Country’s Biggest Night hits Nashville; CMA Awards handed out Monday

It is music’s fastest growing genre, and has attracted mainstream artists like Sheryl Crow and Bon Jovi to cross over. It calls an American Idol winner all its own, and moved from blue jeans and pick-up trucks to Italian designers and SUV’s. Whether it’s the same country that grandpa used to listen or not, it certainly has found its way into social acceptance, no longer relegated to the last option on the FM dial.

Tonight Country Music honors its top performers at the 40th annual CMA’s in Nashville. Hosted by Brookes & Dunn for the third year in a row, the CMA’s will be featuring some of the legends of country music and then some who hope to earn that title.

Not only will Brooks & Dunn host the show, they share the lead for nominations with Brad Paisley with six. Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood received four nods while Rascal Flats and Dolly Parton each received three nominations.

Among the awards to be handed out tonight:

Entertainer of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year
Sara Evans
Faith Hill
Martina McBride
Carrie Underwood
Gretchen Wilson

Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
Keith Urban

Horizon Award
Miranda Lambert
Little Big Town
Sugarland
Josh Turner
Carrie Underwood

Vocal Group of the Year
Alison Krauss + Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas
Little Big Town
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland

Vocal Duo of the Year
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Van Zant
The Wreckers

Single of the Year
(Award goes to artist and producer)
“Believe”
Brooks & Dunn
Produced by Tony Brown/Kix Brooks/ Ronnie Dunn
Arista Nashville
“Better Life”
Keith Urban
Produced by Dann Huff/Keith Urban
Capitol Records Nashville
"Jesus Take The Wheel”
Carrie Underwood
Produced by Mark Bright
Arista Nashville
“Summertime”
Kenny Chesney
Produced by Buddy Cannon/Kenny Chesney
BNA Records
“When I Get Where I’m Going”
Brad Paisley (Featuring Dolly Parton)
Produced by Frank Rogers/Chris DuBois
Arista Nashville

Musician of the Year
Eddie Bayers – Drums
Jerry Douglas – Dobro
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Dann Huff – Guitar
Brent Mason – Guitar/Electric Guitar
Randy Scruggs – Guitar

Album of the Year
(Award goes to artist and producer)
Hillbilly Deluxe
Brooks & Dunn
Produced by Ronnie Dunn/Kix Brooks/Mark Wright/Tom Shapiro/Tony Brown/Bob DiPiero
Arista Nashville
Me And My Gang
Rascal Flatts
Produced by Dann Huff/Rascal Flatts
Lyric Street Records
Precious Memories
Alan Jackson
Produced by Keith Stegall Arista
Nashville
The Road And The Radio
Kenny Chesney
Produced by Buddy Cannon/Kenny Chesney
BNA Records
Time Well Wasted
Brad Paisley
Produced by Chris DuBois/Frank Rogers
Arista Nashville

Music Video of the Year
“8th of November”
Big & Rich
Directed by Robert Deaton/George J. Flanigen IV/Marc Oswald
“Believe”
Brooks & Dunn
Directed by Robert Deaton/George J. Flanigen IV
“Jesus Take The Wheel”
Carrie Underwood
Directed by Roman White
“Kerosene”
Miranda Lambert
Directed by Trey Fanjoy
“When I Get Where I’m Going”
Brad Paisley (Featuring Dolly Parton)
Directed by Jim Shea

Musical Event of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
(Guest vocals by Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill)
“Building Bridges”
Arista Nashville
Faith Hill Featuring Tim McGraw
“Like We Never Loved At All”
Warner Bros. Records
Gretchen Wilson
(Featuring Merle Haggard)
“Politically Uncorrect”
Epic Records
Brad Paisley
(Featuring Dolly Parton)
“When I Get Where I’m Going”
Arista Nashville
Bon Jovi
(Duet with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland)
“Who Says You Can’t Go Home”
Island Records

Song of the Year
(Award goes to songwriter and primary publisher)
“8th of November”
Big Kenny/John Rich
Big Love Music/WB Music/Rich Texas Music
“Believe”
Craig Wiseman/Ronnie Dunn
Sony/ATV Tree/Showbilly Music/Big Loud Shirt
“Jesus Take The Wheel”
Hillary Lindsey/Brett James/Gordie Sampson
Dimensional Music of 1091/Raylene Music/Songs of Combustion Music
“Tonight I Wanna Cry”
Keith Urban/Monty Powell
Universal Music/Lanark Village Tunes/Guitar Monkey Music/Coburn Music
“When I Get Where I’m Going”
Rivers Rutherford/George Teren
Universal Music/Memphersfield Music/House of Full Circle Music

The CMA's will air tonight on ABC.