After growing up in Georgia, country music holds a special place in my heart.  (Nowadays country is so crossover that it’s basically indistinguishable from pop!)  Last night’s Academy of Country Music awards in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand brought out several high-profile stars like Nicole Kidman, Taylor Swift, Julianne Hough, and Queen of them All, Carrie Underwood.  Loving the fringe, Carrie.

I normally have issues with Carrie’s makeup team, who seem to delight in giving her a perennial five-o-clock-shadow “tan”, but she was looking mighty flawless…if a bit, well, country!

Nicole Kidman‘s glowing, but I’d gently suggest to her dermatologist to go easy on the Restylane in the lips next time.  We don’t need a Meg Ryan/Melanie Griffith situation here

More photos from last night’s awards below

Taylor Swift looks pale and proud!  It’s wonderful to see a young celebrity who doesn’t feel the need to slather herself in self-tanner or hit the UV beds

Jewel

Julianne Hough; really, I don’t understand all the fuss over her, but there’s no denying she is quite pretty, and I’m loving the black eyeliner/pale hair/black dress juxaposition

Oh, Kelly Pickler.  I’m gonna go by the old adage, if you don’t have anything nice to say…

Photos via USmagazine.com