• "I've always said I had the best fans in the world, and I heard this was a fan voted thing so I rest my case." –George Strait accepting Entertainer of the Year.
• "The song has directly changed my life and how I see life every single day. Selfishly, I wanted [it] to win. Usually I'm scared to even get up and talk. So if I don't win, it's okay. But this was really special." –Lee Brice on Song of the Year "I Drive Your Truck."
• "There's $20 million in hairdos down here and it all has confetti in it." –Luke Bryan after The Band Perry's opening performance.
• "We felt like it was the best thing to do to have a little icebreaker and start it on an irreverent note ... we came, we saw, we confettied them all." –Kimberly Perry on TBP's performance.
• "I forgot to say something about Taylor tonight. We all work our asses off, especially Taylor. She's kind of like her own animal. She's ridiculous. I was thinking about my friends at home [who] lost a baby, [but] I talked to Taylor and she's cool." –Miranda Lambert backstage discussing her Female Vocalist acceptance.
• "I've been so lucky from day-one to be able to do what I do and follow my gut and instincts. I'm lucky to have a team around me that trusts me ... nobody is trying to change anybody here, we're just trying to make music. I'm very excited to be representing country music right now." –Album honoree Kacey Musgraves.
• "I would have taken Female Vocalist had they given it to me. At this point, I really didn't care what they called it. The trophies are all the same." –Justin Moore on winning New Artist six years into his career.
• "I really think I made the right choice. It's been a great two years of touring. We've probably got about 10 more things to do this year, then we're probably going to take a year off and maybe make a record. Then we'll probably do a few dates here and there." –Strait on his Cowboy Rides Away Tour.
• "George opened our stadium. [That] concert, including the Super Bowl, is the hottest ticket I've ever been associated with in 25 years. That will carry over big as we prepare for our awards show." –Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on expectations for the ACM's 50th anniversary in 2015.
• "You never see an awards show at Cowboys Stadium." –Blake Shelton on the move to Texas.
• "You never see a playoff game there, either." –Luke Bryan, in response.

Dan + Shay appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (4/4) and performed "19 You + Me." Watch here.

Justin Moore was just "Lettin' The Night Roll" when he visited The Queen Latifah Show (4/4). Check it out here.

Brad Paisley played his "ficticious self" on The Crazy Ones on CBS-TV (4/3). See Paisley, Josh Groban and Robin Williams explain the setup here; watch the end result here.

Toby Keith helped The Tonight Show's Jimmy Fallon and a determined Ford salesman named Pete Porzio celebrate the purchase of a brand new Ford F150 on the show (4/3). Watch the surprise appearance  here.

Lyle Lovett visited Conan in Dallas (4/3) to perform "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)," brass and all. Check it out here.

Hit List

• Toby Keith is again showing how much he loves kids by hosting his 11th annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic May 16-17. The silent auction and celebrity golf tournament benefits the OK Kids Korral, a cost-free home for pediatric cancer patients and their families that opened on the campus of Oklahoma Health Center in Oklahoma City last year. Read all about it  here.
• Danielle Bradbery, Cassadee Pope and Private Lives of Nashville Wives' Sarah Davidson were in Nashville for the NCAA Women's Final Four tournament this weekend (4/4-8). Not to play basketball, of course. Bradbery and Pope will play a free concert Tuesday (4/8); Pope will sing the national anthem at the championship game that night, and Davidson will perform at halftime. Get the full schedule  here.
• The annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game has been set for June 7, during CMA Music Festival in Nashville. Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard, Brantley Gilbert, Brothers Osborne, Chase Rice, Chuck Wicks, Craig Morgan, Dustin Lynch, Lauren Alaina, Jamie Lynn Spears, Sara Darling, Kree Harrison and Alison Sweeney will participate. Proceeds benefit City of Hope cancer and disease research and treatment. More  here.

Birthdays

Tuesday (4/8): John Schneider.

Wednesday (4/9): The late Carl Perkins.

On TV

Tuesday (4/8) Martina McBride, Today (NBC); Blake Shelton, The Voice (NBC).

Wednesday (4/9): Ronnie Dunn, The View (ABC).

This Week's Album Releases

Martina McBride Everlasting: A collection of Motown hits and oldies done her own way, McBride says she intended the album to be a gift, something you could relax with or put on while you're cooking. "It's like comfort food," she says. Features Kelly Clarkson on the Etta James and Sugar Pie DeSanto classic "In The Basement," and Gavin DeGraw on Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me."

Upcoming Album Releases

April 15            Oak Ridge Boys Boys Night Out

April 15            Ray Price Beauty Is...

April 22            Rachele Lynae Rachele Lynae

May 6               Hunter Hayes  Storyline

May 6               Leah Turner Leah Turner EP

May 13            Dolly Parton Blue Smoke

May 13            Radney Foster Everything I Should Have Said