Chesney, Dixie Chicks in spotlight at award show

LOS ANGELES, May 24 (Reuters) Kenny Chesney won the top prize at the Academy of Country Music Awards for the second consecutive year, while the Dixie Chicks received a crowd-pleasing verbal smack from the show's host.

Chesney, the Nashville pinup briefly married to actress Renee Zellweger, was named entertainer of the year yesterday at the Las Vegas ceremony. Keith Urban and Sara Evans nabbed the respective top male and female vocalist honours.

Brad Paisley, the event's leading nominee with six nominations, ended up with three statuettes, including album of the year. The other multiple winners were Carrie Underwood and Brooks&Dunn lead singer Ronnie Dunn with two prizes each.

The show's host, country veteran Reba McEntire, drew the loudest applause when she joked about the Dixie Chicks ''putting their foot in their mouth.'' The country trio has been on the outs with a large swathe of Nashville since singer Natalie Maines said in 2003 that she was ashamed to come from the same state as fellow Texan President George W. Bush.

The Dixie Chicks are expected to open at the No. 1 on the U.S. pop album charts when data are released today with their first release since then, ''Taking the Long Way.'' The defiant first single, ''Not Ready to Make Nice,'' bombed at country radio, evidently reopening old wounds.

Australian-raised Urban won the male vocalist for the second consecutive year, but failed to thank new fiancee Nicole Kidman during his speech. Female vocalist winner Evans declared, ''I've been waiting for this my entire life.'' Chart-topping combo Rascal Flatts was named top vocal group for the fourth consecutive year.

Besides taking the album honor for ''Time Well Wasted,'' Paisley won the vocal event and video prizes for ''When I Get Where I'm Going.'' ''American Idol'' champ Underwood was named top new female vocalist, and also won the single record of the year honour for ''Jesus Take the Wheel,'' which she performed during the three-hour ceremony at the MGM Grand Hotel.

''I wouldn't be here if God hadn't opened all the doors to me,'' Underwood said.

The new male vocalist honour went to Jason Aldean, and the new duo/vocal group award to Sugarland.

Dunn shared the song of the year award for the Brooks&Dunn tune ''Believe'' with fellow songwriter Craig Wiseman. Dunn and partner Kix Brooks won the top vocal duo prize for the sixth consecutive year.

The 41st annual ceremony included the usual heart-tugging moments. Country duo Big&Rich brought out some Purple Heart-decorated war veterans during their performance of the Vietnam-inspired ballad ''8th of November.'' And Vince Gill gave his humanitarian award to an 8-year-old girl who was at the ceremony through a Make-A-Wish program.

A musical tribute to late country icon Buck Owens spanned the musical genres, as a group including singer/guitarist Dwight Yoakam, ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons, former Byrds bass player Chris Hillman and punk-rock drummer Travis Barker played a medley of his songs.

REUTERS KD SND1315