At events such as the ACM Awards, Dan + Shay don't usually prepare to win any — and that's gotten them in trouble during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The past few awards shows, it's been like, 'Okay, guys, you're gonna have one of the biggest moments of your life if you win this award, and you're gonna go up — but only one of you can go to the mic,'" Dan Smyers explains to Taste of Country Nights ahead of the 2021 ACM Awards. "And every time, we break the protocols."

Showrunners, of course, have such guidelines in place to protect everyone during the pandemic, but, Smyers explains, since he and duo partner Shay Mooney have been quarantining together and been tested ahead of the shows, they're not too concerned.

Still, he admits, "our excitement has taken over in the past, and we've gotten in trouble a little bit."

Mooney and Smyers' lack of acceptance speech preparation is their way of not jinxing themselves, Smyers says. "That's why we always sound like dummies if we win an award: We never know what to say, we never know who's talking."

At the upcoming ACM Awards, Dan + Shay are nominated for Duo of the Year. Should they win, it will be their third consecutive victory in the category.

After relocating from Las Vegas to Nashville in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACM Awards are back in Nashville this year. The event will be spread out across three iconic Music City venues (the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe), though a few performances will take place elsewhere. They'll be following local guidelines related to the pandemic, as well as additional, self-imposed safety measures.

The 2021 ACM Awards are set for Sunday (April 18). They'll begin at 8PM ET and will air live on CBS and be available to stream on Paramount+; sign up for the streaming service here.

2021 ACM Awards Nominees: The Full List

Maren Morris and Chris Stapleton lead all 2021 ACM Awards nominees with six each and Miranda Lambert has five, including Female Artist of the Year. Thomas Rhett and Ashley McBryde will be up for four ACM awards on April 18. The CBS broadcast will award trophies for Entertainer, Song and Album of the Year, in addition to Duo and Group of the Year. This is a list of all ACM Awards nominations for 2021.

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