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TIMELESS: Garth Brings Home Six Awards, Including Top Male Vocalist, at the 1991 Academy of Country Music Awards
As the 61st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards show draws closer on May 17, we’re looking back to the 26th Annual ACM Awards show in 1991. It was a watershed event in Garth’s career. He walked away with six trophies for Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Top Country Video, riding a wave of success from No Fences that laid the foundation for Ropin’ the Wind.
Garth set a record for the most ACM wins in one night, and we’re doing a story on each award, in the order it was presented. This is the fifth story, Top Male Vocalist.
After Top Country Video, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year, the next award Garth won was Top Male Vocalist. When Lorianne Crook, Charlie Chase, and Steve Gatlin called his name, he was in the uncomfortable position of accepting an award in a category where his hero, George Strait, was also nominated.
“I’ve got quite a dilemma here because I kinda got mixed emotions,” he said. “I’m very happy, but I’m very embarrassed, also. I want to make sure that Mr. Strait knows he’s always my male vocalist.” He went on to thank “Mr. Strait and Mr. George Jones for being such great idols."
As a vocalist, Garth has blended influences from all his musical heroes, Mr. Strait and Mr. Jones included, as well as James Taylor, Bob Seger, and Keith Whitley. Whether he’s tearing up a dive bar, rocking a stadium, sharing a tender ballad, or telling a story with just an acoustic guitar, his voice is uniquely and authentically Garth. And the voice that has united millions around the globe has been captured on record, thanks to the guiding hand of producer Allen Reynolds.
