On the heels of the upcoming ACM Awards, Academy of Country Music CEO Damon Whiteside drops in with Cody Alan for a sneak peek into what fans can expect to see on Sunday, April 18. Stepping into his role as CEO only a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the world, Damon explains how his initial plan to join the company and “be a sponge” turned into joining the company and making fast decisions. Damon also dishes on how the ACMS plan to raise the bar yet again for this award show, what performances he is most excited for, and explains why the ACMS are known as, “Country Music’s Party of the Year!” Plus, want to know how heavy that cowboy hat trophy really is? This is the podcast for you. Tune in this weekend and watch Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton take their positions as hosts for this power-packed, performance-driven show.  Watch the 56th Annual ACM Awards broadcasting on Sunday, April 18 (8:00 PM -11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com