Paisley, Strait top nominations for 41st CMA awards

Brad Paisley and George Strait shared the spotlight among nominees for the 41st Annual Country Music Association Awards, which were announced today on ABC’s Good Morning America and at the Sommet Center, the site of this year’s ceremonies, by Country Music Television (CMT) and the Premiere Radio Networks.

Each received five nods, followed by Kenny Chesney, Alison Krauss and Martina McBride with four, and John Rich, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban with three. The live broadcast airs Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. on WKRN-2.

The CMT/Premiere portion was co-hosted by Taylor Swift and the duo Montgomery Gentry, while Sara Evans and Sugarland made their announcements from the Good Morning America studios in New York City’s Times Square.

Swift was visibly surprised and moved when her name was announced among nominees for the Horizon award, hugging both Montgomery and Gentry and smiling broadly before telling the assembled audience at the Sommet Center that, “I’m really thrilled about this.”

Paisley’s critically praised and commercially potent 5th Gear CD is among Album Of The Year nominees alongside Strait’s It Just Comes Natural, Dierks Bentley’s Long Trip Alone, Keith Urban’s Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing and Vince Gill’s These Days.

Paisley and Strait are also both included in Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year categories, while Paisley also garnered a Music Video of the Year nomination for “Online,” (directed by actor Jason Alexander) and Strait was tabbed in the Music Event of the Year listing for the live version of “Hey Good Lookin,’” which pairs him with Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson.

Other Entertainer of the Year nominees are the current award holder Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban. Chesney, Urban and Josh Turner are also vying for Male Vocalist of the Year honors. Martina McBride’s “Anyway,” “Carrie Underwood’s “Before he Cheats,” Big & Rich’s “Lost In This Moment” and Paisley’s “Ticks” join Strait’s “Wrapped” competing for the Single of the Year citation.

The McBride, Rich and Underwood tunes are also among Song of the Year entrees as well as “Give It Away” and “Stupid Boy” (this is an award for both the songwriter and primary publisher).

“Find Out Who Your Friends Are,” which matches Tracy Lawrence with Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney is another Musical Event of the Year honoree, as well as Missing You” featuring Alison Krauss and John Waite; “The Reason Why” that pairs Vince Gill with Krauss and the Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson number “Because Of You.”

Krauss and McBride led female performers in terms of nominations. They are also competing for Female Vocalist of the Year along with McEntire, Underwood and Miranda Lambert (Krauss won this award last year).

Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas is among the Vocal Group of the Year contenders with Emerson Drive, Little Big town, Rascal Flatts & the Dixie Chicks. Big & Rich, perennial winners Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, Sugarland and The Wreckers are Vocal Duo of the Year contenders.

Besides productions featuring Paisley, Chesney, McBride and Underwood, Emerson Drive’s “Moment” is among Music Video of the Year nominees (this award goes to the artist and the director).

Outgoing mayor Bill Purcell praised the CMA for “bringing Nashville to the world every year on the night of the CMA awards, and also for “helping keep the music in Music City.”

This year’s show will be the second aired on ABC. CMA Chief Operating Officer Tammy Genovese noted last year’s broadcast ranked in the top five among all awards shows for the season, joining The Oscars, Golden Globes, Grammy and Emmy Awards in that select category.

ABC also took the evening in total viewers and 18-49 as well, with the show attracting more 30 million viewers during all or part of the broadcast.

Winners will be determined in a third and final round of voting by eligible members of the CMA, the first trade organization formed to promote an individual genre of music in 1958.

Tickets are now on sale for this year’s show at the Sommet Center and are also available through Ticketmaster outlets.

Entertainer of the Year

Brad Paisley

George Straight

Kenny Chesney

Rascal Flatts

Keith Urban

Male Vocalist of the Year

Brad Paisley

George Straight

Kenny Chesney

Keith Urban

Josh Turner

Female Vocalist of the Year

Alison Krauss

Miranda Lambert

Martina McBride

Reba McEntire

Carrie Underwood

Album of the Year

Brad Paisley — 5th Gear

George Strait — It Just Comes Natural

Dierks Bentley — Long Trip Alone

Keith Urban — Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing

Vince Gill — These Days

Single of the Year

Brad Paisley — “Ticks”

George Straight — “Wrapped”

Martina McBride — “Anyway”

Carrie Underwood — “Before He Cheats”

Big & Rich — “Lost In This Moment”

Music Video of the Year

Brad Paisley — “Online”

Martina McBride — “Anyway”

Carrie Underwood — “Before He Cheats”

Emerson Drive — “Moments”

Kenny Chesney — “You Save Me”

Music Event of the Year

George Straight, Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson — “Hey Good Lookin’”

Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson — “Because of You”

Tracy Lawrence, Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney — “Find Out Who Your Friends Are”

Alison Krauss and John Waite — “Missing You”

Vince Gill and Alison Krauss — “The Reason Why”

Song of the Year

Martina McBride, Brad Warren, Brett Warren — “Anyway”

John Rich, Keith Anderson, Rodney Clawson — “Lost In This Moment”

Josh Kear, Chris Tomkins — “Before He Cheats”

Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson — “Give It Away”

Dave Berg, Deanna Bryant, Sarah Buxton — “Stupid Boy”

Horizon Award

Jason Aldean

Rodney Atkins

Little Big Town

Kellie Pickler

Taylor Swift

Vocal Group of the Year

Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas

Dixie Chicks

Emerson Drive

Little Big Town

Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo of the Year

Big & Rich

Brooks & Dunn

Montgomery Gentry

Sugarland

The Wreckers

Musician of the Year

Eddie Bayers Jr.

Jerry Douglas

Dann Huff

Mac McAnally

Randy Scruggs