The nominees for this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards cover the width and breadth of Dean Markley’s Endorsing Artists roster. Since its inception in 1965, the Academy of Country Music Awards show has grown in stature with each year. This year’s show will be broadcast live from Las Vegas on May 15,2007 at 8:00 p.m. (eastern time) on the CBS network.

Major Markley nominees include Tim McGraw and George Strait for Entertainer of the Year, Toby Keith and George Strait for Top Male Vocalist, Big & Rich and The Wreckers for Top Vocal Duo, Miranda Lambert for Top New Female Vocalist, Rodney Atkins for Top New Male Vocalist, The Wreckers for Top New Duo or Group, and Hank Williams, Jr. (“That’s How They Do It In Dixie”) for Vocal Event of the Year.

Albums from three different Markley artists are nominated for Album of the Year, including George Strait (“It Just Comes Natural”), Carrie Underwood (“Some Hearts”), and Vince Gill (“These Days”). Markley endorsers Carrie Underwood (“Before He Cheats”) and George Strait (“Give It Away”) are nominated for Single Record of the Year. The Song of the Year category includes three Markley nominees: Jason Aldean (“Amarillo Sky”), Carrie Underwood (“Before He Cheats”), and Rodney Atkins (“If You’re Going Through Hell”).

Nominations for Markley artists are not restricted to the world of audio. Four Markley endorsers are nominated for Video of the Year, including Big & Rich (“8th of November”), Jason Aldean (“Amarillo Sky”), Carrie Underwood (“Before He Cheats”), and George Strait (“The Seashores of Old Mexico”).

Each of these nominated artists and/or members of their bands play Dean Markley strings in the studio and live on stage. Multiple award nominee and long-time Markley endorser George Strait, for example, plays Dean Markley Vintage Bronze Acoustic strings. John Rich from Big & Rich uses Nickel Steel Electric strings, and the band uses Alchemy Acoustics and Blue Steel NPS Bass strings. Carrie Underwood’s band plays Super V Electric Regulars and a variety of Markley acoustic strings, while Tim McGraw and his Dancehall Doctors string their instruments with a sampling of strings from throughout the Dean Markley line, including Alchemy Acoustic Gold Phos. and Blue Steel Electric Mediums for guitar, Nickel Regulars for mandolin, Med/Lt. for banjo, and SR2000 Bass Lt. 5-string and Jerry Only-Misfits strings for bass.