# 18th Academy of Country Music Awards

The 18th Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony was held on May 9, 1983, at Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California. It was hosted by Jerry Reed, John Schneider and Tammy Wynette.

## Winners and nominees

Winners are shown in bold.
| Entertainer of the Year | Album of the Year |
| Alabama Barbara Mandrell Willie Nelson Kenny Rogers Ricky Skaggs | Always on My Mind — Willie Nelson Listen to the Radio — Don Williams Love Will Turn You Around — Kenny Rogers Mountain Music — Alabama Waitin' for the Sun to Shine — Ricky Skaggs |
| Top Female Vocalist of the Year | Top Male Vocalist of the Year |
| Sylvia Rosanne Cash Janie Fricke Barbara Mandrell Dottie West | Ronnie Milsap Merle Haggard Willie Nelson Ricky Skaggs Hank Williams Jr. |
| Top Vocal Group of the Year | Top Vocal Duo of the Year |
| Alabama Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers Oak Ridge Boys Statler Brothers The Whites | David Frizzell and Shelly West Bellamy Brothers Dean Dillon and Gary Stewart Merle Haggard and George Jones Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson Eddie Rabbit and Crystal Gayle |
| Single Record of the Year | Song of the Year |
| "Always on My Mind" — Willie Nelson "Crying My Heart Out Over You" — Ricky Skaggs "I'm Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home" — David Frizzell "Love Will Turn You Around" — Kenny Rogers "Nobody" — Sylvia | "Are the Good Times Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver)" — Merle Haggard "I'm Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home" — Dewayne Blackwell "Nobody" — Kye Fleming, Dennis Morgan "Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands" — Pam Rose, Mary Ann Kennedy, Don Goodman "She Got the Goldmine" — Tim DuBois |
| Top New Male Vocalist | Top New Female Vocalist |
| Michael Martin Murphy Kieran Kane Gary Morris George Strait Gary Wolf | Karen Brooks Deborah Allen Cindy Hurt Sue Powell Amy Wooley |
| Pioneer Award ||
| Chet Atkins ||
| Tex Ritter Award ||
| Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ||

## Performers

| Performer(s) | Song(s) |
| Roger Miller Louise Mandrell Mickey Gilley | Country Crossover Hits Medley "King of the Road" "Stand by Your Man" "Young Love" "Big Bad John" "Tennessee Waltz" "I Walk the Line" "Rhinestone Cowboy" "Rose Garden" "Sixteen Tons" "For the Good Times" "Help Me Make It Through the Night" "El Paso" "Blue Suede Shoes" |
| Jerry Reed | "Good Ole Boys" |
| Deborah Allen Karen Brooks Cindy Hurt Sue Powell | Top New Female Vocalist Medley "Baby I Lied" "New Way Out" "I'm in Love All Over Again" "Let's Disappear" |
| Alabama | "Dixieland Delight" |
| Dottie West Shelly West | "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" |
| Willie Nelson | "Why Do I Have to Choose" |
| Tammy Wynette | "I Just Heard a Heart Break (And I'm So Afraid It's Mine)" |
| T.G. Sheppard David Frizzell Sylvia Lee Greenwood Jerry Reed | Song of the Year Medley "Are the Good Times Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver)" "I'm Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home" "Nobody" "Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands" "She Got the Goldmine" |
| John Schneider | "If You Believe" |
| George Strait Kieran Kane Gary Wolf Gary Morris Michael Martin Murphy | Top New Male Vocalist Medley "Amarillo by Morning" "It's You" "Livin' on Memories" "The Love She Found in Me" "What's Forever For" |

## Presenters

| Presenter(s) | Notes |
| Ricky Skaggs Catherine Bach | Top Female Vocalist of the Year |
| Mr. T | Reads the Rules of the ACM Awards |
| Barbi Benton Mel Tillis | Top Vocal Duo of the Year |
| Janie Fricke Claude Akins | Album of the Year |
| Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers | Top New Female Vocalist |
| Glen Campbell | Presented Pioneer Award to Chet Atkins |
| Sonny James Helen Reddy | Single Record of the Year |
| Lacy J. Dalton George Peppard | Song of the Year |
| Bellamy Brothers Heather Thomas | Top Vocal Group of the Year |
| Eddie Dean Genie Francis | Top New Male Vocalist |
| Rosanne Cash Tom Wopat | Top Male Vocalist of the Year |
| Lynn Anderson Ricardo Montalban | Entertainer of the Year |