# 21st Academy of Country Music Awards

The 21st Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony was held on April 14, 1986, at Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California. It was hosted by Mac Davis, Reba McEntire and John Schneider.

## Winners and nominees

Winners are shown in bold.
| Entertainer of the Year | Album of the Year |
| Alabama Lee Greenwood Ricky Skaggs George Strait Hank Williams Jr. | Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind — George Strait 40-Hour Week — Alabama Five-O — Hank Williams Jr. Highwayman — The Highwaymen Why Not Me — The Judds |
| Top Female Vocalist of the Year | Top Male Vocalist of the Year |
| Reba McEntire Rosanne Cash Crystal Gayle Anne Murray Juice Newton | George Strait Earl Thomas Conley Gary Morris Ricky Skaggs Hank Williams Jr. |
| Top Vocal Group of the Year | Top Vocal Duo of the Year |
| Alabama Exile Forester Sisters Oak Ridge Boys Sawyer Brown | The Judds Bellamy Brothers Ray Charles and Willie Nelson Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris Marie Osmond and Dan Seals |
| Single Record of the Year | Song of the Year |
| "Highwayman" — The Highwaymen "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" — Mel McDaniel "Dixie Road" — Lee Greenwood "I'm For Love" — Hank Williams Jr. "Love Is Alive" — The Judds | "Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)" — Fred Parris, Mike Reid, Troy Seals "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" — Bob McDill "I'll Never Stop Loving You" — Dave Loggins, J.D. Martin "Seven Spanish Angels" — Troy Seals, Eddie Sester "Some Fools Never Learn" — John Scott Sherrill |
| Top New Male Vocalist | Top New Female Vocalist |
| Randy Travis T. Graham Brown Billy Burnette Marty Stuart Keith Whitley | Judy Rodman Liz Boardo Tari Hensley Robin Lee Patty Loveless |
| Video of the Year ||
| "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" — George Jones "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')" — Alabama "Country Boy" — Ricky Skaggs "Highwayman" — The Highwaymen "Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)" — Ronnie Milsap ||
| Tex Ritter Award ||
| Sweet Dreams ||
| Pioneer Award ||
| Kitty Wells ||

## Performers

| Performer(s) | Song(s) |
| The Oak Ridge Boys | "Juliet" |
| John Schneider | "You're the Last Thing I Needed Tonight" |
| Liz Boardo Terry Hensley Robin Lee Patty Loveless Judy Rodman | Top New Female Vocalist Medley "I Love the Way It Feels" "Oh Yes I Can" "I'll Take Your Love Anytime" "Lonely Days, Lonely Nights" "Until I Met You" |
| George Strait | "Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her" |
| Reba McEntire | "Whoever's in New England" |
| Tom T. Hall | "Kitty Wells Started It All" |
| Mac Davis | "Somewhere in America" |
| Alabama | Hits Medley "Can't Keep a Good Man Down" "Tennessee River" "Mountain Music" |
| Janie Fricke Lee Greenwood | Song of the Year Medley "I'll Never Stop Loving You" "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" "Some Fools Never Learn" "Seven Spanish Angels" "Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)" |
| Billy Burnette Randy Travis Keith Whitley T. Graham Brown Marty Stuart | Top New Male Vocalist Medley "Try Me" "1982" "Miami, My Amy" "I Tell It Like It Used to Be" "Arlene" |
| The Judds | "Rockin' with the Rhythm of the Rain" |
| Rex Allen Hugh O'Brien Patti Page Carl Perkins | History of the Grand Ole Opry |

## Presenters

| Presenter(s) | Notes |
| Alan Thicke Markie Post Bobby Bare | Top Vocal Group of the Year |
| Tom Ritter John Ritter | Presents Tex Ritter Award to Sweet Dreams |
| Season Hubley Sylvia | Top Male Vocalist of the Year |
| Johnny Lee Eddie Rabbitt Marie Osmond | Top New Female Vocalist |
| Sawyer Brown Lacy J. Dalton | Top Vocal Duo of the Year |
| Tammy Wynette | Presents Pioneer Award to Kitty Wells |
| John Larroquette The Forester Sisters | Album of the Year |
| Michael Martin Murphy Stepfanie Kramer Boxcar Willie | Song of the Year |
| Nicolette Larson Steve Wariner Juice Newton | Top New Male Vocalist |
| Ronnie Milsap Gary Morris | Top Female Vocalist of the Year |
| Earl Thomas Conley Catherine Bach Hank Williams Jr. | Video of the Year |
| Exile Barbara Stock | Single Record of the Year |
| Mac Davis Reba McEntire John Schneider | Entertainer of the Year |