With prime time country music television specials and events proving so popular in the US, the FOX network introduced their very own American Country Awards this year and they were held today in Las Vegas. While unlikely to updtage the CMA Awards anytime soon, the event provided country music in the US with another opportunity to showcase their artists across the nation. The event was hosted by Trace Adkins.

The big winners on the night were Carrie Underwood with six wins (including "Artist of the Year") and new-comer Easton Corbin with three wins.

CMC will air the event in Australia on December 10. Check out some red carpet shots!

And the winners were...

Artist of the Year: Carrie Underwood
Artist of the Year: Male: Brad Paisley
Artist of the Year: Female: Carrie Underwood
Artist of the Year - Duo or Group: Lady Antebellum 
Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist: Easton Corbin 
Album of the Year: Play On, Carrie Underwood
Single of the Year: 'Need You Now,' Lady Antebellum
Single of the Year: Male: “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” Josh Turner
Single of the Year: Female: 'Cowboy Casanova,' Carrie Underwood
Single of the Year: Duo or Group: 'Need You Now,' Lady Antebellum
Single of the Year: Breakthrough Artist: 'Little More Country Than That,' Easton Corbin
Touring Headline Package of the Year: Carrie Underwood
Music Video of the Year: 'Hillbilly Bone,' Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins
Music Video: Male: 'Hillbilly Bone,' Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins
Music Video: Female: 'Cowboy Casanova,' Carrie Underwood
Music Video: Duo or Group: 'Need You Now,' Lady Antebellum
Music Video: Breakthrough Artist: 'A Little More Country Than That,' Easton Corbin
Greatest Hits Award: Alan Jackson
Decade Award: Rascal Flatts Video Visionary Award: Toby Keith

Nashville based, Disney label Lyric Street Records, the home of Rascal Flatts, SHeDaisy, Josh Gracin, Sarah Buxton and Bucky Covington, is being shut down. 

The move is said to be a cost-cutting measure by the Disney Music Group.  

DMG chairman Bob Cavallo said in a statement, “The Lyric Street team has had an amazing run, building a slate of well-known artists including the superstar act, Rascal Flatts. But given the changing nature of the music business and the more streamlined priorities of the studios, we need to find alternative ways to create and market new artists and their music to consumers.”

Rascal Flatts will be continuing on to another Disney-run label with the Lyric Street promo team to continue working existing abllums in the interim. Lyric Street releases are distributed through Universal Music in Australia.

Meanwhile, long-time Sony Nashville boss Joe Galante is leaving the company. One of his last signings was Australian Adam Brand who is now with the label in the US. He also signed Australian Catherine Britt who released three singles with the label several years ago.