"55TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS(TM)," HOSTED BY KEITH URBAN, TO BROADCAST LIVE FROM NASHVILLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SHOW'S HISTORY ON WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16 AT 8:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM CT ON CBS

EVENT TO BE THE FIRST AWARDS SHOW TO BROADCAST FROM THREE ICONIC COUNTRY MUSIC VENUES: GRAND OLE OPRY HOUSE, NASHVILLE'S HISTORIC RYMAN AUDITORIUM AND THE BLUEBIRD CAFE

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 27, 2020) - The Academy of Country Music(R) and dick clark productions announced today that the 55TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS(TM) will take place in Nashville, TN for the first time in the show's 55-year history. In an unprecedented move, the 55th ACM AWARDS(R) will be the first awards show to broadcast from three iconic Country Music venues including the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe. The announcement was made this morning during Nashville Mayor John Cooper's daily press conference. Hosted by reigning ACM(R) Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award winner Keith Urban, the 55th ACM Awards will be broadcast on Wednesday, Sept. 16 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will stream live and on demand on CBS All Access.

"While we were disappointed to postpone our April show in Las Vegas, we couldn't be more thrilled to host the rescheduled 55th ACM Awards in the home of Country Music for the first time in the Academy's history," said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. "First and foremost, we want to ensure the safety of our artists and industry, and to ease the burdens of traveling large teams; therefore, we decided to bring the ACM Awards to them this September in Nashville. Now, more than ever, is the time to bring our community together to honor the best in our genre, and there is no more special place to do that than three of the most revered venues in Country Music - The Grand Ole Opry House, The Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe. A huge thank you to these historic venues and to the state of Tennessee and city of Nashville for all of the support in making this a reality!"

"Tennessee is honored to be a part of this historic event," said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. "Showcasing the talent and musical heritage of our state is always a source of pride, and it couldn't be more valuable than this year. On behalf of all Tennesseans, I want to thank the Academy of Country Music for bringing this event home."

"Country music has been our voice and our companion through so many difficult times and now it is our comfort as we confront and defeat the coronavirus," said Nashville Mayor John Cooper. "I'm excited to join country music fans worldwide to celebrate with the Academy of Country Music and artists that uplift and inspire us all in these extraordinary times. And I look forward to the day when we can safely welcome visitors back to enjoy all that Music City has to offer, including over 160 live entertainment venues with the best country music shows in the world."

"We are delighted to host the 55th ACM Awards and make history alongside the Academy of Country Music as the show comes to Nashville for the first time," said Scott Bailey, President of Opry Entertainment Group. "We look forward to sharing this moment with our friends at The Bluebird Cafe and are pleased that fans will have the opportunity to experience the most famous stages in country music in such a unique way."

As always, the health and safety of the artists, fans, industry, staff and partners is of the utmost importance. All guidelines set forth by national, state and local health officials will continue to be closely followed and implemented during the production along with additional safety measures to be instated by dick clark productions and the Academy of Country Music.

The 55th ACM Awards, honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in Country Music, will feature exciting performances, unprecedented collaborations, surprising moments and more to be announced in the coming months. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook, follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.

As previously announced, the 55TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS was originally scheduled to air on Sunday, April 5 and was postponed due to COVID-19. ACM Lifting Lives(R) the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music, created the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund to assist individuals working in the Country Music industry who are suffering a financial crisis as a result of the pandemic. Since April 1, the Fund has contributed $1.4 million thanks to the generous support of the Academy's corporate sponsors FirstNet, Built with AT&T, Amazon Music and other individuals. For more information about the Fund or to donate, visit ACMLiftingLives.org.

About the Academy of Country Music Awards(TM)

The 55th Academy of Country Music Awards(TM) is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the Country Music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on-demand on CBS All Access. R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Amy Thurlow are executive producers. Damon Whiteside is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.