The Fan Jam at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas had mostly been a showcase for new country artists during the 2012 ACM Awards broadcast on CBS Sunday night. Brad Paisley joined Fan Jam hosts Zac Brown Band to give the satellite venue some street cred.

Together they played the ZBB’s song ‘Whiskey’s Gone’ from the ‘You Get What You Give’ album. Paisley entered in his familiar camouflage sportcoat, but he had on a knit beanie that matched the bearded lead singer of the country jamband’s.

The pairing might have been the night’s most loosely assembled performance, with Paisley and the country group’s talented collection of musicians seemingly given plenty of room to just fool around. The ‘Ticks’ singer again proved why he’s the genre’s new master of the telecaster, while Brown’s team showed fans who still haven’t bought one of their concert tickets what they’re missing.

In the company of hit song after hit song, the album cut seemed out of place, but the musicianship was more than enough to make up for the unfamiliarity. Paisley will have to hustle back to the MGM Grand to learn if he wins the Male Vocalist of the Year or Entertainer of the Year awards at the 2012 ACM Awards.

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