Win or Lose, the Cadillac Three Are Ready to Party for 2021 ACM Awards

The Cadillac Three are headed into Sunday's (April 18) 2021 ACM Awards as first-time Group of the Year nominees. They previously earned an ACM nod in the Music Event of the Year category, but should they win this year, it'll be their first victory at the country music awards show.

So, what's their plan if they win?

"We're gonna party, probably," says bassist and steel guitarist Kelby Ray.

"There's gonna be a party either way, I'm pretty sure," counters guitarist and lead singer Jaren Johnson. "I think we'll probably high-five -- a lot of high-fiving. A lot of hugging and kissing our kids and wives."

One thing they won't do is get onstage with a prepared speech. "We're a 'wing it' kind of band," Johnson says -- though drummer Neil Mason jokes that he's already got their trophies ordered.

"We're super excited to be nominated," Johnson continues, adding wryly, "We were a little upset we weren't nominated for Entertainer of the Year, but now we have something to shoot for."

TC3 were certainly among the busiest country acts in 2020, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. They released their fourth studio album with Big Machine, Country Fuzz, in February, then followed with their fifth record, Tabasco and Sweet Tea, in October.

"We had nothing but time on our hands," says Johnson of their productivity. "We got creative and found this vibe that we just kind of stuck with ... I think it's the most cohesive record we've ever made, which is really hard to do."

After relocating from Las Vegas to Nashville in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACM Awards are back in Music City in 2021. Events will be spread out, airing from iconic venues (the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe). ACM will be following national, state and local guidelines related to the pandemic, as well as additional, self-imposed safety measures.

The 2021 ACM Awards will begin at 8PM ET and will air live on CBS and be available to stream on Paramount+. Sign up for the streaming service here.