ACM Names New Artist Award Winners

The Academy of Country Music has named Julianne Hough, Jake Owen and Zac Brown Band Top New Female Vocalist, Top New Male Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group, respectively. The Academy, along with Great American Country and dick clark productions, partnered to allow fans to decide the winners of the three categories through online voting on the GAC website. Each winner will perform and receive their trophy on the Sara Evans-hosted GAC special, ACM Top New Artists, which premiers March 19 at 9 p.m. CT.

Finally, one of the three artists will be chosen as Top New Artist, a new category that will also be decided through fan voting at www.VoteACM.com. Online voting for ACM’s Top New Artist begins on March 16 and will close on April 5. The winner will be announced live during the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday, April 5 at 7 p.m. CT on CBS.