“ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC HONORS™” MAKES ITS DEBUT ON DR. PHIL’S MERIT STREET™

Carly Pearce and Jordan Davis to Host Event Celebrating Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson, Lainey Wilson, Trisha Yearwood, and More

Eric Church, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Tyler Hubbard, Jamey Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Keith Urban, and More to Perform

Limited Tickets and VIP Packages for the 17th Academy of Country Music Honors™ on Wednesday, August 21 at the Historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN are available through AXS

Limited Tickets and VIP Packages for the 17th Academy of Country Music Honors™ on Wednesday, August 21 at the Historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN are available through AXS

[Digital assets available HERE]

NASHVILLE, TN (August 7, 2024) – The 17th Academy of Country Music Honors will air Tuesday, September 24 (9:00 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. PT) on Dr. Phil’s Merit Street, marking the first time the special will air on the network as part of a larger partnership between Merit Street Media and the Academy of Country Music. In addition to ACM Honors this year, the Academy and Merit Street plan to explore programming development opportunities around Country Music performances, behind-the-scenes and lifestyle moments, documentaries, and other content.

ACM Honors, dubbed the “Country Music industry’s favorite night,” will recognize several special honorees, including ACM Lifting Lives Award recipient Luke Bryan, ACM Poet’s Award recipient Alan Jackson, ACM Triple Crown recipient Lainey Wilson, ACM Icon Award recipient Trisha Yearwood, and more. Four-time ACM Award winner Carly Pearce and reigning ACM Song of the Year winner Jordan Davis will host the ceremony at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville which will feature performances from seven-time ACM Award winner Eric Church, nine-time ACM Award winner Vince Gill, two-time ACM Award winner Emmylou Harris, eleven-time ACM Award winner Tyler Hubbard, three-time ACM Award winner Jamey Johnson, three-time ACM Award winner Ashley McBryde, and 15-time ACM Award winner and 2018 Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban. Additional performers, presenters, and event details will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We’re excited to partner with Merit Street Media to bring one of my favorite nights of the year, ACM Honors, to households across North America through this growing network,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “With so many great performances honoring some of Country Music’s biggest stars, we can’t wait for fans to tune in to this event on Merit Street, and in the months ahead, we plan to bring even more content focused on Country Music to the Merit Street viewers.”

“For our first step into music programming, we can’t imagine a better marriage than Merit Street with ACM,” said Merit’s EVP/COO, Joel Cheatwood. “To kick this off with such an amazing celebration as ACM Honors is exactly what we aspired to deliver to viewers, and we look forward to creating additional original Country Music content for fans everywhere.”

To view Merit Street, audiences can access the prominently featured channel-finder link by entering zip codes at www.meritstreetmedia.com. Merit Street can be found on DirecTV, Dish, U-Verse, Samsung TV Plus and additional broadcast, basic cable, national satellites, and FAST channels, as well as the free streaming app, Merit+, available to download via iPhone & Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, and Roku.

Limited tickets for ACM Honors™ are currently available through AXS, Including VIP packages which include a ticket in the VIP Artist section of the Ryman (first seven rows), a ticket to the VIP pre-party reception with complimentary beverages and light hors d’oeuvres, a commemorative Hatch Show Print poster, parking, and drink tickets.

Additionally, previously announced Artist-Songwriter of the Year winner Chris Stapleton, Songwriter of the year Jessie Jo Dillon, as well as Studio Recording Award and Industry Award winners, will be feted at ACM HONORS™. In addition to performing on the show, Tyler Hubbard will present the ACM Studio Recording and Industry Awards portion of ACM Honors. Examples of categories from Studio Recording and Industry Awards include Audio Engineer of the Year, Bass Player of the Year, Casino of the Year, Drummer of the Year, Electric Guitar Player of the Year, Fair/Rodeo of the Year, Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year, Producer of the Year, Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year, and Theater of the Year. For more information on ACM Industry Awards, visit here, and for more information on ACM Studio Recording Awards, visit here.

For more information on the ACM Honors and all ACM events, visit www.ACMcountry.com. You can like Academy of Country Music on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @ACMawards and Instagram @ACMAwards for more immediate updates.

About the Academy of Country Music:

Founded in Southern California in 1964 as a regional trade organization, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC (ACM) has grown to become a leading association for the Country Music industry over the last 60 years. Now headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., and boasting record-high membership of more than 5,000 worldwide, the Academy serves as a powerhouse advocate for Country fans, artists, and all facets of the business, as well as a supporter of philanthropic work through charitable partner ACM LIFTING LIVES, dedicated to improving lives through the power of music and providing aid in times of need, with a focus on health initiatives. 2024 has been another monumental year for the Academy, with the 59th ACM Awards, hosted by entertainment icon Reba McEntire, broadcast live from Texas for a second consecutive year on Prime Video. The Academy also remains relentlessly committed to creating a more inclusive environment for underrepresented groups in Country Music, from the boardroom to the stage, and proudly presents both ACM LEVel Up, a two-year professional development and enrichment curriculum for rising leaders, and OnRamp, a guaranteed income program for Black members of the Nashville music community, in partnership with the Black Music Action Coalition. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com or ACMLiftingLives.org.

About Merit Street Media:

Merit Street Media™ is a premier multi-platform destination media brand spearheaded by Dr. Phil McGraw, the esteemed best-selling author and award-winning television host.

Launched April 2024, Merit Street creates and distributes compelling content across diverse platforms, reaching audiences nationwide. The backbone of Merit Street's media presence is its television network, established in partnership with

Trinity Broadcasting Network. This fully distributed, cable, satellite, and free over-the-air broadcast media brand extends its reach to over 80 million homes.

The network boasts a rich tapestry of original and acquired programming, anchored by the nightly talk show, "Dr. Phil Primetime." Situated in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, the expansive Merit Street studios span 5 acres and serve as the dynamic hub for the brand. Here, multiple daily live news broadcasts will unfold, embodying Merit Street Media's commitment to delivering engaging and informative content.

The Academy of Country Music Social Handles:  

Twitter: @ACMawards   
Instagram: @ACMawards   
Facebook: @AcademyofCountryMusic   
TikTok: @ACMAwards   
#ACMhonors 

 Media Contacts:

Jesse Knutson, Academy of Country Music, jesse@acmcountry.com  
Lexi Cothran, Academy of Country Music, lexi.cothran@acmcountry.com
Jerry J. Sharell, Merit Street Media, jsharell@meritstreetmedia.com
Ivan Avila, Merit Street Media, iavila@meritstreetmedia.com