The ACM Awards are celebrating their upcoming 50th anniversary next year with a commemorative book, 'This Is Country: A Backstage Pass to the Academy of Country Music Awards.'

The 224-page book includes a foreword by Reba McEntire, as well as contributions from some of country music's biggest celebrities, including Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Loretta Lynn, Alabama’s Randy Owen, Blake Shelton, George Strait and Marty Stuart. In addition, several artists offer their own commentary on country music, including Kenny Chesney, Merle Haggard, Faith Hill, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and several others.

“It’s an incredible honor to help tell the story of the Academy, as well as the stories of the amazing artists and people behind the scenes who have built it over the last 50 years,” says Lisa Lee, the book's author and senior vice president of creative and content product for the ACM. “To flip through the pages and watch the show evolve from a Southern California banquet to a network television powerhouse is a sight to behold.”

“For five decades, the Academy of Country Music Awards has proudly showcased the best in country music, to the delight of millions of viewers,” adds Bob Romeo, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “We are so excited to share some of the most candid moments in our history with music fans. ‘This Is Country’ truly is a backstage pass to the ACM Awards.”

The book covers the entire history of the prestigious awards ceremony, from the inaugural ceremony at the Hollywood Palladium in 1966 to the current star-studded events that are broadcast into millions of homes each year. Photographs that have never been seen before fill the pages, along with country music facts, stories and memorabilia.

'This Is Country: A Backstage Pass to the Academy of Country Music Awards' will be available on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at booksellers nationwide. It is available for pre-order here. Proceeds benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the ACM.

The 2015 ACM Awards will be held in Arlington, Texas, on April 19, 2015. The event is already sold out.

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