Tim McGraw [ tickets ] is vying for six 2005 Academy of Country Music Awards--more than any other artist--while Toby Keith [ tickets ] is nominated for his third consecutive Entertainer of the Year award.

McGraw could walk away with eight ACMs, since he produced his nominated album and single.

"After being around for so long and having the opportunity to have a great career, it's cool to feel like I'm still playing with the big boys," McGraw said in a statement.

First-time nominee Gretchen Wilson [ tickets ] picked up five nods, and first-time nominees Big & Rich [ tickets ] are up for three awards. The duo's John Rich picked nabbed two additional nominations as associate producer of Wilson's "Redneck Woman" (nominated for Single Record of the Year) and "Here for the Party" (up for Album of the Year).

Alison Krauss is in the running for five awards, including four for "Whiskey Lullaby," her duet with Brad Paisley.

Awards-show perennials Brooks & Dunn are again nominated for Top Vocal Duo, an honor they have taken for the past four consecutive years and 11 times overall.

Martina McBride, who has taken the last four Top Female Vocalist ACMs, is again nominated in the category. Rascal Flatts is looking for its third straight win for Top Vocal Group.

The 40th Annual ACM Awards [ tickets ] ceremony takes place May 17 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and will be broadcast live on CBS-TV. A complete list of nominees follows.

Entertainer of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Keith Urban

Top Vocal Group
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Diamond Rio
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts
The Notorious Cherry Bombs

Top New Artist
Big & Rich
Josh Gracin
Julie Roberts
Josh Turner
Gretchen Wilson

Top Vocal Duo
Big & Rich
Blue Country
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
The Warren Brothers

Top Female Vocalist
Terri Clark
Sara Evans
Martina McBride
Gretchen Wilson
Lee Ann Womack

Top Male Vocalist
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Keith Urban

Video of the Year
"Girls Lie Too," Terri Clark (Director: Shaun Silva)
"Live Like You Were Dying," Tim McGraw (Director: Sherman Halsey)
"Redneck Woman," Gretchen Wilson (David Hogan)
"Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)," Big & Rich (Director: David Hogan)
"Whiskey Lullaby," Brad Paisley (f/ Alison Krauss) (Director: Rick Schroder)

Vocal Event of the Year
"Creepin' In," Norah Jones and Dolly Parton
"Hey Good Lookin'," Jimmy Buffett w/ Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait
"Party for Two," Shania Twain w/ Billy Currington
"When the Sun Goes Down," Kenny Chesney w/ Uncle Kracker
"Whiskey Lullaby," Brad Paisley f/ Alison Krauss

Song of the Year
"American Soldier," Toby Keith (Toby Keith & Chuck Cannon, writers)
"Bless the Broken Road," Rascal Flatts (Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd & Jeff Hanna, writers)
"I May Hate Myself in the Morning," Lee Ann Womack (Odie Blackmon, writer)
"Live Like You Were Dying," Tim McGraw (Craig Miseman & Tim Nichols, writers)
"Whiskey Lullaby," Brad Paisley f/ Alison Krauss (Bill Anderson & Jon Randall, writers)

Single Record of the Year
"Bless the Broken Road," Rascal Flatts
"Days Go By," Keith Urban
"I May Hate Myself in the Morning," Lee Ann Womack
"Live Like You Were Dying," Tim McGraw
"Redneck Woman," Gretchen Wilson
"Whiskey Lullaby," Brad Paisley f/ Alison Krauss

Album of the Year
"Be Here," Keith Urban
"Here for the Party," Gretchen Wilson
"Live Like You Were Dying," Tim McGraw
"Restless," Sara Evans
"When the Sun Goes Down," Kenny Chesney

Casino of the Year
Belterra (Belterra, IN)
Casino Rama (Orilla, Ontario)
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino (Las Vegas, NV)
Mohegan Sun Casino (Uncasville, CT)
Turning Stone Casino (Verona, NY)

Nightclub of the Year
Billy Bob's (Fort Worth, TX)
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace (Bakersfield, CA)
Grizzly Rose (Denver, CO)
Pepsi Roadhouse (Burgettstown, PA)
Tumbleweed Dancehall (Stillwater, OK)

Don Romeo Talent Buyer/Promoter of the Year
Brian O'Connell (Clear Channel Entertainment)
Louis Messina (The Messina Group)
Mike Smardak (Outback Concerts of Tenn.)
Rich Mischell (Mischell Productions, Inc.)
Suzanne Wilson (Wilson Events, Inc.)

Radio Station of the Year
KPLX (Dallas, TX)
KTTS (Springfield, MO)
KUZZ (Bakersfield, CA)
WIVK (Knoxville, TN)
WIXY (Champaign, IL)

On-Air Personality of hte Year
Lisa Dent (WUSN Chicago, IL)
Dex & Kim (WUSY Chattanooga, TN)
Gunner (WIVK Knoxville, TN)
Skip Mahaffey (WQYK Tampa, FL)
Tim & Willy (KNIX Phoenix, AZ)

Producer of the Year
Buddy Cannon
Byron Gallimore
James Stroud
Paul Worley
Mark Wright

Engineer of the Year
John Kelton
Julian King
Justin Niebank
Gary Paczoza
Ron "Snake"Reynolds

Bass
Mike Brignardello
David Hungate
Larry Paxton
Alison Prestwood
Glen Worf

Drums
Eric Darken
Shannen Forrest
Paul Leim
Greg Morrow
Lonnie Wilson

Fiddle
Glen Duncan
Stuart Duncan
Larry Franklin
Rob Hajacos
Jonathan Yudkin

Guitar
Tom Bukovac
J.T. Corenflos
Jon Jorgenson
Brent Mason
Bryan Sutton

Piano/Keyboards
Jim Brown
Gordon Mote
Steve Nathan
Michael Omartian
Mike Rojas

Specialty Instrument
Jim Hoke
Jim Horn
Rob Ickes
Russ Pahl
Randy Scruggs

Steel
Dan Dugmore
Sonny Garrish
John Hughey
Mike Johnson
Robbie Turner