ACMs PAINT THE TOWNES GREEN

BMLG’s Riley Green and Columbia Nashville’s Tenille Townes have been named New Male and New Female Artist of the Year for the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards. Both will perform at the event, airing 9/16 on CBS and available to stream via CBS All Access.

The awards were revealed to Green and Townes in a surprise video meeting crashed by ACM Awards host and reigning Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban. Watch the clip of Urban surprising the New Artist recipients below.

"This year’s new artists have experienced astounding success already, and the Academy feels honored to be able to present them with their first ACM Award win," said ACM CEO Damon Whiteside. "We hope this is a memory that they will carry with them as their careers continue to thrive. A huge congratulations to all of this year’s well-deserving nominees and a special thank you to the artists’ teams who helped the Academy pull off the surprise, especially our host Keith Urban for making this moment monumental."

For the first time in the show’s history, the 55th ACMs will take place in Nashville, broadcasting from three iconic venues: the Grand Ole Opry House, the historic Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe.