BACK TO MUSICAL ROOTS : ‘New Traditionalists’ Get Country Honors

The Hagler-Leonard fight wasn’t the only big upset this week. Crossover country-pop quartet Alabama was KOd by roots-oriented country artists at the 22nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park.

Alabama, which voters had named entertainer of the year and top vocal group for five years straight, was shut out Monday in its three nominated categories. Instead, the academy gave its endorsement to country’s return-to-the-roots movement in wins by such “new traditionalists” as Randy Travis, the Judds, Reba McEntire, the Forester Sisters and Dwight Yoakam.

Country maverick Hank Williams Jr., who has recorded more than 50 albums in the last 25 years, was elated over his first major music industry award after being named entertainer of the year.

“This is a great starting place, isn’t it?” Williams said backstage. “It sure beats video of the year, or most promising new artist.”

The award for vocal group of the year went to the four Forester Sisters from Lookout Mountain, Ga., only the second time during the 1980s that the award did not have Alabama’s name on it.

But it was newcomer Randy Travis, last year’s best new male vocalist, who seemed the most overwhelmed after sweeping all four categories in which he was nominated: male vocalist, best song and single (both for “On the Other Hand”) and best album for his debut LP “Storms of Life.” (Alabama had won album of the year honors three times since 1981 but was not nominated in the category this year.)

Travis’ vocal style has been compared to country greats including George Jones and Merle Haggard.

So in beating Jones for male vocalist, the Judds for album of the year and Alabama for single of the year, Travis, 28, said: “It’s really hard to believe, being up against all those people. Maybe this changes the way people will react to me. I don’t know. But it don’t change me, I don’t guess. . . . That (traditional) kind of music has grown a lot in the past five years. I’m just glad to see it happening.”

Dwight Yoakam, a Kentucky-born singer who bucked country convention by starting his career in Los Angeles alongside roots-rock groups such as Los Lobos and the Blasters, said he feels vindicated in winning the ACM’s top new male vocalist award.

“It’s gratifying, especially with the album going gold (for selling 500,000 copies) because it was an album that essentially came from the street,” said Yoakam, who wore blue jeans with a tear in one knee.

Oklahoma-born singer Reba McEntire extended to three years her reign as the ACM’s best female vocalist and was given a second award for video of the year for her song “Whoever’s in New England.”

Of the two awards, McEntire said the video award was the bigger surprise. “Music is a gift from heaven--acting takes a little more work, so this is really great.” McEntire said that she is considering more acting and that “we’ve received a few scripts, but we’re being very selective, so we won’t make any mistakes.”

The ACM’s Pioneer Award was given to comedienne Minnie Pearl, while a career achievement award was presented to a surprised and tearful Carl Perkins, the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer and composer of “Blue Suede Shoes,” who was characteristically outfitted in a pair of blue suede boots.

“I don’t know how much more a 55-year-old heart can take,” Perkins said. “I got one that’s just about to come outta here. . . . I haven’t had a lot of experience making speeches because I haven’t had many awards in my life. I always thought I’d know what to say, but it’s true--there are no words.”

Holly Dunn was named best new female vocalist of the year.

Other awards went to country nightclub of the year (the Crazy Horse Steak House in Santa Ana), radio station (KNIX in Phoenix) and disc jockey (Chris Taylor of KIXZ in Amarillo, Tex.).

The only surprise among the nine instrumentalist of the year awards came when veteran guitarist Chet Atkins, whose technique has influenced a generation of country and rock guitarists, was named guitarist of the year for the first time. In 1982, however, Atkins was given the ACM’s Pioneer Award.

The two-hour ACM ceremony, which was televised nationally on NBC and hosted by the Judds and “Dallas” star Patrick Duffy, is second in longevity and prestige to the Nashville-based Country Music Assn. show. Awards are voted on by the ACM’s 2,200 members who are employed in the record and radio industries.