Jackson gets eight Country Music Award nominations

LOS ANGELES -- Alan Jackson, who received a leading eight Academy of Country Music nominations Wednesday, can justify celebrating as early as he wants because -- as the title of his hit song suggests -- "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere."

The ode to leaving work early for the bar, a duet with Jimmy Buffett, was recognized in four categories: single, video, vocal event and song of the year; it was composed by Jim Brown and Donald Rollins.

Jackson was also nominated for entertainer of the year, top male vocalist and best single and songwriting mentions for "Remember When."

The duo Brooks & Dunn and Toby Keith had five nominations each, including entertainer of the year. Other nominees in that category besides Jackson were Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney.

Nominees are determined by the 3,000-member academy based in Burbank.

Winners will be announced May 26 in a live telecast from Las Vegas, with Reba McEntire as host of the CBS show.

It was a guy's year -- entertainer of the year, vocal group, vocal duo and single of the year were filled with male contenders, while Martina McBride was the lone female in the best album class for "Martina."

Other album nominees were George Strait's "Honkytonkville," Brad Paisley's "Mud on the Tires," Brooks & Dunn's "Red Dirt Road" and Keith's "Shock 'N Y'all."2004 COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD NOMINEES

A partial list of the nominees for the 39th annual Country Music Awards, set for May 26. A complete list of nominees is available at www.acm.com.

Entertainer of the Year: Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw.

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

Top Female Vocalist: Terri Clark, Sara Evans, Patty Loveless, Martina McBride, Shania Twain.

Top New Artist: Dierks Bentley, Pat Green, Buddy Jewell, Josh Turner, Jimmy Wayne.

Top Vocal Group: Alabama, Diamond Rio, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts, Trick Pony.

Top Vocal Duo: Blue County, Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, The Bellamy Brothers, The Warren Brothers.

Single Record of the Year: "American Soldier," Toby Keith, James Stroud/Toby Keith, DreamWorks Records; "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Alan Jackson/Jimmy Buffett, Keith Stegall, Arista Nashville; "Red Dirt Road," Brooks & Dunn, Kix Brooks/Ronnie Dunn/Mark Wright, Arista Nashville; "Remember When," Alan Jackson, Keith Stegall, Arista Nashville; "Three Wooden Crosses," Randy Travis, Kyle Lehning, Word-Curb, Warner Bros. Records.