The Academy of Country Music is announced that country music superstars Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood and new artists Rodney Atkins and Miranda Lambert will perform as part of the sold out 42 Academy of Country Music Awards. The ceremony, which honors country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent, will be broadcast LIVE from MGM GRAND in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 15th, 2007 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

Rodney Atkins is nominated for Top New Male Vocalist and the title track of his platinum selling CD "If You're Going Through Hell" is also nominated for Song of the Year. It was Billboard's most-played country song for the year. Following the success of the album's first single, Rodney's second single, "Watching You," spent five weeks at number one on the country charts. These are his first Academy of Country Music Award nominations.

Miranda Lambert is nominated for Top Female Vocalist and Top New Female Vocalist. Lambert was nominated in 2006 for Top Female Vocalist and in 2005, she won ACM's Cover Girl Fresh Face of Country Music Award. This is her third consecutive year to perform on the awards since her platinum album Kerosene was released in 2005. Her highly-anticipated second album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, will hit stores May 1.

Tim McGraw is nominated for Entertainer of the Year and has previously won 13 Academy of Country Music Awards, including Top Male Vocalist, Top New Male Vocalist, Song of the Year, Vocal Event of the Year and more. If he wins Entertainer of the Year he will be one of only six elite artists to have achieved the Academy's most prestigious award, the Triple Crown.

Brad Paisley is nominated for Top Male Vocalist and has previously won six Academy of Country Music Awards, including Top New Male Vocalist, Album of the Year, Vocal Event of the Year and more.

Rascal Flatts are nominated in six categories, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Vocal Group, Album of the Year for Me and My Gang, and Single Record of the Year for "What Hurts the Most." They have previously been awarded six Academy of Country Music Awards. If they win in the Top Vocal Group, they will have tied with Alabama for most consecutive wins in that category -- five years running.

Carrie Underwood has five nominations including Top Female Vocalist, Album of the Year for Some Hearts, along with Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year all for "Before He Cheats." She was awarded two Academy of Country Music Awards last year -- Top New Female and Single Record of the Year -- in her first year to ever be nominated for a country music award.

These artists join previously announced 42 Academy of Country Music Awards performers Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Sugarland and Reba McEntire with special guest Kelly Clarkson. McEntire will host the event for an unprecedented 9th time.

The 42 Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony honoring country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent, will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.