, and enhance the advancement of the country music industry worldwide. The Academy, which is comprised of more than 3,800 professional members and a newly established Associate Membership, is headquartered in Burbank, Calif.

THE 40TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS is produced by dick clark productions, inc. Dick Clark and R.A. Clark are the executive producers; Barry Adelman, the producer.