SENNHEISER MICS AND ARTISTS STAR ON THE ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

blake_shelton.JPGLAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 2009: Sennheiser artists and products made their mark at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards show, which was broadcast on CBS from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 5th. Endorsed artists Sugarland, Jake Owen and the Zac Brown Band all took home top prizes. Sennheiser wireless and wired microphones were favored by artists such as Miley Cyrus, Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire - who also hosted the show - as well as presenters, including magician David Copperfield and U.S.M.C. Lt. Andrew Kinard. In addition, nearly every featured performer on the three-hour show made use of Sennheiser's G2 wireless monitor technology.

McEntire opened the show on a wireless SKM 565 G2 vocal mic paired with an EM 550 G2 receiver, taking to the stage later in the telecast to perform her new single, "Strange." McEntire also made use of Sennheiser G2 wireless personal monitors, as did the majority of the artists performing on the show, including Brooks & Dunn, Heidi Newfield, Toby Keith, George Straight, Taylor Swift, Lee Ann Womack, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, John Rich, Miley Cyrus, Carrie Underwood, Sugarland and Rascal Flatts. ATK Audiotek provided production for the show, with monitor mixer Michael Parker working alongside Robert Brogden, who handled all of the wireless personal monitor assignments for 16 stereo mixes and 32 receiver packs.

Sugarland joined the show-opening medley to perform part of "It Happens" using SKM 5200 RF handhelds fitted with MD 5235 capsules in combination with EM 3532 receivers, and made a second appearance later in the evening for a rendition of "What I'd Give." The pair picked up the award for Top Vocal Duo, and McEntire also presented lead vocalist Jennifer Nettles with a Crystal Milestone Award. The honor was in recognition of Nettles being the first woman to be credited as the sole songwriter on the ACM's song of the year, since Donna Fargo in 1972, for 2007's "Stay."

The ACM opened some of the voting to the public for the first time this year, and also invited along some younger artists to perform, resulting in a twenty percent increase in the viewing audience over last year's broadcast. One of those artists, Miley Cyrus, made her ACM Awards show debut with "The Climb," sporting a handheld SKM 5200 with MD 5235 capsule with a unique custom white, metallic and chrome finish. Sennheiser turned around the special order for three of the customized microphones for Cyrus in just 48 hours before the show.

Sennheiser artists Lady Antebellum, who have been touring with a stage full of Sennheiser equipment, also appeared on the telecast, performing "I Run To You." Co-lead vocalists Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley regularly use the SKM 5200 wireless handheld, with Scott using an MD 5235 capsule, while Kelley favors the Neumann KK 105 S capsule. A Sennheiser EM 3532 receiver was paired with the two wireless microphones on the show. Background singer and multi-instrumentalist Dave Haywood was on a 935 capsule on a hardwired mic. At last year's show the threesome picked up the ACM Award for Top New Duo or Group.

This year's beneficiary of the Top New Duo or Group honor was the Zac Brown Band, a Sennheiser artist based in Georgia with another Sennheiser artist, Jake Owen, picking up the ACM Award for Top New Male Vocalist.

The SKM 5200/MD 5235 combination was also put to use by Blake Shelton, for his performance of his hit single, "She Wouldn't Be Gone," from a stage in the audience. Magician David Copperfield used the wireless mic and capsule pairing as he produced Taylor Swift from an apparently empty box for her performance on the show. Introducing Trace Adkins performing his song "Til the Last Shot's Fired" with the West Point Glee Club in support of Wounded Warrior Project, while also announcing the ACM's charitable Lifting Lives Foundation, U.S.M.C. Lt. Andrew Kinard also wielded an SKM 5200 RF handheld with MD 5235 capsule.

ABOUT SENNHEISER ELECTRONIC CORPORATION Sennheiser is a world-leading manufacturer of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. Established in 1945 in Wedemark, Germany, Sennheiser is now a global brand represented in 60 countries around the world with U.S. headquarters in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Sennheiser's pioneering excellence in technology has rewarded the company with numerous awards and accolades including an Emmy, a Grammy, and the Scientific and Engineering Award of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

For more information, please visit www.sennheiserusa.com

PHOTO CAPTION Sennheiser endorser, Blake Shelton, performing from a stage in the audience, during the Academy of Country Music Awards Show held at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, used the popular Sennheiser SKM 5200/MD 5235 combination for his performance of his hit single, "She Wouldn't Be Gone." (PHOTO CREDIT: © 2009 Getty Images)